THURSDAY: COLUMBIA RESTAURANT BENZIGER WINE DINNER Special guest of honor Erinn Benziger will be on hand to pour her family's Sonoma wines, paired with food from Columbia's kitchens. $75. 7-10 p.m., Sept. 25, Columbia Restaurant, 2117 E. Seventh Ave., Tampa (813-248-4961 or columbiarestaurant.com).
THURSDAY: CORK & OLIVE PALM HARBOR Sample nine wines with light appetizers. Free. 6-8 p.m., Sept. 25, Cork & Olive, 4978 Ridgemoor Blvd., Palm Harbor (727-781-9463 or corkandolive.com).
THURSDAY: CORK & OLIVE CARROLLWOOD Sample wines with light appetizers. Free. 6-8 p.m., Sept. 25, Cork & Olive, 10019 N. Dale Mabry, Tampa (813-868-3733 or corkandolive.com).
THURSDAY: UNCORKED Taste Rioja wines from Spain. $10, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Sept. 25, Uncorked Fine Wines, 2706 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg (727-892-9463 or uncorkedwines.com).
THURSDAY: VINO 100 ST. PETERSBURG Ladies night out, with wine, massage, facials and food. Free. 5-8 p.m., Sept. 25, Vino 100 St. Petersburg, 5056 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg (727-522-8466 or vino100stpete.com).
FRIDAY: ROLLING PIN BRANDON Taste wines from Rolling Pin's boutique selections, along with tasty appetizers. Entry will get you a $10 coupon towards wine purchases. $10. 6-8:30 p.m., Sept. 26, Rolling Pin Kitchen Emporium, 2080 Badlands Drive, Brandon (813-653-2418 or rollingpinonline.com).
FRIDAY: CORK & OLIVE CARROLLWOOD Come decked in your favorite gear for this Alumni Football Friday tasting. Free. 6-8 p.m., Sept. 26, Cork & Olive, 10019 N. Dale Mabry, Tampa (813-868-3733 or corkandolive.com).
FRIDAY: CHARLIE'S WINE BAR Time for the monthly 25 wines, bubblies and beers tasting. $16, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Sept. 26, Charlie's Wine Bar, 533 S. Howard Ave., Tampa (charlieswine.com).
FRIDAY: BELLEAIR GRILL & WINE BAR Belleair will give out complimentary appetizers to anyone who buys a flight or glass of wine. Available only in the bar. 4-8 p.m., Sept. 26, Belleair Grill & Wine Bar, 1575 S. Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater (727-449-2988 or belleairgrill.com).
FRIDAY: VINO 100 BRANDON Vino 100 is hosting a girl's night out with wine, facials, massage and food. Free. 5-8 p.m., Sept. 26, Vino 100 Brandon, 1038 Bloomingdale Dr., Valrico (813-654-8466 or vino100brandon.com).
SATURDAY: ALL THAT GLITTERS WINE TASTING AND AUCTION This gala features wine, beer and spirits, tasty food from Bay-area restaurants, and a cooking demonstration by Pelagia Trattoria chef Fabrizio Schenardi, all to benefit MacDonald Training Center. $75 ($100 VIP). 6-10 p.m., Sept. 27, Pepin Hospitality Center, 4121 N. 50th St., Tampa (813-870-1300 x283 or macdonaldcenter.org).
SATURDAY: FLORIDA ESTATES WINERY
Florida Estates Winery will have one of their big shindigs this weekend, with wine tasting, bands, local vendors and activities for the young 'uns. Free. 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Sept. 27, Florida Estates Winery, 25241 State Road 52, Land O' Lakes (813-996-2113 or floridaestateswines.com).
SATURDAY: BERN'S FINE WINES AND SPIRITS Head over for Bern's end of summer sale and tasting, with a huge number of wines at 30 percent off. The sale runs all day, but the tasting is: Free. Noon-3 p.m., Sept. 27, Bern's Fine Wines and Spirits, 1002 S. Howard Ave., Tampa (813-250-9463 or bernssteakhouse.com).
SATURDAY: VINO 100 BRANDON Vino 100 hosts their weekly Sippin' Staurday. Free. Noon-5 p.m., Sep. 27, Vino 100 Brandon, 1038 Bloomingdale Drive, Valrico (813-654-8466 or vino100brandon.com).
SATURDAY: CORK & OLIVE PALM HARBOR Sample European wines with light appetizers. Free. 6-8 p.m., Sept. 27, Cork & Olive, 4978 Ridgemoor Blvd., Palm Harbor (727-781-9463 or corkandolive.com).
SATURDAY: LA MAISON GOURMET La Maison hosts a cocktail party to benefit Fostering Hope Florida, featuring food and drinks. $40. 6:30-8:30 p.m., Sept. 27, La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin (727-512-9981 or fosteringhopflorida.com).
SATURDAY: AVENUE CELLARS Avenue will feature live music and wines. Free. 7:30-11:30 p.m., Sept. 27, Avenue Cellars, 9662 Linebaugh Ave., Tampa (813-920-9991 or avenuecellars.com).
SATURDAY: VINO 100 ST. PETE Vino 100's "Sippin' Saturdays" continues. Free, Noon-6 p.m., Sep. 27, Vino 100 St. Petersburg, 5056 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg (727-522-8466 or vino100stpete.com).
SATURDAY: CHARLIE'S WINE BAR Get some wine, four courses of food and a heaping helping of education in this seminar on Bordeaux. $35, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Sept. 27, Charlie's Wine Bar, 533 S. Howard Ave., Tampa (charlieswine.com).
SUNDAY: VINO 100 BRANDON Vino 100 hosts a senior tasting, with discounts for folks over 60. Free. Noon-5 p.m., Sep. 28, Vino 100 Brandon, 1038 Bloomingdale Drive, Valrico (813-654-8466 or vino100brandon.com).
SUNDAY: VINO 100 ST. PETE Vino 100 hosts a senior tasting, with discounts for folks over 60. Free, Noon-6 p.m., Sept. 28, Vino 100 St. Petersburg, 5056 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg (727-522-8466 or vino100stpete.com).
MONDAY: BELLEAIR GRILL & WINE BAR Belleair Grill and Bella Vino Wine and Cheese bring in Peachy Canyon Winery for a four-course wine dinner. $45. 6:30-8:30 p.m., Sept. 29, Belleair Grill & Wine Bar, 1575 S. Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater (727-449-2988 or belleairgrill.com).
TUESDAY: BELLEAIR GRILL & WINE BAR Every Tuesday, Belleair breaks out three wines that aren't usually available by the glass and pours them in flights. By a bottle, flight or glass of the stuff and you'll also get half-price appetizers. 5-9 p.m., Sept. 30, Belleair Grill & Wine Bar, 1575 S. Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater (727-449-2988 or belleairgrill.com).
TUESDAY: VINO 100 BRANDON Vino 100 hosts a Wine 101 class on South American wines. $20. 6-7:30 p.m., Sept. 30, Vino 100 Brandon, 1038 Bloomingdale Drive, Valrico (813-654-8466 or vino100brandon.com).
This article appears in Sep 24-30, 2008.