On May 3rd, Wine Enthusiast’s “Toast of the Town Chicago 2007,” a tasting event featuring more than 500 wines and food from 30 area restaurants (including Butter, Isabella’s Estiatorio and Le Colonial), will be held in the grand setting of The Field Museum, along with a silent auction of fine wines and accessories, to benefit America’s Second Harvest: The Nation’s Food Bank Network (6–7:30 PM, VIP Tasting; 7:30–10:30 PM, Grand Tasting; $185 per VIP ticket; $95 per regular ticket; 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.; www.wineenthusiast.com).
On May 4th and 5th, well-heeled oenophiles can indulge their habit at Tru, which is hosting a two-day, haute-haute-haute wine auction by the Hart Davis Hart Wine Co. It's the largest named single-cellar wine auction ever, featuring 1,876 lots from the collection of Steven Verlin with a pre-sale estimate of $4,000,000–$6,000,000. The jaw-dropping auction catalogue can be drooled over at www.hdhwine.com. A buffet luncheon ($75 per person) will be available but is not a prerequisite for attendance. Reservations for one or both days must be made by May 1st (9 AM; call 312-573-5597 for information about the event; call 312-482-9996 regarding absentee and phone bidding).