Rioja Week in Chicago

Next week, October 18-25, Rioja will be invading Chicago for a week of glass pours and pairings in some great restaurants and wine bars.  Rioja Week will be hitting only two cities: ours and New York.  This is something special, as many restaurants do not serve Rioja wines by the glass, though they pair extremely well with food.  

Some may ask "What is Rioja?".



Rioja is wine made in La Rioja, a province in northern Spain.  The main grape varietals permitted are Tempranillo for red, while whites are mainly comprised of Viura, also known as Macabeo.  Other grape varietals used are Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo, and Malvasia.  There is a great history of winemaking in this region, which dates back thousands of years.  Wines can range from young and vibrant to aged and  funky, but all are perfect with local cuisine, as well as certain internationals.

Many deals can be had next week, such as $25 or $50 prix fixe menus including wine, $12 bar samplings, or 15-20% discounts on Rioja bottles.  Some of the restaurants/bars included are:

Chicago:  Sushi Samba Rio, 1492 Tapas, Mundial Cucina Mestiza, Mercat al la Planxa, Fonda del Mar, Fiddlehead Cafe, Eivissa, Vivo, Province, Fleming's, Tocco Pizza E Arte, The Red Canary, The Melting Pot, Salpicon, Feast

Naperville:  Meson Sabika, Zaidi's

Evanston:  Oceanique

Arlington Heights:  La Tasca Tapas

So come on out and get yourself a glass or bottle and fiesta!