Two of my favorite fall food and wine events are coming in November – one local, one not quite so local – but neither should be missed, even if you have only a passing interest in wines.

Bellingham Bay Rotary Club will host its annual Grape and Gourmet event on November 4 at the Bellingham Best Western Lakeway Inn. The festivities will feature food and wine samples from 21 local restaurants and 34 Pacific Northwest wineries such as Samson Estates, Bergevin Lane, Dunham Cellars and Lost River Winery.

The benefits of an event of this kind in Bellingham are twofold: first, it’s a great way to expose yourself to a number of top-class wineries and restaurants at a single venue; second, you’ll be contributing to the Bellingham Bay Rotary Charitable Giving Program, whose past recipients have included a number of local non-profit agencies.

VIP tickets, allowing admission from 5:00 to 8:30 pm, have already sold out, but there are still tickets available for tasting and grazing from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. The cost is $75 each and they can be purchased by phoning Bob Yost at 756-2751.

If you don’t mind traveling to Eastern Washington – and why not, there are plenty of great wineries to visit along the way – consider attending the Tri-Cities Wine Festival in Pasco on November 17 at the Red Lion Inn.

Approximately 65 Pacific Northwest wineries will be serving over 200 wines at the public tasting which runs from 6:00 to 10:00 pm. Tickets, which include wine samples, bread, cheeses and chocolate, run $55 each with additional hors d’oeuvres also available for purchase. For more information go to www.tcwinefest.com.

Like nearly every other area in Eastern Washington, Spokane has seen a significant increase in the number of wineries over the past few years. Three of my favorites during a recent visit included Lone Canary Winery, Robert Karl Cellars and Barrister Winery.

Every time I stop by Lone Canary it seems as if winemaker Mike Scott has taken his wines to another level. He’s featuring several new releases that are currently available and, quite honestly, there’s not a bad one in the bunch.

Particularly worth noting is his 2006 Sauvignon Blanc (about $10), an incredibly tasty, incredibly priced white wine. It’s both tropical and herbaceous, with bracing acidity and a touch of peach that grabs you on the finish. The 2004 Merlot (about $20) is also outstanding, with plush, red fruit flavors and a silky finish that will have you wanting another glass.

At Robert Karl Cellars, winemaker Joe Gunselman continues to produce some killer red wines that show considerable depth, intensity and aging potential. His 2005 Syrah (about $29) is massive and meaty, with understated dark fruit flavors and hints of coffee and bittersweet chocolate. Also worth noting is the winery’s signature red wine blend, the 2005 Claret, which is scheduled for release sometime around February of 2008.

The kings of cabernet franc, Greg Lipsker and Michael White of Barrister Winery, have yet another winner with their 2005 vintage (about $25). It displays generous dark berry aromas and flavors, supple tannins and a lengthy finish. Also available at the winery are the Rough Justice Table Wine (about $19), a blend of cabernet and three other varietals and the 2006 Sauvignon Blanc (about $19), a textbook sauvignon blanc that shows that Lipsker and White can deftly produce a quality white wine as well.

For more details on these and other wines, as well as information for ordering and local distribution, visit each winery’s web site at www.lonecanary.com, www.robertkarl.com, and www.barristerwinery.com.

6:00 to 8:30 pm - Bellingham Bay Rotary Club hosts this event that features food and wine from a number of local restaurants and Northwest wineries.

This year’s event will again be held at Bellingham’s Best Western Lakeway Inn. Tickets cost $75 and for an additional $25 you can purchase one of 250 premiere tickets that will allow you exclusive access to the venue one hour earlier (at 5:00 pm). Wine will also be available for purchase by the bottle as you exit the event.

To purchase tickets phone Bob Yost at (360) 756-2751.

This week we continue to look at wines from Europe, with a few more recommendations from Italy and Spain.

When I think of Italian wine I think of sangiovese, and the LaCarraia 2005 Sangiovese (about $10) is a classic example of this varietal from the Umbria region of Italy. With medium body, restrained dark fruit flavors and a good measure of black pepper and spice on the finish, it’s the perfect wine to pair with everything from tomato-based pasta dishes to pepperoni pizza. And at this price, it’s easily affordable to enjoy on an everyday basis. The wine should be readily available at major Bellingham grocers and wine specialty shops.

But don’t overlook Italian sparkling wines – many of which are great bargains. The Tizzano Non-Vintage Pignoletto Frizzante (about $11) is a terrific little sparkling white wine that’s value priced. It’s crisp and extremely dry with a faint trace of almond on the finish. This is something nice to hand your guests when they first arrive and it should pair well with light appetizers. It’s available at Gateway Wines in downtown Bellingham.

From Spain comes an incredible red wine that will absolutely blow you away. The Novellum De Rejadorada 2003 Tempranillo (about $22) is intense and complex on every level. The nose has a smoky, sultry aroma of dark berries followed by layers of cassis and sweet oak flavors. A lengthy, rich finish suggests a touch of black licorice with silky, polished tannins.

Any preconceived notion you may have of light-bodied, raisiny Spanish wines will be wiped away with the first sip. This outstanding wine can be found at Purple Smile Wines, Gateway Wines and Haggen stores in Sehome, Fairhaven and Barkley Village.

6:00 to 10:00 pm - Enjoy an evening of Northwest wines from Washington, Oregon and Idaho at the Red Lion Inn Ballroom in Pasco, Washington.

Tickets for the event run $55.00 per person and include cheeses, bread and chocolate. Hors d’oeuvres will also be available for purchase at an additional charge. Book a room at the Red Lion Inn by phoning (509) 547-0701, mention the festival, and receive a special rate of $89.95 per night.

For more information about the festival and related events visit their web site at: www.TCWineFest.com.