Friday March 5, Scotch Battle Encore, $50; Friday, March 12, Palate Destruction 2010, $95; Thursday, March 18, 2005 Chablis Showdown, $80; Thursday, March 25, Turn of the Century, $60; Thursday, April 1, Grappa for the Fools, $60. Phone 403-261-1600 for details.

 

Dine Out Calgary presents great set-price, very affordable dining for lunch and dinner at some of your favourite downtown restaurants. For details, go to www.dineoutcalgary.com

 

Join the grand opening of the Good Earth Coffee House and Bakery in Cranston, 356 Cranston Rd. SE. Enjoy free coffee all day plus samplings of fresh baked goods.

 

Anne Vanderhoof, author of The Spice Necklace, a culinary journey through the Caribbean, presented by Pages Books, will be at the Plaze Theatre, 11 a.m., 1133 Kensington Rd. NW. For details and tickets, phone 403-283-6655. Vanderhoof is the author of An Embarrassment of Mangoes, another culinary tootle in the Caribbean.

Monday, March 8, International Women’s Day, a night of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres with raffle proceeds going to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, $50. Wednesday, March 17, Fontanafredda Barolo Wine Maker’s Dinner, a 4-course dinner with wine pairings, 6:30 p.m., $150. Phone 403-232-8901 or email dominique@ilsogno.org for details and tickets for both these events.

 

Chocolates and Pastries, the 7^th installment of the “Food Bar Series” at Olives Restaurant. Chef Jonathan Canning and pastrymeister Rachel Bergen reveal the mysteries of chocolate and desserts, 6:30 p.m., $45. For details, phone 403-984-5000.

 

Calgary Co-op Wines & Spirits teams up with Seven Restolounge, 603 – 8^th Ave. SW to present Appleton Estate Jamaican rum with a small-plate tasting menu, $50. Phone 403-219-6025, ext. 6154 for tickets.

 

Tuesday, March 9, 6:30 p.m., a cocktail party to learn more about the Western Sky Land Trust’s Bow Initiative to drum up support and awareness for Bow River conservation. Saturday, March 27, the Deanne Matley Jazz Trio with special dinner features and $4 Alexander Keith’s. Reserve your table at 403-265-3474.

Thursday, March 11, Chateauneuf du Pape tasting, $40; Thursday, March 18, Top values under $30, $40; Thursday, March 25, Easter Wines to pair with turkey, ham or lamb, $40; Monday, March 29, Scotch Tasting with Joe, $60; Thursday, April 22, BBQ Wines, $40. Phone 403-730-8430 for details and to register. All tastings are at the Beacon Hill location.

 

Wildlife talks at Deer Lodge: “The Carnivore Code – Unlockig the Secrets of the Wolf, Lynx and Wolverine.” Deer Lodge, in Lake Louise, is part of Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts. For details about the talks and accommodation packages, phone 1-800-661-1595 or visit www.crmr.com.

March 13, Riesling Hats; March 20, In the Red; March 27, Girls’ Night in a Wine Shop. Visit www.vinestonewine.com for details.

Saturday, March 13, 1:30 p.m., LOCAL 101 – Eating Food You Know From People You Know, an afternoon of presentations by farmers and cooks followed by local food and beverage tasting, River Park Church Auditorium, $20. 

Saturday, March 13, 9:30 a.m., LOCAL 201 – Connecting with People in the Local Food Movement, followed by a panel discussion and lunch, River Park Church Auditorium, $40. For details go to www.foragefoods.com and click on the LOCAL 101 tab. Tickets available at Forage, 403-269-6551.

Don’t miss these fun family events: L’Arche Calgary 4^th Annual Cake Walk and Lindt Chocolate Competition, SAIT Heart Building and 4 Nines Cafeteria. The Cake Walk features cakes crafted by some of Calgary’s best pastry chefs on the year’s theme of Celebrate Unity. At the same time, the Pastry Chef Guild of Alberta presents its bi-annual Lindt Chocolate Competition. The Cake Walk raises funds to maintain homes and programs for people with developmental disabilities. For details, visit www.larchecalgary.org

A favourite winery, Joie Farms on the Naramata Bench in the Okanagan, presents its wines with owner, Michael Dinn, at CSN Wines & Spirits, 1716 Centre St. N, 7 – 9 p.m., $35. Don’t miss this – these are some of the best wines produced in Canada. www.csnwine.com

Calgary Co-op Wines & Spirits teams up with The Belvedere, 107 – 8^th Ave. SW, to present a Mission Hill Family Estate wine dinner, 6 p.m., $100. For tickets, phone 403-219-6025, ext. 6140.

Jazz at Piq Niq Cafe, 811 – 1^st St. SW, with Deanne Matley and Brian Chellas on guitar, 7 – 9 p.m., no cover. Phone 403-263-1650 for reservations, www.beatniq.com

 

 

Café Books and Canmore Wine Merchants present En Vino Novellus – in wine there are stories -- 7 p.m., Café Books, 826 Main St., Canmore. Eight authors read while a wine that shares each book’s attributes is sipped. For details, visit www.vino-novellus.com

Grape Escape, Calgary Co-op Wines & Spirits’ wines, spirits and beer festival for Co-op members and their guests, BMO Centre Hall E, Stampede Grounds, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., $40. Tickets from Calgary Co-op Wines & Spirits locations.

The Society for American Wines is having a technical tasting of 2002 Cabernet at Osteria De Medici. For information or tickets email  societyforamericanwines@gmail.com or check the website at www.calgarysaw.com.

Wednesday, March 24, Broek Pork Acres; Wednesday, April 28, Cakadu Heritage Lamb. These family-style dinners start at 7 p.m., $49 includes dinner, dessert, coffee/tea and gratuity. Call Forage to book your seat 403-269-6551.

Salut Wine and Food Festival features great food and wine happenings around the city. For event details and tickets, visit www.salutwinefestival.com

 

California Wine Fair at Hotel Arts showcasing more than 100 California wineries. Tastings, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction in support of the Calgary Opera. For tickets and details go to www.calgaryopera.com or phone 403-262-7286.

Wednesday, April 14, La Foire des Vins Français; Saturday, April 17, I Love Languedoc, 722 – 11^th Ave. SW. Visit www.metrovino.com for details or call 403-205-3356.