French Wine Takes Chicago By Storm

Fresh off the heels of the White Burgundy tasting, comes a wave of French wine events across the city. I've caught the bug, and I'm slowly building a list of go to wines from France. There is no question in my mind that some of the best values in wine are here. If you have never tried French wine, I suggest you make it a point to go to one of these events. With the number of them listed below, there is no good excuse for missing out. If there are others that I missed here, feel free to add them in the comments and I'll update the list. For those of you wondering what to expect, here is a primer:

Bordeaux = Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon
Burgundy = Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Rhone = Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache 15 bazillion other grapes

Events:

Chicago Wine School's 5-week Wines of France course - Starting Sept 10th. This sounds like a great intro into the wine regions of France. 5 week course should cover Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, and others.

French Night Grand Tasting - Sept 27th. Sam's Chicago is hosting a huge tasting of French wine. I haven't decided if I'll go to this, but if you're a francophile (I love that word), or if you want to check out what all the hype is about, this would be a good event to check out.

Binny's Bordeaux Seminar - Sept 25th. This looks like it will be a seated, reservations required, but FREE seminar put on by Binny's Schaumburg. This is the night of my anniversary, and my wife has been gracious enough to agree ti come along with me for this one. I'm looking forward to how this one turns out. Get your spots fast, because I don't think they will be available long.

Binny's Bordeaux Tasting - Too many to list. Binny's has a bunch of Bordeaux tastings coming up in the next 2 months. Check out their website for the one closest to you.

Sam's Academy "Great Red Burgundies" - Sept 25th. If you can't make it out to Schaumburg, this could be a good option. I suspect this won't be targeted at the wine newb, but it would be a good educational experience fro someone at any level. I have no doubt the wines will be top nothc examples of Red Burgundy. This one is $50.

Update: FRANCE vs. the Rest of the World - Oct 4th. I just found this in the latest edition of The Juice. This looks like it could be really interesting. All the details are at the event page on The Juice. This is $55 and sounds like a no holds barred wine throwdown. Maybe a really good way to learn about French wines and how they are different from the wines of the "new world".