One of the really fun weekend events of the post Labor Day season is the Festival of the Vine in Geneva.

If you’ve never been, it’s a celebration of “good wine, good food and good fun for the whole family,” as the Geneva Chamber of Commerce says on its website.

“Taste wines from around the world. Sample mouth-watering specialties at our Flavor Fare. Find unique gifts at our incredible Fine Arts and Crafts show. The 2016 Festival of the Vine is a great fall getaway. We hope you can make it!”

The 2016 event takes place from Friday, Sept. 9, to Sunday, Sept. 11, in downtown Geneva.

Highly recommended is the Flavor Fare — the Geneva equivalent of Taste of Chicago — where you can sample smaller portions of dishes from Geneva’s best restaurants. (There are many, and they are terrific.)

Through the years — because of the successes of Graham’s Chocolate, the All-Chocolate Kitchen and the Little Traveler and others — Geneva has developed a reputation as the chocolate capital of Kane County. And it lives up to the hype with several events, showcased below.

The entertainment is terrific, the Fine Arts & Crafts Show is among the best-attended in the area and when the weather is nice (as it’s supposed to be this weekend), downtown Geneva will be the place to be.

Read More

• Festival of the Vine Brochure
• Festival Wine List
• Flavor Fare Menu
• Entertainment/Music Line-up
• Special Wine Tasting & Culinary Events

Special Wine Tasting & Culinary Events

27th Annual Bacchus Meets Quetzalcoatl Wine & Chocolate Tasting Event
318 S. Third Street, behind 318 Coffeehouse- outside
An annual favorite among many Festival of the Vine attendees, the event pairs exceptional wines from Geneva Wine Cellars & Tasting Room with hand-dipped fine chocolates from Graham’s. Enjoy live music while strolling through the transformed space. Tickets $32/person; min. age 21. Tickets sell out fast, so please reserve early. Limited/prepaid reservations. Call Graham’s at 630-232-6655.
Fri & Sat: 6:30 pm, 7:30 pm & 8:30 pm

All Chocolate Kitchen – Chocolate 101 Paired With Wine
33 S. Third Street – Inside our sophisticated private room.
An evening of Chocolate & Wine with Award winner, Food Network Personality and Hall of Fame Inductee Chef Roby- Executive Chef and owner of All Chocolate Kitchen. In this class guests will travel along the tasting path of chocolate from different countries, exploring the rich history and travels of the cacao bean. Each truffle from our Exotic Aroma Line will be paired with sublime, sensual wine. Tickets $50 per person. Limited/prepaid reservations, call All Chocolate Kitchen at 630-232-2395.
Fri & Sat: 6:00 pm

Chez Moi Events
415 W. State Street
Wine Tasting 101 (9/8); California Wine Specifications (9/9); Blind wine tasting (9/10). $20/person/session or $55 for all three. Delicious cheese tray included with tasting; small plate menu available for purchase. Reservations required.
Thu & Fri: 4:00 – 6:00 pm; Sat: 3:00 – 5:00 pm

Enjoy our Annual “Polenta Pour”. We pour the polenta right on your table with sides of sauces, vegetables, sausages and cheeses. A great night to enjoy family and friends. $30/person.
Fri: seating begins at 6:30 pm

Fiora’s Festival Wine Tasting
317 S. Third Street
Voted Best Restaurant 3 years-in-a-row, Fiora’s is a local favorite known for its fine wine selection, fantastic food, live music and unbeatable outdoor dining. Join us for our popular wine tasting event ($1 a taste) featuring exceptional wines individually selected by our Sommelier. All wines will also be available for retail sale. Visit www.fioras.com.
Wine Tasting times: Fri: 4:00 – 9:00 pm; Sat: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm.

Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery
477 S. Third Street, Suite 100
Wine tasting daily. Serving Sangria and 40 different wines by the glass on our patio. Live entertainment Sunday (2:30 – 5:30) on the patio. Call 630-232-9463 for information.
Fri & Sat: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm; Sun: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Preservation Bread & Wine
513 S. Third Street
Join Geneva’s premier wine bar cafe and resident sommelier / owner Lawrence Colburn for an international wine and cheese tasting. The three flight pairing is $25 and reservations are recommended.
Fri & Sat: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm; Sun: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

SavWay Fine Wines & Spirits
515 W. State Street
Join us for a wine and cheese presentation of undeniable value buys for fall. Find your new favorites, reacquaint with old. We promise hot-prices on everything from cellar gems to everyday wines. $5 Presentation fee.
Robert Mondavi put it best: A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine!
Fri: 6:00 – 8:00 pm; Sat: 3:00 – 6:00 pm; Sun: 2:00 – 5:00 pm

The Little Traveler
404 S. Third Street – front lawn
We will be sampling over 75 wines from throughout Illinois and the US, as well as from Europe and South Africa, under our tents on the front lawn. Seasonal favorites include pumpkin, cranberry and chocolate. Wineries include Lynfred, Prairie State, Stone Hill and Door Peninsula. The first three samples are free for those over 21; additional samples may be purchased for a nominal price. All proceeds benefit Geneva Community Chest, serving over 20 local charities.
Fri: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm; Sat: 11:00 am – 5:30 pm & Sun: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Wildwood Restaurant & Lounge
477 S. Third Street, Ste. 190
Celebrating the 6th consecutive year of Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence! Our festivities include $10 Wine Grab Bag and Wine Flights all weekend. Enjoy Wine Flights and complimentary Cheese Tasting in our lounge and on our lounge patio from 2:00 -4:30 pm on Sat. & Sun.

SOURCE: Geneva Chamber of Commerce