A Bragg Creek-based sommelier and a cellist have teamed up to offer an intimate evening in the forest that will present attendees with fine wine paired with custom cuisine and relaxing arrangements on March 19.
Renée Delorme, sommelier at Tasting Pleasures, said the evening's festivities, called Indulgence, will be chocked full of artistry and intimacy – an event at which attendees can indulge their senses.
“[The event] is designed for the sole purpose of enjoying the moment to its fullest,” she said. “It is our way to celebrate the eminence of spring, the renewal of life and forget, if only for a moment, about the vagaries of the last two years.”
The event will take place at Chisel Creek Ranch, nestled in the forest at the edge of the Rocky Mountains, and will include rustic charm, warmth and intimacy together with candlelit tables, according to Delorme.
Delorme said she encourages attendees of the sold-out show to forget their worries and indulge in the “unique and mysterious” with performances from celebrated musicians Beth Root Sandvoss and Susanne Ruberg-Gordon.
World-class cellist Sandvoss, and pianist Ruberg-Gordon are both teachers at the Montreal Conservatory of Music and have performed together as part of a contemporary musical ensemble, where Delorme first made their acquaintance.
“I mentioned after one of their concerts that it would be neat to be able to pair music and wine and create an event where everything is about indulging yourself,” she said. “I just mentioned that on the side for fun because they had played a pretty hot tango, and they called me a few weeks later.”
She added one of the reasons she thought to host the inaugural event in Bragg Creek is to bring together the community following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“COVID has been so painful, and then we have this war, and there’s so much negativity out there that you’re always on the edge,” she said. “What we really want to do is offer a break from all of that – forget it all – not even mention it.
“And then just take pleasure in the moment, in feeling and applying all our senses – sight, smell, taste, touch, and feel the wine food, and music.”
Delorme said she has selected three wines for the event including a sparkling, red, and dessert wine. Though she didn’t want to reveal too much, she said each wine contrasts with each other, while pairing nicely with the food and music.
“In three parts, the [musicians] will play music pieces that connect with the idea of each wine,” she said. “So, we’ll have three parts of music during which people will be tasting a wine and [food].”
She said the venue is rustic, yet conducive to the musical experience and likened it to a mini concert hall.
“That’s our backdrop and then we’ll have tables for two or four, depending on what people want, and all the décor will be fairly eclectic,” she said. “We want to call it bohemian style, so lots of colours, different tablecloths, candlelight, everything will be dimmed down."
She said all through the evening, her role will be to guide the experience by helping attendees to know what to look for in the wine, music, and food.
“I’m going to do that, hopefully with a bit of style and poetry and design,” she said.
For more information on the event, visit bit.ly/3tauZ1h
