Veuve Girls with Dominique at currentVintage

Veuve Clicquot was on island in force last week, celebrating the the 200^th anniversary of the release of the first Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin (VCP) vintage champagne at the 14^th annual Nantucket Wine Festival.

Dominique Demarville on Nantucket Island

Dominique Demarville, the charismatic and handsome Chef-du-Cave or Cellar Master, was the guest of honor at numerous fetes, large and small, and never failed to dazzle all in attendance.  At barely 40 years old and only the tenth Cellar Master in over 230 years, Dominique is most likely at the beginning of a long reign at the illustrious, iconic label.

Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, aka “The Widow Clicquot”, was nothing short of a visionary, in that she released the first “vintage” champagne, changed the way champagne was made by developing the riddling rack to remove sediment, and created an international market for VCP by sending 10,000 bottles to Russia post-Napoleon.  Her  motto, “one quality only, the finest”, and entrepreneurial skills have been inspirational for generations—read all about her in the book, “The Widow Clicquot” by Tilar J. Mazzeo. It has been called “…an intoxicating business biography.” by Julia Flynn Siler of The Wall Street Journal.  Pun intended?

Not surprisingly, the plethora of events and opportunities to rub shoulders and clink glasses with Dominique left us at a loss for words, and so, we send him these love letters…and lift a glass to Madame Clicquot and her empire of bubbles.

Cher Dominique,

I so enjoyed your company throughout the Nantucket Wine Festival this past week.  The “Women of Nantucket in Wine” garden luncheon was a glorious treat—the elegant wines, the decadent meal, the spectacular setting and the powerful company combined with your charm and knowledge for a most memorable day.  Not to mention, the unforgettable 1985 Rare Vintage rosé with herbed lamb chops—sensationnel.

We were delighted to host you at currentVintage and appreciated you signing bottle after bottle for so many Veuve admirers.  The energy was contagious and the photos are a testament to how much fun we had!

The clambake was a lovely, casual way to wind-down-while-continuing-to-celebrate the week of wine. Lobster and La Grande Dame 1998?  Magnifique–I hope to repeat that one again soon!

Please know how much we admire your effort for artistry and quality on such a grand scale.  We look forward to the release of the Vintage 2007!

Avec toute mon affection,

Elisabeth

Dear Dominique,
May I offer that Champagne Veuve Clicquot was precisely the fitting way to celebrate and savor the finale of 14th annual Nantucket Wine Festival Great Wines in Grand Houses events?

The memory of the wines savored during yesterday’s brunch will bring pleasure to our guests (and me!) for a long time to come. Your passion and absolute dedication to both the House and your craft made each and every detail that you shared with us come to life!  The whole seemed to be coming straight from your heart, as you lead your guests to better understand and appreciate the subtleties of the superbly crafted wines being poured. I know we all will envision you, Chef du Cave going about your work, when next we uncork a bottle!
Thank you very sincerely for a truly unforgettable morning!
Best wishes for a delightful reunion with your family upon your return home.  I will hope to see you here on Nantucket again next year!

Adieu!

Lynn

Nantucket Wine Festival Great Wines in Grand Houses

May 23, 2010

Champagne Veuve Clicquot

Presented by Dominique Demarville, Cellar Master

Chef E. J. Harvey

The Seagrille, Nantucket

Dorothy Slover and Doug Kenward, Hosts

Reception

Island Creek Oysters, La Petite Pearle Caviar

Alaska Dungeness crab salad, pâte á choux

Beet and horseradish cured smoked salmon, cucumber crème fraîche, sesame cone

Nantucket egg scramble, asparagus, black truffle hollandaise

Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label

1^st Course

Seared diver scallop

orange and carrot juice gastrique, pancetta, parmesan crisp

La Grande Dame 1998

2^nd course

Lobster, asparagus, Vermont goat cheese timbale

thyme and chive butter

Veuve Clicquot Vintage 2002 Rose

3^rd course

Seared veal tenderloin

Vermont morels, fiddleheads, roasted tomato cream

Grainy mustard späetzle

Veuve Clicquot Rare Vintage 1988 Blanc

Dessert course

Petite Pavlova

lemon curd crème fraîche, fresh berries, mint

Veuve Clicquot Demi Sec

Veuve Clicquot poolside luncheon

]]> http://currentvintage.com/blog/2010/05/27/love-letter-to-veuve/feed/ 0 http://currentvintage.com/blog/2010/05/11/guess-whos-coming-to-wine-fest/ http://currentvintage.com/blog/2010/05/11/guess-whos-coming-to-wine-fest/#comments Tue, 11 May 2010 12:29:42 +0000 admin http://currentvintage.com/blog/?p=915

David Hirsch

David Hirsch in vineyard

Lunch with David and Jasmine Hirsch

The Nantucket Wine Festival Who’s Who:  Alex Gambal, Bertrand Ambroise, Michel Anglada, John Arns, Alis Arrowood, Beaux Freres, Jack Bittner of Cliff Lede and Franz Hill, Chateau d’Esclans, Donelan, Ray Coursen of Elyse, Kristine Ashe Vineyards, Sean Larkin of Larkin, Jack Larkin & Tinknocker, Hall, Hirsch, Hourglass, Jordan, Justin Baldwin of Justin, Carissa Mondavi, Miner Family, Eric Munson of Dancing Bear Cellars, Jorge Ordonez of Fine Estates from Spain, Damaris Colhoun of Landmark, Martin Estate, Michael & Fiona Ragg of Mischief and Mayhem, Pride Mountain, Regan Wines, Comte Philippe & Beatrice Senard, Robert Sinskey, Bill ‘DANCING BEAR’ Bishop of Steele & Shooting Star, Tariquet, Dominique Demarville of Veuve Clicquot, Villa Sparina, Wishing Tree…

These are but a few of the all-star cast that is the 2010 Nantucket Wine Festival, but they, in particular, are near and dear to our hearts.  Some of them you hear about a lot, others fly under the radar.  Most, we sell their wines;  some, we just admire.  All will contribute to a stellar 4-day wine experience–I know, because I’ve spent time with almost all of them!

Just this winter, I was in Sonoma, lunching with David Hirsch and his daughter, Jasmine, at their new home on the rugged Sonoma Coast.  It is a 2+ hour drive from Sonoma, over hill and dale, and thus, we named it “Outward Bound” day.  It was a treat hanging with David, a pioneer of this appellation.  Hirsch makes pure, Burgundian-style Pinot Noir and sells his grapes to others such as Littorai, Failla and Siduri.  His Saturday seminar on “The True Sonoma Coast” will be very worthwhile.

Lunch with the Arrowoods

We (meaning Denis Toner of the Nantucket Wine Festival, our friend David Kuhn, Mark Donato and I) also lunched with Alis & Dick Arrowood of Arrowood and Amapola Creek in Glen Ellen.  The Arrowoods are a true wine country success story, in that they built up their label Arrowood, sold to Kendall Jackson (who retained Dick as winemaker), and now they’ve started a boutique label, Amapola Creek.

Ray Coursen & Kristine Ashe

We had dinner with Ray Coursen (Elyse) at Michael Chiarello’s Bottega in Yountville and again enjoyed his company at a winter feast in his home with veteran winemakers Sandy Belcher and John Arns, plus newbie Kristine Ashe.  On other nights, we dined with the Donelan Family team at Cyrus in Healdsburg and had a glass of wine with Carissa Mondavi of Continuum.

I’ve visited many beautiful properties, large and small, and having some of these wineries come to Nantucket brings back wonderful memories.  The vineyards and state–of-the-art caves at Hourglass and Hall are stunning and Justin is by far the most luxurious winery to spend the night in (except for, perhaps, Jordan!).  Pride Mountain is also a special property–Its high elevation, straddling Napa and Sonoma Counties offers terrific views and yields tremendous wines.  And in November, we’ll be back in Beaune to see old friends like Alex Gambal, Michel Anglada and the Senards.

With Michel Anglada at La Ferme de Rolle in Burgundy

Several luminaries I have had the pleasure of hosting at currentVintage.  Eric Munson, Jorge Ordonez and Robert Sinskey have all done store tastings in the past, and this year, we welcome Michael & Fiona Ragg of Mischief & Mayhem and Dominique Demarville, Cellarmaster of Veuve Clicquot.  The Raggs have the distinction of being British winemakers in Burgundy and Demarville made history as the youngest champagne Cellarmaster ever at age 36.

I am such a fan of Bertrand Ambroise and Jack Bittner that I selected the Ambroise Cremant and a Zinfandel from Franz Hill for a spring dinner pairing in a recent issue of Nantucket Today.  Jack is the General Manager of Cliff Lede (where all the parcels are named after rock bands and albums, eg Dark Side of the Moon) and Franz Hill is his own project.  Wines from Shooting Star, Wishing Tree and Domaine de Tariquet are among the value gems of the currentVintage wine collection.

Yes, it’s an all-star cast–Don’t miss these wineries and winemakers at the NWF next week…!

Alex Gambal

Alex Gambal is a festival favorite–As an American in Burgundy, he seems sort of like a hometown hero, even though he’s from D.C.  Here is a bit on Alex from a previous cV Lifestyle post:

http://currentvintage.com/blog/2009/09/27/alex-elyse-a-love-story/

Napa dinner with Kristine Ashe, Ray Coursen, John Arns & Elisabeth English

Ray Coursen of Elyse Winery is another NWF regular and was also featured in the above post.  Ray was deservingly honored as NWF Luminary of the Year in 2009.  I had a couple of excellent dinners with Ray in Yountville this winter, including this fun evening with fellow winemakers Kristine Ashe, maker of Entre Nous and John Arns, maker of outstanding cabs from Arns Winery .

Tasting Amapola Creek wines with Alis & Richard Arrowood

Elisabeth at Cyrus with winemaker Tyler Thomas and Tripp and Joe Donelan of Donelan Family Wines

Eric Munson of Dancing Bear Cellars & Eos with Andy Peay of Peay Vineyards at currentVintage

Elisabeth with Jorge Ordonez (Founder, Fine Estates from Spain) at currentVintage

http://currentvintage.com/blog/2009/09/17/ode-to-jorge/

Hourglass vineyards

Sean Larkin of Larkin Wines

http://currentvintage.com/blog/2009/05/27/six-degrees-to-sean-larkin/

Luxurious suite at Jordan Winery

Amapola plates 2

Amapola plates 1

Alex Gambal

Alex Gambal and his then wife moved with their kids to France in 1993.  They were looking for an experience abroad and a serendipitous meeting with famed wine importer Becky Wasserman led to that experience and then some.  What began as a stage, resulted in his enrollment in viticulture school, and voila, in 1997, Maison Alex Gambal was born.

Ray Coursen of Elyse

Ten years earlier, Ray Coursen and his wife were working on Cape Cod.  One day, Ray offhandedly asked Nancy when she’d be ready to move to California to start making wine. “Tomorrow,” she said, and off to the wild west, they went.  Ray worked his way from the tasting room to the cellar, becoming winemaker in a matter of  a few years.  In 1987, the Coursens founded Elyse, producing 286 cases of Morisoli Vineyard Zin, still one of their preferred fruit sources today.

Ray is known for Zinfandel and Rhone varietals.  His wines are extracted, rich and voluptuous.  Alex deals exclusively with chardonnay and pinot noir, and his style is typically more elegant and restrained.

Alex makes about 5000 cases of wines/year; Elyse makes nearly double.  Alex makes 18 wines, 60% white and 40% red.  Of Ray’s 20 or so bottlings, of whites there are only two.

Stylistically, the wines of Alex Gambal and Elyse don’t have so much in common, yet on many other levels they do.  Both Alex and Ray are negociants with both eyes on the vineyard.  They each hold long-term contracts with trusted growers to ensure the quality of the fruit.  They each own a few of their own vineyards.  Ray went to school to study agriculture.  Alex tends his own garden.  They are both artists, farmers and scientists, as that is what is required to own a winery and produce consistently good wine.  Elyse wines are on all the great lists in Napa.  Alex’s are on some of the best lists in Beaune.

They are both good friends to the Nantucket Wine Festival and they share a passion for wine, food and life.

These days, countless points and accolades later, Alex and Elyse continue to produce amazing wines:  Food friendly, fruit-centric, hand-crafted wines from their respective corners of the world.  They are truly living the dream.

What a nice couple!

“I came in frankly not knowing the first thing about Burgundy or how to make wine, but to have an experience with my family, trying to enrich our lives. If things turned out well, that would be great. But if it didn’t we’d go home to our former life.”—Alex Gambal

“When I first saw how small Burgundy is and how diverse it is I realized that it would take me a lifetime to begin to understand it. That’s what I love about Burgundy, because I continue to learn something new about it every day. That’s what makes it so wonderful, and also so maddening. Here we have two principal grape types and how can it be so different from one little place to the next. Burgundy isn’t a spectator sport, it’s a contact sport. You really have to be willing to get in and get your hands dirty. Otherwise, forget about it.”—Alex Gambal

“In our winemaking we let nature express each vintage uniquely, by using indigenous yeasts which are naturally on the grapes. We make our wines following Burgundian tradition : our whites are barrel fermented and both red and white wines are matured on their lies with just one racking prior to bottling.”–Alex Gambal

Re. the 2009 harvest:

“When one controls all from A-Z, and mother nature provides 6 months of glorious weather, the results are easy to see and taste.” Alex Gambal,  September 2009

“I also recommend Alex Gambal’s 2007 Bourgogne Blanc.  It’s another wine that delivers more than its appellation suggests, I suspect because it comes entirely from Cote d’Or Chardonnay (the law allows Bourgogne Blanc to be made from grapes grown throughout Burgundy, including the Côte Chalonnaise and Côte Mâconnaise).  Gambal waited to harvest the Chardonnay in 2007– and it paid off.  I guess it’s in his nature to gamble.”—Michael Apstein, www.winereviewonline.com, July 2009

“A meal without wine is eating; a meal with wine is dining – it’s a conversation, an event. It’s what wine is about.”—Ray Coursen

“Winemaking is cooking without a flame. Great chefs search for the best ingredients and then carefully prepare them so the layers of flavors in the food all reach the table. They’re constantly searching for wonderful fruit to work with. Besides the vineyard at the winery, we’ve been fortunate to find amazing fruit from vineyards stretching from Carneros to Howell Mountain. As a fellow winemaker once said, “The best wines come from the vineyards with the most footprints in them.” –Ray Coursen (s2wines.com)

Re. C’est Si Bon:

“This was the favorite wine that we would all take a little pull from in the wine room.”—Ray Coursen

Re. winemaking:

“I like a little oak, but I don’t want it to be overpowering – I want to taste the fruit. I love wines that pair well with food…When I make a wine, my tastes and techniques will influence the process, but what’s most important is the fruit. The fruit dictates what the wine will be. We’re fortunate to work with an amazing group of growers and vineyards, whose fruit keeps taking us to wonderful places.”—Ray Coursen

Re. visiting Elyse:

“This is a MUST  for all serious wine drinkers.   It does not have a fancy tasting room, no gross monuments to oneself here, no long driveways with valet parking,  no cheese-and-figs,  no members-only library, no bubble room,  no car collection,  no tram, no tractor ride, no cablecar,  no castle, no outdoor sculpture garden,  no ponds,  not even pistachios…if you know what I mean.
This is Napa the original way.   A small tasting room  with giant, delicious wines that do all the promoting themselves.   This is THE BEST OF NAPA. “—Brenda S., NY, NY, March 2008 (www.yelp.com)

Re. Elyse Wines:

“This excellent winery continues to turn out a bevy of intriguing wines, including both Zinfandels and Rhone Ranger offerings.” -Robert Parker (June 2008)

Balloon over Napa seen from Elyse Winery

Alex Gambal Blog:

http://www.alexgambal.com/blog/

Ray Coursen video:

http://www.winetastetv.com/video/tastings/grenache/2315/article%3C!—raycoursenelysewinery—%3E

I first met Ray Coursen in Yountville in 2003 and have been fortunate to dine and lodge with him several times since.  Most day’s you can find him lunching at Redd with fellow winemakers such as John Arns and Jim Barbour.  Alex’s wines I discovered years ago at the Nantucket Wine Festival and I have also enjoyed clinking glasses with him in Beaune.  His cuvée is in an historical courtyard just inside the town wall of Beaune.  I look forward to seeing them both this winter and again at the Nantucket Wine Festival in May.  Elyse and Maison Alex Gambal wines are available at currentVintage.

Tasting of Alex & Elyse Wines

4-7, Wednesday, September 30, 2009

currentVintage, 4 Easy St, Nantucket.

Maison Alex Gambal window in Beaune

Sean Larkin at NWF Gala

How can it be that Memorial Day Weekend has come and gone?  It seems like yesterday we were setting up the currentVintage table at the Nantucket Wine Festival Yacht Club Grand Tasting.  With over 100 wineries, dozens of food booths, live cooking demos, etc, the Grand Tasting is a tremendous event—and a logistical marvel.  Our table featured vintage grape jewelry—truly, much more tasteful than it sounds!  1930s celluloid, 1950s Mexican sterling, 1960s Lucite; a collection of amazing, interesting pieces, both novelty and collectibles.  Anyway, the patrons and the vendors loved it and we had a super weekend.

I was delighted to find our table right across from the charming Scotsman, Sean Larkin.  We sell his yummy Larkin cab franc and Jack Larkin merlot.  I feel a certain connection to Sean, because he was the first winemaker to visit currentVintage the week we first opened.  I might not have known it was him, had we not had a bottle of Larkin prominently featured on the shelf, to which Sean proudly & loudly responded, “I’m Sean Larkin!”. He brought in his buddies (fellow winemakers Jim Barbour, Ray Coursen and John Arns) to show off and we became fast friends.

Last Fall, at an auction to benefit the Nantucket New School, we bought a dinner catered by Sarah Leah Chase and a bottle of Jack Larkin Merlot.  One memorable night this spring, the dinner was realized at the home of Chris & Greg Bourbeau, where Sarah prepared a spectacular, world class dinner for us.  Beginning with a sensual warm olive and grape appetizer and featuring lamb with lavender honey, every course was flawless.  We poured the Jack Larkin and all agreed it was like a first-rate right bank Bordeaux. Sarah emailed the next day that the JL merlot was” truly among the top 10 wine-tastings epiphanies I have experienced in my lifetime”—high praise from a world-renowned author and caterer who has published cookbooks of her wine and dining experiences pedaling through Burgundy and Provence!

Another great night was in New York:  opening week of the swank re-gussified Minetta Tavern.  It being the hot new Keith McNally boite, all the beautiful people were there…Jennifer Creel was next to us in silver sequins; I was in jeans (thankfully black).  Curiously, the beautiful people across from us had an unopened bottle of Jack Larkin on the table.  We spoke to the waiter and then the sommelier, only to learn that the wine was not on the wine list.  Disappointed, we finally asked the beautiful woman where she got the coveted bottle, and she replied, “I’m Stephanie, Jack Larkin’s Mother.”  The bottle was a gift for her dinner friends, but in a brilliant marketing move, she had the wine perched on the edge of the table unwrapped, for all to see.  And so, luckily for us, wherever we go there seem to be far fewer than six degrees of separation from Sean Larkin.

Gushing Frank Bruni Minetta Tavern review: http://tinyurl.com/o6sapr

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

Amy Peay wearing currentVintage

The “Sultans of Sonoma Coast”.  That is the name Denis Toner coined for the all-star panel of vintners Ehren Jordan (Failla), David (Hirsch) and Andy (Peay).  I’m not sure how they felt about it, but it still makes me smile every time I think of it.  I attended the seminar on Friday of the Nantucket Wine Festival and was not disappointed.  To hear David Hirsch, Father of the “true” Sonoma Coast, so to speak, was impressive; what was he thinking, farming grapes way up there way back when?  All three chardonnays showed amazingly well, but the nuanced Peay 07 Estate Chardonnay was the favorite at my table.  This type of wine festival event makes the festival, in my opinion.  Comparing and contrasting flights of wines from similar grapes and soils is so interesting!  Discerning what part Mother Nature played vs what took place and in the cellar to produce such distinctive wines from such similar base ingredients—that’s exciting stuff to me!

A half hour later, Andy Peay migrated over to currentVintage for a store tasting.  I am sentimental about Peay wines because Andy Peay was our first in store tasting at currentVintage. It was during the 2008 NWF and it was the first week we were open. He was/is so cool and really seemed to get my store.  I am also a great admirer of the wines—they are elegant, sophisticated and quite feminine.  I understood this better after meeting the winemaker, Vanessa Wong at a Peay dinner at Cyrus in Healdsburg this past winter.  She is tiny and lovely, yet projects the strength and composure of her years of experience.  Those years, by the way, include being the winemaker at Peter Michael.  Vanessa is married to Nick Peay, Andy’s brother, who is in charge of the vineyard.  Serious talent, serious wines.
Anyway, the tasting was a huge success.  Old fans turned up and new ones were made. Eric Munson of Dancing Bear Cellars stopped by for a signed bottle—I love how winemakers support each other, at least at our festival.  Andy and Ehren Jordan came to the cV Sinskey tasting the day before—how cool is that?

Andy Peay & Ehren Jordan at currentVintage Sinskey Wine Tasting

Thursday, we had Rob Sinskey, Napa legend, do a tasting at currentVintage.  The fact that Rob even does store tastings amazes me!  He has been established for 20+ years; he was organic before it was popular.  His wife, Maria, is a celebrated chef and cookbook author.  Yet, here they are, in my store, with their adorable daughters.  It’s all about passion and it’s contagious!  People turned out by the dozens; Rob talked to every single person about the wines, as he sampled them and signed the bottles of POV that are labeled with his own b&w photographs. All the while, his girls modeled angel-sleeve dresses and Candies.  Pinch me!

Thank God someone did, or I might not have snapped out of Sinskey-adoration mode and into my mauve ultrasuede maxi skirt adorned with felt grape bunch appliqués.  I quickly paired it with a Cheryl Fudge pink silk scarf halter and Lucite grapes necklace and moments later made my entrance to the NWF Gala, one of my favorite events of the year.  Within four minutes, I had lost my friend Robin and begun the 4 hour journey of international wine and food solo…ceviche and aligoté…duck confit and Alex Gambal Savigny les Beaune, Caymus and chocolate…

Nearly a week later, over all the flavors and voices and bottles that were swirling under that tent,  I most fondly remember Miner Family 07 Viognier  and John Arns 05 cab.  The viognier was remarkable, especially for the price (will be a mere $20 at currentVintage)—plump with honeysuckle, yet thoughtfully balanced.  Dangerous, really.  The Arns cab was sturdy, but lush, rich and velvety.  I was tentative in extending my glass—a big cab seemed like too much on a night of so many sips, but I was rewarded with a big smooch as soon as it hit my lips.

One would think that after the gala all would be sated and ready for bed, but not this crowd!  Ray Coursen (NWF Luminary of the Year) ordered several bottles of his Elyse Korte Ranch Zin, which is big and spicy and berry red, much like its charismatic maker.
And an hour later, there I was, belting out show tunes at the Club Car.  It was opening night, after all, and that only comes once a year☺

Elisabeth English & Maria Helm Sinskey at NWF Gala

Welcome to the inaugural (life)Style & Terroir blog post from currentVintage!

In general, blog posts are made in close proximity to real time–more like tweets—but in my world, there will almost always be a 7-second delay.  Not to censor or edit, just to process all of these amazing life experiences that I find myself in every day! This week,  I’m recounting some of the highlights of the 2009 Nantucket Wine Festival, which ended Sunday and already feels like 6 weeks ago…

Wednesday morning upon arriving at work, I was greeted by Comte Philippe Senard and his fashionable wife, Beatrice, who offered me a taste of their Corton-Charlemagne.  It was only 10:30a.m., but these Grand Cru opportunities do not present themselves to me every day, so I happily accepted.  It was fun talking with the Senards and showing them currentVintage.  And fascinating how that glass of Burgundy nectar evolved every few minutes, from the initial distinct minerality of CC to the honeyed finish a half hour later…sublime.

That night was the tremendous Ambroise dinner at Oran Mor.  Think Brut Cremant with Island Creek oysters and caviar, ‘04 Nuits St. Georges “Les Vaucrains” with decadent braised short ribs…served in the intimate, candle-lit warmth of one of Nantucket’s most beautiful restaurants. The charming Bertrand Ambroise spoke of each wine, each vintage with candor, wit, knowledge and affection…And Wednesday was just the warm up.