Crack that whip, I mean bottle! Oh! The glory of the Grande Marque Champagne tasting, revealed…

Crack that whip, I mean bottle!  Oh! The glory of the Grande Marque Champagne tasting, revealed… 

What can be said about the event of the year? To quote one of the main gents in charge of the event, Gary Fishman, “What can I say?  16^th year—Whaaaah-- Amazing.”  Not only did it serve a good cause (fundraising for the UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation and Madisons Foundation), not only was the weather perfect and the setting ideal (Le Merigot Beach Hotel), not only was the food and Champagne selection scrumptious, not only, not only, not only! And did I mention everyone had a blast?  

Upon entering Le Merigot at the beginning of the evening, fashionably on time, we were greeted with a glass of Schramsberg Brut Rose and many happy faces. My friend went ahead without me to start tasting, as I met and greeted some guests, and then was able to start getting down to the real business of tantalizing my taste buds with all (or as much as possible) [of] the sweet and savory delights of the evening.

Aside from people watching, the musical entertainment was great! There was a very well put together jazz ensemble, the David Arana Quartet (however, they would be even greater with one female vocalist by the name of Emily Bourbon, *wink wink*, ehem, call me).  There was some tremendous food sampling going on. Some of my favorite bites included a duck and eel fois gras on toasted bread, yellow and red tomato sliced with basil and fresh mozzarella on crustini drizzled with herb olive oil, mini poppy seed cupcake topped with cream and strawberries, steak tar tar, fresh cured salmon with caviar with fresh cream on fresh baked wheat flatbread, lobster ravioli, duck salami, Amedei chocolates, white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, and, of course, OYSTERS (and plenty)!   I could have died, on the spot, a very happy woman.

The stars of the evening were shining brightly… Dom, Cristal, Armand de Brignac, Taittinger, Piper Heidseick, Perrier Jouet, like Veuve Cliquot Brut and Rose, Laurent Perrier, Moet & Chandon, Ruinart... etc. If you tasted something I did not, please comment!

To boost the fundraising aspect of the event, there was a spectacular silent auction, in which many happy bidders partook and in the end left with steals (VIP wine tours, dinners, bottles, even a beautiful double orchid handsomely displayed) some of which were bid and won for less than the actual value; should I say lucky ducks or smarty pants?

Regardless of who the biggest bidders were, we were all winners at this event, and I can’t wait till next year! Be there.

Salute.

EB