Asst Mayor and Mayor of Beaune with two Nantucket Selectmen

Did you know that Nantucket and Beaune are twinned?

Jumelage means twinning. It is a movement started after WWII to bring together municipalities, in hope of fostering the opportunity to learn more about the daily lives of those in other places, develop a dialogue and possibly enter into joint projects.

Hospice de Beaune

Fast-forward to 2005, and, thanks to the efforts of Denis Toner, founder of the Nantucket Wine Festival, Beaune and Nantucket are sister cities.  Dismayed at the perpetuation of “Freedom Fries”, Denis approached the Mayor of Beaune with the idea of Jumelage and ceremonies on both continents soon followed.  Inspired by the common culture–an appreciation for fine dining and wine, a respect for history and architecture and a pervasive spirit, to name a few–Denis pioneered the concept and realized it in a celebration of a lifetime over a long weekend in October 2006.

Attended by nearly 50 Nantucketers, I will never forget the moving ceremony in the Hospice de Beaune and the festivities that surrounded it.  The town rolled out the red carpet and we were feted like royalty by all the big guys:  Corton Charlemagne in the caves of Latour, a toast in the ancient-modern maze of Bouchard, another lavish dinner at Jadot, La Paulée (a tented BYOW party) they are still talking about.  Let’s just say, if there’s ever an anniversary bash, you will want to be there.

On the eve of a trip to Beaune, I thought I would post a Jumelage photo album.

Mark & Elisabeth at the 2006 Jumelage of Nantucket and Beaune

Just when you think you can no longer be dazzled…an invitation to a Burgundy dinner at the East Brick comes along…

1er & Grand Cru wines of Louis Latour:  check
Winemaker Jean Charles in attendance: check
Handsome Celebrity French Chef:  check
Glorious renovated historical mansion:  check
Gracious hosts celebrating 5th wedding anniversary:  check

Rushing into the foyer to escape the drizzle, I was greeted with a glass of 05 Chassagne-Montrachet “Cailleret” and all was right with the world.  We progressed into the magnificent dining room, with its 1950s sepia whaling era Nantucket harbor wall murals and elaborate candelabras, to enjoy Maine halibut and pea risotto with 03 Corton-Charlemagne.  Chef Olivier Muller of DB Bistro Moderne in New York and Jenny, the sommelier from DB Palm Beach are professionals par exellence, and the Daniel sophistication was apparent in every course.
And on and on…the hosts were warm, the guests were interesting, the conversation lively.  An aprés dinner cellar tour was the icing on the gateau.  I knew the night had all the ingredients for a special, intimate evening of a lifetime—yet, the whole was even greater than the sum of its parts!

Friday was actually a 4 event day;  in addition to the Sultans seminar, Andy Peay event, and Latour dinner, I squeezed in a tasting of Gundlach Bundschu and Mark Kenward’s performance of Towle’s Hill at Bennett Hall.  The story of Towle Bundschu and his 1970s dilemna of whether to sell Rhinefarm, the family estate, was insightful and made even more moving by the presence of his grandson, Jeff Bundschu, who hosted the evening.  Jeff was visibly emotional after the show and we all felt like we had experienced an important moment in this 4 generation winery history.

A lot to pack in a day, but hey, it’s not like we can do this next week…

Watch Olivier Muller in action and get a tour of the East Brick!  Plum TV link:  http://tinyurl.com/ptje94