Wine + Food: Tour De Vin Returns To Whole Foods On October 8

Drinking tall boys and eating chicken cones is a fun part of fall, but when ACL Fest ends, Austin foodie season begins to kick into high gear. After allowing for a few days to recover, The Wine and Food Foundation's annual Tour De Vin on the Whole Foods Rooftop arrives on Thursday, October 8th to help introduce you to some favorite new boutique wines and local dishes. While the event is normally priced at $75, the WFFT's fall member drive is offering a limited number of tickets for only $25 with a membership purchase - call 512.327.7555 to see if they're still available.

What are we most looking forward to this year? The chance to see the talents of a number of new eateries, including Garrido's upscale Mexican, Get Some Dim Sum's Asian snacks, Fabi + Rosi's New European, Maria Maria's Interior Comfort-Mex, Thai Fresh's homestyle curries, and the stylish food of 2nd Street's latest hit La Condesa.

The star of this event is a massive wine tasting to accompany your food, and here's a tip sheet on what to hit first:
- A to Z: San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich's winery follows the Cameron Hughes model of sourcing great Oregon fruit at discount prices. A sleeper value pick.
- Amavi and Pepper Bridge: These Washington sister producers are making great reds with loads of depth and personality at two different price tiers ($20 and $50). You won't be disappointed.
- Bethel Heights: These Oregon producers consistently produce lovely Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. Restrained, elegant, and very enjoyable.
- Novy: If you like Syrah, start here. This California winery is producing an outstanding array of Syrahs from different regions and vineyards, and is piling up 90+ scores on a monthly basis.
- Sonoma-Cutrer: They're most famous for their ubiquitous Chardonnays, but if they're pouring the Pinot Noir, try it - it's a great expression of Sonoma's climate and fruit.

There are two final pointers to share - first, buy one of the little plates that holds your wine glass for you! It will make it infinitely easier to talk, dine, and sample wine concurrently. Second, bring a pen and write down your favorite wines, or use your cameraphone to take photos of your favorite labels - otherwise, you'll never remember them a month later in the wine aisle. See you on the rooftop.

Participating Restaurants: Aquarelle, Buenos Aires Café, Clay Pit, Corazón, Dagar's Catering, Ecstatic Cuisine, Fabi + Rosi, Fete Accompli, Inc., Food Innovations, Garrido's, Get Sum Dim Sum, Joe DiMaggio's Italian Chophouse, Kenichi, La Condesa, La Madeleine, Maria Maria La Cantina, NoRTH Modern Italian Cuisine, Primizie Osteria, Sagra, Satay Restaurant, Streat, Thai Fresh, Whole Foods Market Culinary Center, Zocalo Café, Z' Tejas.