It’s the Olympics of wine TASTING –an intense battle of the
palates—and the oldest event of its kind in the country. Geja’s
Café’s 44th Annual Professional/Amateur Wine TASTING CONTEST WILL
TAKE PLACE ON SUNDAY, November 5 at 1 p.m. at Geja’s Café, 340 West
Armitage, where wine quaffers from around the region will gather to
test their taste buds against experts and amateurs alike. Amateurs are
defined as not having worked in the wine industry for the previous
three years.
“The world of wine is as diverse as the countries on Earth,” says
Jeff Lawler, Proprietor of Geja’s Café, “That’s why this
contest is such a challenge. It takes a wise nose and an equally
sensitive palate to identify these vintages.”
To begin the tasting, contestants will have eight unmarked carafes of
wine placed before them. The experts and amateurs are then tasked with
identifying the grape, place of origin, and vintage of each wine. The
Grand Award for the highest scorer in each category will be an
engraved crystal wine decanter. To enter, contestants pay an entrance
fee of $30 and must be 21 years of age or older. To RSVP, call
Geja’s Café at 773-281-9101.
“Wine is meant to be enjoyed, and while this is a fun event to test
the palate, it is also a historic contest and there is a level of
seriousness surrounding the competition,” said Lawler. “In order
to maintain the integrity of the contest there is no talking or phone
usage.”
In the last 43 years of this contest, Geja’s Café has seen over
1,500 participants, 2,400 bottles of wine tasted, two first place
ties, 22 different Professional winners and 23 Amateur winners.
Barbara Herman, a Professional, has won the competition eight times,
and Jim Bube, who has won the Professional category for the last three
years straight, will be vying for a fourth win this year.
Named one of the best restaurants in the country for exceptional
fondue by the Wall Street Journal, and an ideal destination to
celebrate an anniversary by The New York Times, Geja’s Café was
recently voted as the nation’s Best Romantic Restaurant by USA TODAY
readers and earned the Award of Excellence by the Wine Spectator.
Known for romantic fondue dining – food one prepares and shares –
and an extensive list of fine, moderately priced wines, Geja’s Café
features over 20 different types of fondue entrees including cheese
fondue and chocolate dessert fondue. An enchanting wine cellar
atmosphere, private booths, and subdued lighting contribute to its
intimate surroundings. Geja’s Café was recently voted the #1
audience winner for Best Romantic Dining in Chicago on
www.CitySearch.com.
Hours for Geja’s Café are Monday through Thursday, 5p.m. to 10:00
p.m.; Friday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.;
Sunday, 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Valet parking is available. For
information, please call 773.281.9101, or visit Geja’s Café online
at www.gejascafe.com.
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06/11/2017 Last update