Only occasionally do we find an event that we think is worth sharing with our food and wine loving friends. But we have found one happening this month. If you are like us, there are sometimes when a big splurge is just what we need to lift our spirits in the middle of winter. After the snow and ice, a night of handcrafted wines and good food seems just the thing. Our friends Faith Anaya and Melissa Thoma are hosting a special “Uncorked Exclusive” event on Thursday, February 18th at 6 pm.
We’ve been fans of their monthly events since we went to the first one more than a year ago. Always, we meet people with whom we immediately feel a great rapport. But that should be no surprise, since the whole idea is to bring together foodies and wine lovers, for an evening of, what else, but good food and excellent wines.
As always, our trusty wine merchant, Jonathan Looney, of O’Looney’s Wine and Spirits, joins the group as sommelier and Certified Wine Specialist. Jonathan is one of those people who knows how to make wines and wine tasting a friendly and educational experience. Elegant does not mean “snobbish.” So, if you have any fears of not knowing enough (we know that feeling), have no fear. These folks are Romantics about both food and wine, and they want to include you in that romance.
What makes this event special – and different from the others – is that it will include wines exclusively from the Williamson Winery located in Healdsburg, CA in the Dry Creek region of Sonoma County. The Williamsons are a husband and wife team, originally from Australia, whose unique nitch in the business is creating wines to go with special foods. The wines are one-of-a-kind and are not available for purchase in Arkansas. That is part of the reason this event is extra special.
Not only will this be an elegant evening of handcrafted wines and a tasting menu prepared just for this evening, but the surroundings are special too. Have you been to Greg Thompson Fine Art in the Argenta Arts District of North Little Rock? If not, you are in for a visual feast, as well as a gastronomic one. You will taste and sip amidst spectacular wall sculptures and paintings by the wonderful regional artist, Mark Blaney.
Special, elegant evenings of fine wine and food are by definition, very occasional things. This is one of those “we-may-not-get-this-chance-again” times. To register, go to http://www.regonline.com/uncorkedexclusive. Or, if you have questions, you can contact Faith and Melissa at uncorkedlive@comcast.net. “Uncorked Live” is a hidden treasure – just like Little Rock – but one you can discover for yourself at this special edition. This is an event we can – and do – recommend highly.
Yes, Tandra really is our own Ace of Cakes. She received her diploma in pastry arts from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and what a better place to learn about pastry arts than in Paris! An artist in her own right, Tandra’s materials are flour, sugar, and butter. And when she makes a cake, you can really see that artistic flair come out!
