I’m easily seduced by wine dinners, where sommeliers have already done the hard work of expertly pairing wines with the meal. Even better: when I learn something new—and useful—about wine throughout the evening. The Capital Grille’s Generous Pour Summer Wine Event was designed with people like me in mind.

The nightly event, which runs through September 4, allows diners to sample generous pours (and they mean it) of nine wines for just $25 per person, making it the best wine steal of the summer. At a recent dinner, I added several new favorites to my growing list, including the Marquis de la Tour Cremant de Loire Brut—a delicate, almost creamy sparkling wine from France, which paired well with oysters on the half shell—and the Conte Brandolini Vistorta Merlot from Italy. I’m normally not a fan of Merlot, but this cold-climate pour was earthy, elegant, and held its own against a juicy, bone-in Kansas City strip topped with grilled peaches (pictured).

Tip: When making reservations, ask for Jamil Tealer, an enthusiastic young server with plenty of wine knowledge, to take care of you.

1450 Larimer St, 303-539-2500