Some Sommelier

Don't sniff the cork—squeeze it, you dope. Learning the basics about wine can be intimidating, and the titles of books written by expert Brian Smith sound doubly daunting. One is called The Sommelier's Guide to Wine. Even Smith's title at The Culinary Institute—Professor in Wine Studies and Liberal Arts—sounds very serious and a bit pretentious. But this professor has a knack for teaching people about wine without succumbing to snobbery and vintner-babble. With Smith on hand to discuss his books, maybe you can finally find out what makes a wine "chewy." Meet Brian Smith at 7:30 p.m. at Barnes & Noble Lincoln Park, 7700 W. Northwest Highway. Call 214-739-1124.
Fri., Jan. 27, 7:30 p.m.