Rioja Wine & Tapas Festival Blows Into Windy City

The Inaugural Rioja Wine and Tapas Festival blows into the Windy City on Saturday, May 2. The 1 to 5 pm event at Chicago's Union Station kicks off a week of celebrations honoring Spain's iconic Rioja wine region.

The festival will showcase some 200 Rioja wines, 50 Rioja winemakers and 40 importers. More than 30 chefs from across the country will prepare delicious Spanish tapas, against the backdrop of a Spanish cheese cave, the famed Iberico ham and live entertainment.

All ticket buyers will have a chance at entering the "take home a Rioja cellar" contest in which the winner will receive at least 126 bottles of Rioja wines. The wines are those uncorked during the event, so organizers say the winner could receive even more bottles than anticipated.

Rioja wines were featured at a Rioja wine tasting event in New York. That super wine tasting was such a success that organizers were inspired to launch an all-out Rioja Wine and Tapas Festival in Chicago this year. 

Among the more than 30 chefs who have signed on to prepare delectable tapas are David Cordua of America's in Houston and Anthony Sasso of Casa Mono y Bar Jamon in New York. All the award-winning chefs have Spanish favorites that are sure to be crowd-pleasers.

The lengthy list of Spanish Rioja wines to be swirled, sniffed and savored at the mega Rioja wine tasting include familiar Spanish names such as Marques de Caceres, Campo Viejo, Montecillo, Ysios and others.

Those not as well known to American palates may include Raquel Saenz, Rug Vino, El Cato and many more. But even Rioja wines that are not yet household words here have consistently garnered high points from Wine Spectator magazine and the Wine Advocate. 

Proceeds from the May 2 event will benefit the James Beard Foundation scholarship fund. Tickets are $65 each with a $3.95 service charge. General admission is $68.95. Organizers expect the event to sell out quickly. So don't delay and go to: www.riojafest.com