Art of pizza meets love of wine - ooohhhh...now we are talking!  And, because of my great love for these two indulgences, I frequently head to La Madia, located at 59 W. Grand.

What you absolutely must try, and what keeps me coming back - in addition to the wine- is the Triple Pepperoni Pizza.  It is incredible - with a triple dose of pepperoni, tomato sauce, mozzarella, light basil and the perfect touch of white truffle oil - what is not to love?  And, chef/owner Jonathan Fox, who is also a certified sommelier, couldn't agree with me more.  He actually said that this pizza was the inspiration for La Madia.  I can see why, and you can too, even though the below picture does not quite do it justice.

Beyond this delicious pizza, I am completely impressed by La Madia's dedication to wine!  I actually headed over to the Varietal Chardonnay Tasting this past week,  and truly enjoyed 5 different wines.  It actually seemed like the perfect way to toast to the end of the summer!

My favorite? Noblet, Pouilly Fuisse, 2007 from Burgundy France, which was moderate bodied, balanced and offered hints of citrus.

I hope to return soon, to  this contemporary pizzeria, to enjoy more of the Varietal Wine Tasting Series. They are offered on Tuesdays from 5-7.  Here is the schedule:

September 16- Pinot Noir

September 23- Chianti

September 30- Roses

I figure $25 for a tasting of 5 wines and passed hors d'oeuvres is a great deal.

La Madia is also offering a Fall Cooking Class with a Wine Tasting Series on Saturdays beginning October 4 from 11:00 -1:00.   This seems intriguing to me.  For $30 you get a cooking class, recipes, wine tasting and paired wine.

Here is the calendar:

October 4: Pizza

November 1: Classic Italian Sides for Entertaining

November 15: The Perfect Italian Holiday Party

For reservations for any of these events, you can contact La Madia at (312) 329-0400.

See you there!