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The World Cup starts this Friday in South Africa and NYC is teeming with opportunities to cheer on various national squads. Here are some venues to watch the hopes and dreams of 31 nations die on the pitch (the 32^nd team wins, naturally).

Live games start early, so we recommend taking a few weeks off - no one's gonna miss you...

Germany

LES Biergarten Loreley (7 Rivington Street) serves up beer, sausages and all things German with live showings of the 10am and 2:30pm games (plus early Germany games). Expect rabid German fans and "soccer rolls" featuring the foods of participating nations.

Italy

The Azzurri storm back to defend their title and Scuderia (257 6^th Ave) will share the experience with the world - on an outside screen.

France

Can Les Bleus regain their form sans Zidane? Try Cercle Rouge (241 W. Broadway) or Felix (340 W. Broadway) for all things sacre football. Just don't be surprised if there is a lot of lamenting about how the last Cup went down.

Brazil

Can perennial favorites Brazil pull it off? Esperanto (145 Ave C) has a bonus for the Brazil matches - get shots of cachaca whenever Brazil scores, which should be often enough to get you into trouble, especially when they kick some Kim Jong Il butt on 6/15.

Spain

Boqueria (53 W. 19^th & 171 Spring St) will show the 10am and 2:30pm games live (7:30am games will be aired at Noon, cancel that business lunch). For the first week, get a free order of churros & chocolate or bravas & beer at the 10am games. Cheer on World #2 Spain as they go for their first Cup.

USA

Americans are certainly not discriminating with their sports - cars driving around in circles, overweight men smashing into each other, that sort of thing - but football (aka soccer) has never caught on here. Perhaps this year will be the turning point since the Red, White & Blue got to the finals of a tourney before getting throttled by Brazil. Options include fratty Village Pourhouse with its numerous TV screens and Southern Hospitality with 14 screens and drink specials.

Other Options:

Newbie Sunburnt Calf (226 W. 79^th) will show all games live including the 7:30am matches. $2 buds will help ease the early morning pain. Some of the BR Guest restaurants including Wildwood BBQ (225 Park Ave South) will open 30 minutes prior to the first game and serve special breakfast menus. Double Crown (316 Bowery) will have a do-it-yourself Bloody Mary bar, the ideal way to start a long day in front of the tube. Or just hit up Nevada Smiths (74 Third Ave), the NYC go-to spot for all things football related.

California winemakers gone maverick are featured at two winemaker dinners this coming week.

Tony Coturri's wines have grown on us over the years and he has become the preeminent American organic winemaker. This Tuesday 5/11, he and the Organic Wine Journal will be hosting a nose-to-tail suckling pig dinner at Resto (111 E. 29th St). The meat-acular will be paired with several terrific Coturri wines including the 2006 Estate Zinfandel. $75 excluding tax & tip, reservations at 212-685-5585.

On Thursday 5/13, Steve Edmunds of Edmunds St. John will be hosting a dinner at Belcourt (84 Second Avenue) together with Chambers Street Wines. Four courses will be paired with eight (!) wines, all made in the Rhone style with minimal intervention. $75 all inclusive, reserve by calling Chambers Street Wines at 212-227-1434.

Last night was the usual debauchery post James Beard and once again leading the pack was Daniel Boulud, who is quite the terror with magnums of champagne.

First stop was Bar Boulud for some swanky Pommery and pate. All was mellow until the maestro himself showed, carrying an innocent looking magnum. Before the sedate crowd knew it, he went at it in style, jerking the bottle open and spraying unsuspecting onlookers. Hours later, he appeared again, this time at Eleven Madison Park, where he (owner Best Restaurant) climbed onto a table with Daniel Humm (Best Chef NYC) for a jubilant, end-of-campaign style coronation. The crowd went nuts as they received a double-four star soaking.

In between, there was the packed bar at Marea, with free-flowing prosecco, and Ma Peche, which was oddly sedate and empty fairly quickly. Ma Peche had a keg going and a nice Cremant de Jura, but with the crowds flocking downtown, it was clear the location is not a late night draw. The room itself is unremarkable and the big X in the middle of the room is not exactly a genius move. Has Chang met his Waterloo? Time will tell.

Back to 11 Mad, where the DJ and out of control partiers made it too overwhelming to enjoy. The bubbly was flowing - but only from the jammed bar - and there were beer stations throughout the house. Nice touch, those plastic cups too. Till next year...

Astor Wines (399 Lafayette Street) heads to Spain today for its "Astor Tuesdays" promotion. All Spanish wines are 15% off. Peruse all 123 selections here.

In addition, next Tuesday, Astor Center has an event with renowned Spanish winery Lopez de Heredia. Meet the winemaker and taste some delicious wines - seven will be poured including a 1981 Vina Bosconia G.R. that retails for $110. Tickets are available online.

Spring means the first sakes of the year and they are some of our favorites. These bright, fresh tasting expressions of sake are also unpasteurized, hence the designation "nama," which also means draft. This weekend you can taste four different spring nama sakes at two separate tastings.

The first is at Sakaya (324 E. 9th Street) on Friday - perhaps the finest nama we have ever tasted, Masumi Arabashiri. They'll be tasting this delicious sake from 6pm - 8pm.

The second is Saturday from 3pm - 5pm as Astor Wines & Spirits (399 Lafayette Street). Here you'll be able to try three namas: Harushika Shiboribana Junmai Ginjo Nama, Kamikokoro Toukagen Shiboritate Junmai Nama Genshu (genshu means cask strength) and Shutendouji "Oh-Onj" Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu.

Chambers Street Wines and Louis/Dressner Selections are holding another free mega tasting - this one on Saturday April 24 from 2pm to 5pm at City Hall Restaurant (131 Duane Street, Tribeca). 26 winemakers will be pouring an amazing array of wines - the full list is available on Chambers Street's website.

The store is taking reservations for the tasting - admission is on the half hour. Call 212-227-1434 or email with your preferred time.

Here's a new sake term for you - Hatsushibori. These are fresh, unpasteurized sakes from the first pressing and they appear just as winter begins to wind down. They don't last long, roughly 3 to 4 weeks, so tomorrow from 4pm - 6pm is your chance to taste three of them at Sakaya (324 E. 9th Street).

New York Vintners (21 Warren Street, Tribeca) has three events next week (Feb 1 - 3) centered on biodynamic and organic wine. Events include a vertical tasting of Mooiplaas wines from South Africa and a biodynamic and organic wine tasting,  Tickets for each cost $15 and proceeds benefit Slow Foods. Details on NY Vintner's website.

Aussie drink dens Bondi Road (153 Rivington St) and Sunburnt Cow (137 Ave C) are celebrating Australia Day today with all you can drink booze - 3 hours for $20. Steak sandwiches & burgers ($3) will help soak up the booze.

Not sure how the indigenous peoples of Australia deal with a celebration of the arrival of the British, but as long as they don't run screenings of the Nicole Kidman - Hugh Jackman fiasco Australia, it should be okay. There isn't enough booze in the world to make that film palatable.

A couple intriguing Eating & Drinking events next Monday January 25 -

Astor Center is holding an "Elements of Wine Class" with all proceeds being donated to Haiti relief efforts. Tickets are $75 ($50 with discount code) and fully deductible. More info at Astor Center's website.

Edible Manhattan is holding a cocktail celebration called "Good Spirits" at Almond (12 E. 22nd Street), featuring six chefs paired with six different liquors. Participating restaurants include Gramercy Tavern and Il Buco. More info and tickets ($40) here.

Chambers Street Wines has teamed with Louis/Dressner Selections for a wine tasting benefiting Haiti relief efforts tomorrow from 4pm to 7pm. Taste some excellent wines from Louis/Dressner, Douglas Polaner, Kermit Lynch, David Bowler and Michael Skurnik and make a donation to Partners in Health (if you can't make it, donate online at PIH.org). Suggested donations are $10 per person.

Chambers Street Wines tasting benefiting Haiti relief efforts
Saturday January 16, 4pm - 7pm
148 Chambers Street

Some intriguing tastings for the weekend:

Astor Wines & Spirits (399 Lafayette Street) has a number of tastings every weekend but the best one this week will be the Laphroaig scotch tasting. Several single malts will be tasted including 18 & 25 year old Laphroaigs and an Ardmore. Friday 5pm - 8pm

East Village sake store, Sakaya (324 E. 9th Street) is celebrating its 2nd anniversary with two days of sake tastings -

Friday, December 4 from 6 - 8pm

Masuizumi Junmai Daiginjo (Toyama)

Ninkiichi Daiginjo (Fukushima)

Chokaisan Junmai Daiginjo (Akita)

Daishichi Kimoto Umeshu (Fukushima)

 

Saturday, December 5 from 4 - 7pm

Masumi Yumedono Daiginjo (Nagano)

Okunomatsu "Formula Nippon" Sparkling Daiginjo (Fukushima)

Tsuki no Katsura "Heiyan Kyo" Junmai Daiginjo (Kyoto)

Daishichi Kimoto Umeshu (Fukushima)

Union Square Wines (140 4th Avenue) is celebrating the anniversary of the end of Prohibition on Saturday December 5 from 2pm to 5pm with its "Stay Wet Mega Tasting." Taste dozens of wines, scotch, vodka and cognac and sample nibbles from Di Paolo. For more info, click here.

Tomorrow from 4pm to 7pm, Chambers Street Wines (160 Chambers Street) showcases affordable wines from Bordeaux. Sample 12 wines, mostly organic or biodynamic, all priced from $12.99 to $34.99.

Scotch is one of our big things and tonight you can taste four different single malts at Astor Wines & Spirits (399 Lafayette) including one of our faves Lagavullin 16 (which is cheaper at nearby Warehouse Wines on Broadway). In addition to the four scotches, they will be tasting a couple of wines from Austria and California.

Scotch tasting tonight 5pm - 8pm, wine tasting 6pm - 8pm
Free

Tomorrow starts Halloween weekend, which of course means three days of boozing - hopefully not all Yankee choke-induced - in addition to the prerequisite costuming.

This year, the biggest game in town is the Halloween Pub Crawl, which will span over 100 bars. Tickets get you free entry to all participating venues, cheap booze and more. Get them in advance here. $15 for one day or $30 for three. Just be sure to read the FAQ on the website since you have to print your own tickets and then register at a specific place to get a beer cup, bracelet and map.

New York Vintners (21 Warren Street, Tribeca) has a tasting of over 30 Italian wines on Tuesday November 3 from 6pm - 8pm. Tickets are $45 and available through their website.

The wines of Chile are generally labeled "up and coming" but in our opinion they have already arrived. And they also happen to be a great value. Today, a Chilean wine two-fer:

Astor Wines' (399 Lafayette Street) weekly "Astor Tuesdays" promotion features the wines of Chile today. Get 15% off their list of 36 Chilean wines, today only.

New York Culinary Alliance and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs are holding a "Chilean Wine Tasting" tonight that's open to the public. Take part in a seated, guided tasting of some of the top wines coming out of Chile, including the boutique wineries such as Aquitania and Neyen. In all, wines from seven wineries will be tasted along with a selection of cheeses from Murrays. The tasting will be led by the Chile-based wine and culinary expert Liz Caskey.

Chile Wine Tasting: tonight 6pm - 8pm, Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) at 50 W. 23^rd Street. Tickets are $35 and can be bought at the door.

Austrian wine has been a rising star in NYC restaurant circles for several years and now the Austrian Tourist Board has kicked off the first Austria Wine Month, running through November 22.

Fourteen restaurants in Brooklyn and Manhattan, including Wallse, Thomas Beisl, Seasonal, Klee, Cafe Katja and more, will be offering special prix fixe menus, wine flights and pairings, as well as some rare Austrian wines by the glass during the period. Some of the highlights:

·         At Wallsé and The Upholstery Store, guests can design their own four-course tasting menu for $68. For an additional $45, Austrian sommelier Leo Schneemann will pair each course with Austrian wine.

·         Café Katja offers a mixed flight: a trio of Austrian white, red, and dessert wine for $18. With 24 hours' notice, Café Katja will also set up a wine tasting with meat, cheese, and Schnapps, for $42 (minimum four people).

·         Seasonal Restaurant & Weinbar will pour a rare 2001 Smaragd wine by the glass: Prager Riesling Smaragd, Kaiserberg ($19/glass).

·         Klee Brasserie will have a special three-course menu featuring the rare Austrian Mangalitsa Pork, with an optional pairing of three Austrian wines ($93 with wine; $58 without).

·         At Thomas Beisl, guests can design a three-course meal that includes a choice of soup, wiener schnitzel, paprika chicken, cucumber salad, fresh strudel, and white, red, and dessert wines ($28/person, including wine).

·          Café Steinhof will offer $4 glasses of two Lower Austrian wines: Fritsch Grüner Ventliner and Berger Zweigelt (check website for times). On Mondays, the restaurant serves goulash ($6) and apple bread pudding ($3).

Even better, you can enter to win a 9 day trip to three of Austria's wine countries. Enter at www.austria.info/wine by answering a short three question quiz.

Soho standby Cafe Noir (32 Grand Street at Thompson) was the subject of some tense lease negotiations this past summer, mainly chronicled on Grub Street. But have no fear, it's not going anywhere - they signed a 10 year lease over the summer and now they're ready to celebrate.

Tonight there will be an open bar with free beers, mojitos and sangria from 6pm - 8pm along with free tapas. From 8pm till late drinks will be buy 1, get 1 free. Expect a live band and a revolving set of DJs. Not a bad way to start off the week.

Another week, another festival celebrating the food and drink of some place that is not New York. This time it's called Sud de France and it promotes the wines of Southern France - specifically the Languedoc Roussillon region. Restaurants such as Bouley, Bar Boulud, Hearth and more are doing special menus and tons of tastings are being held at wine shops around town.

Tonight Maslow 6 (211b West Broadway) in Tribeca has a tasting from 6pm - 8pm of several wines including reputedly the world's first sparkling wine.

On October 8, Columbus Circle Wines (1802 Broadway) will be tasting organic wines from Southern France from 5pm - 8pm.

And on Friday October 9, Chambers Street Wines (148 Chambers Street) will have a tasting from 5pm - 8pm.

More info on the rather poorly conceived website. Note to festival organizers, make your websites easier to navigate and give the restaurants some love. We couldn't find a list of who was doing what and that's just wrong.