Taste of Chicago 2.0?

If you're a serious Chicago Foodie, you will want to mark two dates on your calendar. According to the Chicago Tribune, on May 20, a press conference will be held here in Chicago to announce "Chicago Gourmet", a food and wine event scheduled for Millennium Park from September 26-28.

Millennium Park held an excellent wine festival co-sponsored by Binny's last fall. It's an lovely place for a classy food or wine event; plenty of space to walk around, room to sit down or spread a blanket.

No details have been released yet about what chefs and restaurants will be represented, but I'm sure you have some favorite places that just wouldn't feel right at Taste of Chicago that would be much better showcased at an event like this.

If you were designing an event celebrating the fine cuisine of this city, what would you include? Feel free to comment below! Also, if you involved with the planning of this event and want to give your favorite new Chicago blogger a sneak taste, please comment or email me!

New Wine Books to Read

What's almost as fun as reading about wine? Reading about it, of course! Here are a couple of books, some out now, some coming soon, I am looking forward to, along with a glass of great Pinot, of course!







One is by Alice Feiring; she's written a wine blog (http://www.blogger.com/www.alicefeiring.com) in which she calls herself a "wine cop" fighting for purity and authenticity in wine. She seems to have a grudge against California wine and a certain Maryland based critic.

Check out this L.A. Times editorial


Another title I am looking forward to reading is by Neil Rosenthal. If I remember correctly, he was interviewed for the documentaryMondovino a few years ago. He's an New York based retailer and importer who, like Feiring, has definite ideas about what makes wine "authentic" and not compromised.
This week also brings out 101 Wines by Gary Vaynerchuk. I have been watching his video blog since around Episode 40 or so. I saw it on the shelves this Saturday night at a local B & N, but I'll have to wait until my Amazon package gets delivered. Hopefully his over the top style (that is rooted in fundamental wine knowledge) comes through on the page as much as it does on my laptop every night!

If you read any of these, or have other wine book faves, please leave a comment down below!

Welcome to Chicago Pinot!

Welcome to Chicago Pinot (and Other Favorites!)

Here's a pic of me (in full interview mode!)

and one that is much more casual!

Thank you for visiting my first blog!
I have learned so much from reading other wine blogs, and have wanted to start my own for a long time.

I'll be focusing on wine events and stores and cool restaurants here in Chicago. Our city has many great wine shops, both small and large. I'll post reviews and commentary about the wine scene and (as soon as I learn how!) link you to other online resources you may enjoy.

Maybe I will share some of my other passions over time (that's where the Other Favorites part in the title comes from).

I am in my forties, and have been curious about wine for about five or six years now. You can call me a "beer graduate"; ten years ago I was much more into craft beer. And I still follow the beer world, but am more likely to drift to the wine section of a package store if I am visiting for the first time.

I have a great day job working for the city of Chicago, but I am about to start an evening part time position in the wine trade. Don't want to get more specific now, but please wish me luck!

I don't want to give my real name (yet) so for now, just call me Chicago Pinot (or CP for short!) You can email me at ChicagoPinot@gmail.com.

Hope to hear from many of you soon!