Geja's Cafe

Geja’s Café, 340 W. Armitage, will celebrate the return of Spring with its Greek Wine Festival this March and April. The two-month festival will kick off with a Greek Winemaker Dinner on Monday, March 7. The special and informative event, part of Geja’s ongoing popular Winemaker Dinner series, invites guests to enjoy a flavorful fondue dinner paired with fine wines indigenous to Greece.
Geja’s Café enjoys shedding light on the unsuspected gems of the wine world. Featuring the very best of Greece, the festival will introduce the unfamiliar with unusual grape varieties and a diverse winemaking style to invoke the palates of the masses and open the door to a whole new world of wine. The Greeks, after all, were among the first to make wine and manipulate the fermentation process to develop favorable quaffs. Though they’ve been making wine for thousands of years, in the past two decades, Greece has undergone a revolution in which quality, individuality and history are the hallmarks of a new generation of Greek wine producers determined to make their mark. Geja’s hopes this unique event will introduce Chicago’s wine lovers with a varietal that will make the phrase “It’s all Greek to me,” history.
The Winemaker dinner will feature wines including the zesty 2009 Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko, the brilliantly fruity 2010 Domaine Skouras Moschofilero, along with 2008 Domaine Skouras St. George, the number one wine of Greece, and even the rare, decadent dessert wine Vin Santo from the tiny island of Santorini. The evening begins with a 6:30 reception followed by dinner at 7:00 with a lively discussion of the evening’s wines. The four-course dinner features Geja's house Salad, Cheese Fondue, Beef Tenderloin, Chicken & Jumbo Shrimp Entree, and Flaming Chocolate Fondue for dessert. Each course will be paired with the appropriate all-you-can-drink featured wines while supplies last. Cost for each dinner is $50 per person, which includes the wines, dinner, tax, and gratuity. Any left leftover unopened bottles of wine will be raffled off following the dinner. Reservations are required for the dinners, and interested parties are encouraged to act quickly as the popular Winemaker Dinners tend to sell out. For more information and to reserve, please call 773-281-9101.
The “It’s All Greek to Me” Wine Festival will continue through April 30, 2011. Some of the featured wines will include:
Sparkling Glass/Bottle
N/V Domaine Spiropoulos Ode Panos Brut $9.00/45.00

Whites
2010 Domaine Skouras Moschofilero $9.00/35.00
2009 Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko $9.75/38.00

Rosés
2010 Gai'a 14-18 Agiorgitiko Rosé $8.75/34.00

Reds
2008 Domaine Skouras St. George $9.25/35.00
2007 Thimiopoulos Vineyards Uranos $N/A/58.00

Dessert
2004 Domaine Sigalas Vin Santo $12.00/N/A

Known for romantic fondue dining–food one prepares and shares–and an extensive list of fine, moderately priced wines, Geja’s features over 20 different types of fondue entrees as well as cheese fondue and chocolate dessert fondue. An enchanting wine cellar atmosphere, private booths, and subdued lighting contribute to its intimate surrounding. Live flamenco and classical guitarists serenade diners on weekends.

Hours for Geja’s Café are Monday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.; Friday, 5 p.m. to 11:00, Saturday, 5 p.m. to 11:30; Sunday, 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Valet parking is available. For reservations or further information about the Greek Wine Festival, please call 773-281-9101.