Eating and drinking events in Dallas-Fort Worth July 8-14

by Teresa Gubbins

This week's events include a farm tour wherein you get to visit three area farmers dedicated to bringing sustainably grown produce, meat, and dairy via organic and natural methods. Here's the week's top picks:

Thursday

Chill Out With Sake

Ever since this April dinner at Kenichi, it seems like sake has been gathering steam. This sake tasting at Sigel Elite will include: Junmai Tozai Living Jewel, Junmai Ginjo Nanbu Bijin Southern Beauty, Chiyonosono Sacred Power, Kanbara Bride of the Fox, Tokubetsu Junmai, Rihaku Dreamy Clouds (Nigori), Junmai Daiginjo, and Ginja Shizuku Divine Droplets.

Dude, Sweet! Chocolate and Wine Tasting

Dude, Sweet! Chocolate is the line of chocolates from Dallas-based pastry chef Katherine Clapner, and it's being stocked at Swirll just so you can pair chocolates with wine.

Friday

Wine Tasting: A Decade To Remember: 1990’s Bordeaux

There are lots of ways to reminisce about the '90s, but drinking wine is perhaps the best way of all. It definitely is when the wine is Bordeaux from the '90s, just coming into its own. Given the list of stellar wines they're pouring, the $75 fee is a steal, and you get a $25 dining voucher for redemption in the restaurant after the tasting. Drumroll for the wines: 1996 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, Pessac-Léognan 1992 Château Léoville-Las Cases, Saint-Julien 1994 Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac 1994 Château Smith Haut-Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan 1996 Vieux Château Certan, Pomeral 1997 Château Meyney, Saint-Estèphe 1998 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac 1999 Château Pavie-Macquin, Saint-Émilion 1999 Château Rieussec, Sauternes.

Saturday

EatGreenDFW Culinary Farm Tour

The be-all end-all foodie event of the week: A farm tour wherein you get to visit three farmers dedicated to bringing sustainably grown produce, meat, and dairy products to the community using organic and natural methods: JuHa Ranch, Oak Grove Farms, and Garden Harvests. Plus, there's a bus ride. You'll make new friends.

Dinner with the Dairymen

Unique dinner highlighting the richness and variety of North Texas foods is part of the 133rd annual meeting of the American Guernsey Association, which is holding its convention in Texas for the first time in over 50 years. Cows!

Sunday

Taste of Dallas 2009

Taste of Dallas has the same format that prevails at any Taste of event, but the 2009 version seems more diverse than previous years: from Shine's Mediterranean Market to Carl's Caribbean Soul to Selim's Donor Kebap House. And surely you'll want to be there at 4 p.m. when a top '40/80's dance-rock band called The Foodies performs.

Know of any food or wine events we should have mentioned? Tell us about them in the comments section below.