With the weekend mere hours away, here are a few food-and-drink ways to wind down.
🍷 Natural Wine 101
Neighborhood Cellar has revived its Wine 101 series and the next installation is about natural wine—natty vino, vin naturel, biodynamic grape juice. At the Bishop Arts wine bar, 20 guests will sip and learn about the hottest wine trend of the moment. (Four types of wine along with snacks from Fount Board & Table for $35. Doors open to all events at 11:30 a.m. and wine tastings take place from 12 to 1 p.m.) Wine 101 dates: Aug. 28: Natural wine, Sept. 11: Gamay, Oct. 2: Cabernet Franc vs. Cabernet Sauvignon, Oct. 23: Zinfandel, Nov. 13: Pinot Noir, Dec. 4: Sparkling.
Sat. Aug 28 | Neighborhood Cellar, 246 W. Davis St. Tickets

🍖 Pitmaster University
A lot of learning going on this Saturday. First wine, now this barbecue series. OAK’D BBQ chef Michael Lane teaches the way of meat trimming, temperature control, timing, seasoning, and more. Each class is $225 and goes from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. If you can’t make it this Saturday, the series runs through the end of the year.
Sat. Aug 28 | OAK’D BBQ, 5500 Greenville Avenue, #1300. Tickets
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🥃 Dallas Summer Whiskey Tasting Festival
Quaff whiskey from about a dozen local distilleries, from Blackland’s Texas Pecan to 1884 small batch from Uncle Nearest (so named for the Black man who taught Jack Daniel the craft of distilling. Tickets are $50–$105.
Sat. Aug 28 | Bottled Blonde, 505 N. Good Latimer. Tickets
🎻 DSO Inaugural Food & Wine Fest
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is throwing an inaugural bash featuring wine, craft beers, local spirits (the drinkable kind, not the haunting type), and bites from some of Dallas’ best restaurants: Petra and the Beast, Meridian, Mot Hai Ba, and Krio, to name a few.
• Symphony of Flavors Grand Tasting, Sat. from noon to 3 p.m. $98
• Bubbles & Bites Champagne Brunch Tasting, Sun. at 11 a.m., $95
• Wine seminar, Sun. at 1:30 p.m., $125
Aug. 27–29 | Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora St. Tickets
This first appeared in Wednesday’s weekly SideDish newsletter. Sign up here so you don’t miss the latest food and drink news and stories.