Dan Rinke of Johan Vineyards will visit Milwaukee this next week for three very special wine dinners at INdustri Café, 524 S 2nd St.; Meritage, 5921 W Vliet St.; and Prodigal Gastropub, 240 E. Pittsburgh Ave.
A Wisconsin native, Rinke’s first jobs in the wine industry were in Milwaukee, where he worked first in the restaurant industry and then selling wine. In 2002, he moved to California to pursue his degree in viticulture from Fresno State University. After graduation, he worked at Domaine Alfred/Chamisal Vineyards in California’s Central Coast. In 2007, Rinke moved to the Willamette Valley in Oregon to join the team at Johan Vineyards, a certified biodynamic producer of pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris, and vin gris.
The INdustri Café five-course wine dinner takes place this Monday, April 28 and will feature Strauss short ribs, wild mushroom risotto, pan-seared red snapper and more. Featured wines will include Johan's Nils reserve pinot noir and reserve chardonnay. The dinner is $95 a person, or $180 a couple. Reservations are required, and can be made by calling (414) 224-7777.
On Tuesday, April 29 at Meritage, Chef Jan Kelly will present five courses for $75, plus tax and gratuity. Featured dishes will include crab, grapefruit and avocado salad, rabbit confit ravioli, game hen, stuffed loin of lamb, and beignets with toasted almonds, chocolate sauce and mascarpone whipped cream. The dinner, which begins at 6:30 p.m., is $75 per person, plus tax and gratuity.
Wednesday, April 30, Prodigal will feature six courses prepared by Chef Van Luu, paired with five wines from the Johan Cellars. Select bottles will also be available for purchase on the evening of the event. Seats are $75 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Make reservations by calling the restaurant at (414) 223-3030 or by emailing amanda@prodigal240.com.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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