Red Burgundy Master Class at Amanti Vino
Saturday, October 6, 2 – 4 PM
The supple, soft-berried, foresty reds of Burgundy are a great fit for fall. Find out at this master class at Amanti Vino, where Neil Rosen, grower liaison for Rosenthal’s Wine Merchant, will lead you through a preview of terroir-driven Burgundy expressions of the pinot noir grape from Cote de Nuits winemaker Jerome Chezeaux. Tickets cost $75. Amanti Vino, 30 Church Street, Montclair; 973-509-9463
Jax Wine Dinner at South + Pine
Thursday, October 11, 7 PM
For the 10th installment of its Cambridge Wine Dinner series, Morristown’s South + Pine is hosting Kimberly Jackson-Wickham, co-founder of Napa Valley’s Jax Vineyards for a special wine pairing dinner. You’ll be able to try seven of Jax’s terroir-driven wines throughout the four-course dinner, ranging from a Russian River Valley chardonnay with a fall harvest frito misto to two different 2016 Napa cabernets with braised short ribs. South + Pine executive chef Leia Gaccione will oversee the night’s menu, while Jackson-Wickham guides you along in the pairings. Tickets are on the higher end at $130, but for wine lovers, it’s a deal. South + Pine, 90 South Street, Morristown; 862-260-9700
The Winemakers Co-Op Fall Portfolio Tasting
Sunday, October 14, 2 – 6 PM
Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery of Rio Grande in Cape May County was named the fifth and newest member of the Winemakers Co-Op. The co-op was founded in 2015 by Beneduce Vineyards, William Heritage Winery, Unionville Vineyards and Working Dog Winery to promote Garden State wines, making Hawk Haven the first new member since the co-op’s founding. Hawk Haven’s entry into the group comes just in time for harvest season, meaning Hawk Haven will be part of the co-op’s Open Source Chardonnay project, and its upcoming fall portfolio tasting at Unionville Vineyards. General admission tickets are $35, and available online until October 8. VIP tickets are $65, and include cheese and charcuterie and special reserve wines. Unionville Vineyards, 9 Rocktown Road, Ringoes; 908-788-0400
Food as Medicine at Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen
Friday, October 5, 6:30 – 9 PM
Yes, a “food as medicine” themed dinner can involve both six courses and wine pairings. Yes, tickets are $139, but that includes a lesson on restorative food and lifestyle changes courtesy of Ali Miller, integrative functional medicine dietician and author of Naturally Nourished and The Anti-Anxiety Diet. And while the evening is all about wellness-through-food, that doesn’t mean a spartan menu: Jockey Hollow’s kitchen will send out everything from lamb chops and local black bass to prosciutto-stuffed chicken thighs and chocolate mousse, all paired with organic wine. A portion of ticket sales go to the One Love Foundation, an organization dedicated to ending the cycle of unhealthy and violent relationships. Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen, 110 South Street, Morristown; 973-644-3180
Third Annual “Slurp. Sip. Repeat.” Ramen Eating Competition
Saturday, October 6, 3 – 5 PM
In case you didn’t know it, October 6 is National Noodle Day, no better day to competitively ingest an insane amount of ramen. Come to observe or compete (the sign up deadline is today), either way the action’s going down at Ani Ramen House in Jersey City. The event goes from 3 to 5 PM, but the competitive eating should only last 15 minutes (or however long it takes for someone to eat 10 bowls of ramen). The prizes are no joke: beyond bragging rights, and enough carbs to run a half-marathon, the winner gets a tasting menu dinner for 10 friends (a $1,000 value). Ani Ramen, 218 Newark Avenue, Jersey City; 201-408-9811