On Wednesday May 4th, I entered the beautiful home of best-selling author and actress Jill Kargman on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Upon entry, I was greeted warmly with a glass of chardonnay from Beringer Vineyards and enjoyed energetic conversation with with the hosts. Beringer Senior Winemaker Ryan Rech gave me a brief overview regarding their Napa and Knights Valley AVAs as well as what I was to expect for this evening. I was in for a treat; an intimate 10 guest dinner party inspired by the exquisite collection of wines from Beringer themselves.
As the first guest to arrive, I enjoyed chatting one on one with Jill, who’s energy lit up her already airy and charming great room. Guests continued to trickle in as we all coalesced on Jill’s couch, where Ryan began detailing the history of Beringer and describing the glass of White Meritage we currently had in our hands. The theme of the evening was “Wild and Refined”, inspired by the wild and refined expressions and flavor profiles of wines from Beringer. We began the evening with a ‘refined’ Napa Valley Chardonnay and freshly prepared salad, followed up with a ‘wilder’ pairing of Cabernet Sauvignon and Beef Tenderloin. My favorite pairing of the evening happened to be the dessert, intermingling a sweet and refreshing Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc with a trio of mini tarts. Along the way, Ryan discussed tasting notes as each course was served, sharing anecdotes about the winemaking process and vineyards, and answering questions about each bottle. As a truly wonderful evening came to a close, Beringer sent each guest off with two complimentary bottles as a parting gift. The magnificent evening organized by Jill and Ryan was truly a Wild and Refined night to remember.
Beringer Vineyards is an industry leader in the Napa Valley as well as the lesser known Knights Valley region of California. Below please find a brief description of the wines sampled this evening:
Beringer Vineyards 2019 White Meritage
Beringer Vineyards 2020 Private Reserve Napa Valley Chardonnay
Beringer Vineyards 2019 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Beringer Vineyards 2018 Private Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Beringer Vineyards 2019 Napa Valley Botrytised Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc
These can be purchased directly from their website:
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