LITTLE ROCK — “An elegant evening of great wines paired with delicious foods” was an apt description of Wildwood Park’s Wine Reserve Dinner, held Nov. 19 in the Grand Hall of the Governor’s Mansion. The event was an added component to Wildwood’s Twelfth Annual Wine & Food Festival, held Sept. 26.
Guests were greeted by event co-chairmen Mary Morton and Allen Klak;
and hosts/volunteers that included Wildwood Artistic Director/Chief Executive Officer Cliff Fannin Baker along with Kristen Vandaveer, Judi Casavechia, Linda Blagg, Benny Cagle, Leslie Golden, Dan Wood and Peggy Wood.
A reception preceded the four-course dinner, served by Pulaski Technical College Arkansas Culinary School students. The meal opened with a mushroom and crab bisque, then a salad, compliments of Little Rock restaurants Ferneau and Vieux Carre. The main course of grilled beef fillet, potato cake and roasted asparagus was provided by the Governor’s Mansion. Dessert was a French apple and almond tart provided by the Peabody Little Rock hotel. Wines for each course were provided by Jonathan Looney from O’Looney’s Wine & Liquor. They included a 2007 chardonnay from Mer Soleil Vineyard of Santa Lucia Highlands, Calif.; a 2008 sauvignon blanc from Duckhorn Vineyards of Napa Valley, Calif.; a 2004 claret from Mathews Cellars of Elderding Vineyard in Columbia Valley, Wash.; and brutsparkling N/V from Gloria Ferrer Vineyards of Sonoma County, Calif. As a finale, guests sipped limoncello from Lombardi Co.
The evening was interspersed with short poetry readings and toasts, with a backdrop of entertainment by Marquis Hunt.
Guests, supporters and sponsors in attendance included Matt Lile, Dolores and Tom Bruce, Melissaand Martin Thoma, Christina Littlejohn, Tiffany and Daniel Robinson, Cindy Murphy, Phyllis Harrington, Pam Pittman, Ingrid Hunt, Nancy and Warren Boop, Jackie and Walter Walker, Mary and Fred Scarborough, the Rev. Betsy Singleton, Anna and Steven Clift, Dan Chapman and Teresa Hubbard.
High Profile, Pages 46 on 11/29/2009