Upcoming: German Winemaker Dinner

Hmm … that makes it sound like you’ll be having German winemakers for dinner. In truth, they’ll be having dinner with you at Bouquet in Covington. I don’t post too many special events lately, but I happen to be a huge (HUGE!) fan of Johannes Leitz and of the Nikolaihof biodynamic estate. If we hadn’t just replaced a lot of plumbing in my house and brakes on my car, Kevin & I would quickly shell out the money to go to this. Instead, I’m writing about it.

Bouquet Restaurant and Wine Bar will be hosting a German and Austrian Winemaker Dinner on Thursday, Jan. 20. The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a champagne reception, followed by a five-course gourmet dinner at 7 p.m. prepared by chef Stephen Williams.

In attendance will be German winemakers Johannes Selbach of Selbach-Oster, Harald Hexamer of Weingut Hexamer and Johannes Leitz of Weingut Leitz, along with Austrian winemaker Christine Saahs of Nikolaihof. All of the featured winemakers, as well as wine experts Jeff Hickenlooper of Vintner Select and Nicole Mersmann of Bouquet Restaurant and Wine Bar, will be available throughout the evening to answer guests’ questions about the showcased wines.

The cost of dinner is $75 per person, including tax and gratuity. Space is limited. For more information, or to make a reservation, please call 859-491-7777.

The Winemaker Dinner Menu is as follows:

First Course

Lobster Ravioli
Nikolaihof 2009 Grüner Veltliner Hefeabzug

Second Course

Smoked Scallop Crudo
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr 2009 Riesling Kabinett

Third Course

Ossabaw Heritage Pork
Weingut Hexamer Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg 2009 Riesling Quarzit

Fourth Course

Duck Stuffed With Braised Rabbit
Sattler 2009 St. Laurent, Neusiedlersee

Fifth Course

Duo of Hot and Cold Foie Gras
Weingut Leitz Rüdesheimer Magdalenenkreuz 2009 Riesling Spätlese

Thinking Spring: CIWF Tickets

Can’t figure out what to buy for the Cincinnati-based wine lover in your life? How about tickets to the Cincinnati International Wine Festival.

Held next year on March 10-12, tickets are already on sale.

It’s also the 21st birthday of the wine festival – for a festival dedicated to alcohol, there is a bit of humor in that.

Visit www.winefestival.com and get tickets to winery dinners (special winemaker guests are still TBD), Grand Tastings, the charity auction & luncheon, and hotel packages.

Additionally, the Wine Festival has announced that this year’s honorary chairperson is Justin Baldwin of JUSTIN Winery in Paso Robles.

Unique Gifting: Create Your Own Wine Glasses

Mary Jane Riggi has had a stained glass studio in Cincinnati for over 25 years. She has also been an adjunct professor in various aspects of stained glass at the University of Cincinnati’s Communiversity program for almost as long.

What does that have to do with the wine blog? Well, Mary Jane is hosting a wine glass painting class. Imagine painting your own stained glass wine glasses and giving them as Christmas gifts? I’m sort of in love with this idea.

You have just one opportunity to take this class, on Saturday, December 4, 12-4 pm. Classes are located at Mary Jane’s studio in Mt Airy. Class fee is $35 plus a supply fee of $25, which is payable to Mary Jane at the time of the class.  The supply fee includes up to 4 wine glasses, glass paints, etching cream, jewels and nuggets to make wine charms, and a refreshments after the class. Students will have the opportunity to paint/etch a large glass ornament at no additional charge, if there is time.

For more information, you can contact Mary Jane at 513-633-2788. You can register by calling Mary Jane or through the Communiversity program.

Local Restaurants Support Veterans with Free Entrees

I’m completely just pasting in a press release here, but it’s got all the information you need. Why reinvent the wheel?

Relish Restaurant Group announced today that for the second year in a row four of their area restaurants will hold a Veterans Appreciation Week giving all veterans a free entrée. The Bistro, Chalk Food +Wine, Local 127 and Lavomatic Café will salute area troops with a free meal in celebration for Veterans Day. The event will last from November 8^th through November 14^th during regular business hours.

“Our service members deserve more than one day in recognition of their service and sacrifice to our country, this is why we are giving back for an entire week,” said Summer Crenshaw, Director of Marketing for Relish Restaurant Group. “Last year we were able to serve several hundred area veterans, donating nearly $10,000 in meals. We expect this year to be even bigger and we are excited to serve our veterans.”

This year the restaurants will also offer patrons the opportunity to give back to veterans, through a special patriotic-themed cocktail menu with proceeds benefiting Disabled American Veterans (DAV). “We’re very impressed with Relish Restaurant Group’s generous recognition of veterans,” said Marc Burgess, Executive Director of DAV’s National Headquarters in Cold Spring, Ky. “In addition to providing a great meal, they’re going a step further and giving their patrons an opportunity to support our veterans service programs.”

To participate in appreciation week, veterans just need to show proof of military service and make a reservation at one of four restaurants. The veteran will choose on entrée from a special menu.

Proof of military service includes:
• U.S. Uniform Services Identification Card
• U.S. Uniform Services Retired Identification Card
• DD214
• LES
• Citation or Commendation
• Photograph in uniform
• Veterans Organization Card

Participating restaurants:

Local 127
127 W. 4th St
Cincinnati OH 45202
513-721-1345
www.mylocal127.com

The Bistro
413 Vine St
Cincinnati OH 45202
513-621-1465
www.bistrocincinnati.com

Lavomatic Cafe
1211 Vine St
Cincinnati OH 45202
513-621-1999
www.lavomaticcafe.com

Chalk Food and Wine
318 Greenup St
Covington, KY 41011
859-643-1234
www.Chalkfoodwine.com

More Tino Vino …

First an explanation, then an update.

I had to take down the post with Lindsay’s letter. I know, I know, perhaps I erred on the side of too much caution. I was treading a line I wasn’t personally comfortable with and, well, there were a myriad of other reasons as well. You had only to read the comments to figure some of them out.

I did correspond with Lindsay after I removed her letter and she updated me on some happenings on Tuesday. She let me know that as of October 13, the winery was evicted. Left with no recourse, the landlord dumped all the wine. Unfortunately, if you had wine at Tino Vino, it’s now gone.

My apologies to those of you who are genuinely interested in what is happening with Tino Vino. I wish I hadn’t had to take the letter down. I’m working things out, so maybe, just maybe, I’ll be able to re-post it later.

Cheers,

Michelle