Hello! Welcome to another episode of the Chicago Wine Report. Please excuse our dust as we transition from a podcast to a radio show: We debut at 10 am (central) on WCGO Radio (1590 AM, 95.9 FM), which serves the Chicago metropolitan area. For our loyal listeners and subscribers, here are the details:* The show will continue to be a podcast and available here on Substack. Nothing will change with how you continue to access the show.* WCGO is a broadcast station and the AM signal has a massive reach throughout the Chicago area, including Naperville and other western suburbs, as well as parts of Indiana and Wisconsin. The FM signal is confined to the North Shore and north side neighborhoods. * If you are outside the WCGO listening area or don’t have easy access to a radio, you can stream our show via the WCGO website or by using the TuneIn app.We are incredibly excited to bring a Chicago-wine-focused show to the airwaves. As always, we thank you for your support!Chicago Wine Report is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.FIELD TRIPSLe MidiLe Midi is open for business! Formerly Joe’s Wine Cellar, Le Midi has undergone a massive renovation by Seth Wilson and Craig Perman. While the excellent selection of bottles for retail purchase remains shelved against the east wall, the rest of the space has been transformed by cool blue hues and a decidedly subdued vibe. Plenty of seating is available, including within the front patio area and a huge communal table at the center. The menu features a rotating cast of wines by the glass along with a simple (but wonderful) menu of small bites, including a rather remarkable entry entitled “Crostini w/ Tuna Belly,” pictured below: The cheese and charcuterie are also not to be trifled with:Service is knowledgeable and relaxed: I never felt rushed or hurried, even though the place was buzzing. Feel free to ask your server for recommendations and their preferences. . .they know what they are talking about. The wine lists here (both glass and bottle) are excellent and innovative. If you are looking to try something out of the ordinary, you’ve come to the right place. The glass list, in particular, offers pours from some pretty high-end bottles: You’ll pay for the privilege (some of the glass pours are in the $30ish range) but it’s cheaper than springing for a bottle. Le Midi2108 West Division StreetMon — ClosedTues-Thurs — 12-10 pmFri–Sat — 12-11 pmSun — 12-6 pm(773) 303-4884Uvae Fromagerie & Tasting RoomI made a second visit to this lovely shop, this time for their free Tuesday wine tasting and was in no way disappointed:The wines were delicious, even the Sauvignon Blanc, which surprised me by smelling and tasting of gooseberries without a hint of cat pee (“Eau de chat” has become a standard feature in many Sauv Blancs lately, much to my disgust). I enjoyed talking with the wine rep and the bartender. . .so much so that I found my way over to the bar for another glass (or two) and some cheese.Speaking of cheese: The tasting room at Uvae has a fine selection of cheeses and they are happy to put together a flight for you. For $10, a selection of three kinds of cheese, plus spreads and crackers, is a serious bargain. Let your server select your cheeses for you if you want maximum enjoyment. They know what they are doing here.Two special treats also lurked on the menu: The first was an Italian Viognier. I’m typically not fond of the grape, but the 2018 Tenimenti d'Alessandro Toscana Bianco made me reconsider my position. Crisp, beautiful acid, and a great accompaniment to food, this is one bottle I’d advise picking up at Uvae. The second was a plate of deviled eggs:The eggs and filling are pristine, but check out those toppings! Little cheese crisps plus candied chips of bacon/onion jam. Nom.Uvae Fromagerie & Tasting Room5553 N. Clark St. Sunday & Monday 1 – 8 pmTuesday to Saturday 12 – 9 pm773-654-1432 Independent SpiritsI’ve been remiss in visiting Independent Spirits’ weekly wine tastings since they restarted them this year. It’s a real shame, too, because this is one of my favorite shops and its free tastings always feature top-notch bottles.This week’s selections hail from South Africa and were presented by a rep from Kestral Wine & Spirits. I’ve been super-impressed by the South African bottles I’ve tried lately, and this lineup was no exception:I can remember a time when I really disliked South African wines. Lately, they’ve become some of my favorites. The Thorne & Daughters “Tin Soldier” Semillon was a particular standout and perhaps the sexiest white wine I’ve ever tried and JH Meyer "Palmiet" Chardonnay will upset all of your Chardonnay stereotypes.Independent Spirits5947 N BroadwayTuesday - Saturday 12 to 7 pmSunday 12 to 6 pm(773) 989-2115WINE OF THE WEEKOn this week’s show we sampled Pietracupa Greco di Tufo 2018. Recommended to me by Le Midi owner Seth Wilson, this Italian white proved a rare treat. Le Midi co-owner, Craig Perman, often likes his white wines to have a bit of age on them, and I can’t help but wonder if he was cellaring this bottle until he felt it was just right: The wine itself is a beautiful, rich gold color that likely reflects the 4+ years that it’s been around.We were blown away by the richness of this wine: Chip and I have, lately, been complaining about the lack of balance often found in many European wines, particularly those grown in warmer climates. Pietracupa Greco di Tufo is grown in Campania (southern Italy) and there are distinctive tropical notes, but nothing is out of whack: Tom noted that while there was a strong flavor of lime, it is more like a lime pickle. I felt that the wine had some spiciness to it, and Tom’s remark brought home a memory of Indian lime pickle as I sipped away.This is a surprisingly rich wine: We noted a bit of oiliness as well as beeswax. Alcohol is reasonable at 12.5%. (I only wish I had had some whitefish on hand for pairing purposes.) Of course, wines of this quality don’t come cheap, and I paid about $42 (with tax) for this bottle. Not an everyday wine to be sure, but definitely worth savoring with friends.CHICAGO WINE NEWS & EVENTSOctober 7th - 9th at Jonquil Park: Lincoln Park Wine Fest. FRI: 5-10pm; SAT: 11-10pm; SUN: 11-7pm. Tickets range in price depending on when purchased and whether you opt for standard vs. VIP tastings.October 13th at The Wine Goddess: The Wines of Spain. 7:00 – 8:30 pm. RSVP online, tickets are $60.October 22nd: Bucktown Fall Wine Walk, sponsored by Door 24 Wines. October 24th at Uvae Restaurant and Wine Bar: Wine Dinner fundraiser for The Evolved Network. 6-8 pm. Tickets are $120 and include five courses with wine pairings.REGULAR WINE TASTINGS IN THE CHICAGO AREABelow is a list of regularly scheduled tastings at Chicago area wine bars and shops. Many are free or low-cost, but it is always a good idea to contact the shop/wine bar ahead of time to be sure.This list is hardly comprehensive, though I hope it will eventually become so. Please let me know if you’d like to recommend a spot or need to correct any information:57th Street Wines holds tastings on Thursdays from 5-7 pm and Saturdays from 3-5 pm. Tastings are usually themed and occasionally the schedule switches up a bit, so be sure to check out their website and call ahead to avoid disappointment. (Hyde Park)Augusta Food & Wine offers free tastings on Thursdays between 6-8 pm. No sign-up is required. (Lincoln Square)BottlesUp! First Friday tastings take place the first Friday of every month and include free wine tastings plus new, in-store art. (Lakeview)Door 24 holds regular tastings every Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. These are free and no sign-up is required. Get on their social media pages for updates on their Friday night lineup! (Bucktown)In Fine Spirits advertises regular free wine tastings Wednesdays from 5-7 pm and Saturdays from 3 to 6 pm with an occasional Thursday tasting (which will be announced on their social media and in their newsletter). (Andersonville)Konbini & Kanpai holds regular wine tastings (often on Wednesdays and usually free), plus additional tastings of beer, sake, and spirits throughout the month. I strongly recommend checking out their online calendar and getting on their mailing list so that you can stay informed. (Lakeview)Independent Spirits is holding wine tastings from 5-7 pm on Thursdays. Tastings are free and information about the tastings appears on social media. Tastings are free and there is no charge. (Edgewater)Picnic Wine & Provisions holds wine tastings from 5-8 pm on Thursdays. $5, reservations are appreciated but not required. (Rogers Park)Red & White Wines c