Wine fete for a King

Under the statue of King Neptune, about three dozen Virginia wineries will pour their finest vintages at the 12th annual fall wine festival held in conjunction with the Neptune Festival.

The event is scheduled for Sept. 13 - 14 at the 31st Street Park at the Oceanfront.

"This is an annual tradition not to be missed," spokesperson Rebecca Bump said.

Limited tickets are priced at $25 in advance and $30 at the gate; the fee includes a keepsake glass and unlimited wine tasting. Gourmet food and live entertainment will also be on tap Wines by the bottle and case will be available for sale, Bump said.

Participating Virginia wineries include:

Afton Mountain Vineyards, Barboursville Vineyards, Breaux Vineyards, Chateau Morrisette Winery, Cooper Vineyards, Davis Valley Winery, First Colony Winery, Grayhaven Winery, Hill Top Berry Farm, Horton Winery, James River Cellars, La Provencale Cellars.

And Lake Anna Winery, Peaks of Otter Winery, Piedmont Winery, Rebec Vineyards, Rockbridge Winery, Tarara Winery, Tomahawk Mill Winery, Williamsburg Winery, Wintergreen Winery.

Tickets on sale at the Neptune Festival offices, 265 Kings Grant Road, Suite 102. Call 498-0215 or visit www.neptunefestival.com.

Keep on wining

Following the Neptune Festival wine event is the second annual Virginia Beach Wine Week, which runs Sept. 14-21.

More than a dozen restaurants around the city will feature Virginia wine specials by the glass, bottle and flight as well as offer wine dinners and wine seminars.

One such event is the Sept. 18 Green Drinks Virginia Beach, which gets under way at 6 p.m. Green Drinks is an international confederation of folks with interest in environmental issues who casually meet over cocktails.

Croc's 19th Street Bistro is the Hampton Roads meeting location for Green Drinks.

"We will toast the sustainability of Virginia wine and feature an educational speaker on Virginia wines on Green Drinks night," says Croc's owner Laura Wood Habr. "We will offer Virginia wine tastings, wine flights, by-the-glass and by-the-bottle specials and 10 percent off cases."

In addition to Croc's, other participating restaurants include:

Aldo's Ristorante, Bonefish Grill, Coastal Grill, Cobalt Grille, Eurasia, Hot Tuna Seafood Grill, Lynnhaven Fish House, One Fish, Two Fish, Rumba, Smokehouse and Cooler, Surf Club Ocean Grille, Tautog's and Zoes.

Virginia wine specials also will be at PJ Baggan and Taste Unlimited gourmet shops.

A calendar of wine week events is being compiled on a Website and updated continuously, event organizers said.

For details, visit www.virginiabeachwineweek.com.

Beef on beard

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the brand Certified Angus Beef is hosting a cow-centric dinner at the James Beard House in New York City come October.

Only a half-dozen chefs nationwide were selected for the honor of cooking at the event, including Jerry Weihbrecht, chef/owner of Zoes, on 19th Street near the Oceanfront.

"This is incredible," Weihbrecht said. "Much of it has sunken in, and now I am just thinking of the logistics of getting up there - five states away - and cooking for a group like this."

James Beard is largely recognized as the father of American gastronomy, having worked to establish an American food identity through a catering business, a television show, 20 cookbooks and a foundation which, following his death, operates his former Manhattan apartment as an international culinary center.

For those who can't make it to New York to sample the creative use of beef, there will be a sampling of the dishes during a cocktail reception Sept. 15.

A preview of Weihbrecht's menu, along with cuisine from Certified Angus Beef chef Scott Popovic will be served, along with Virginia wine, at the $50 per-person nosh. Proceeds benefit local osteosarcoma patient, Samantha Trost.

"This is going to be very casual," Weihbrecht said. "You can come and go and hang out as long as you like. It will be a very relaxing night." No reservations are needed.

Zoes is at 713 19th St. Call 437-3636 or visit www.zoesvb.com.

Spectator spectaculars

Your Beach Eats chef recently received Wine Spectator magazine and was pleased to see some familiar local faces in the publication's annual Restaurant Awards honoring outstanding wine lists.

More than 4,000 restaurants worldwide received accolades on three levels: the Award of Excellence, the Best of Award of Excellence and the Grand Award.

Basic awards recognize restaurants that offer a well-chosen selection of quality producers, along with an appropriate match to the menu in both price and style.

Congratulations to the 12 Beach eateries, all winning an Award of Excellence:

Aldo's Ristorante, Catch 31, Fire & Vine, Mahi Mah's Seafood Restaurant, One Fish, Two Fish, Salacia, Sonoma Wine Bar & Bistro, Swan Terrace, Tautogs, The Hunt Room Grill at the Cavalier Hotel, The Melting Pot and Zoes.

Let's do lunch

Fire & Vine has started a lunch special designed for those on the go. The Hilltop eatery offers the "Quickfire Lunch" deal from 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily.

Included are visits to the Chef's Table, a soft drink and a chocolate chip cookie.

Your Beach Eats chef loves the Chef's Table - a 50-item bar of fresh salads, premium cold cut and cheeses, grilled vegetables, an assortment of bread and the like. The lunch special costs $9.95.

Weekdays, Fire & Vine has also started a happy hour, from 4 to 6 p.m. with half-off the restaurant's signature wood-fired pizzas and flatbreads. Pies are priced at $6 during the special and flatbread costs $4.

Fire & Vine is at 1556 Laskin Road. Call 428-8463 or visit www.fireandvine.com.

Patrick Evans-Hylton is a chef, food writer and food educator in Hampton Roads.