The Irish Timeswine dinners prove to be a big draw.
The late American critic, Dorothy Parker, was very adept at coining wise little ditties, usually spiced with the bitter insights of life's letdowns. One of these poems, Inventory, included the lines: "Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient Champagne."
Now there was a woman who knew her priorities. Would that she had hung around for another 40 years, because the Irish Times wine dinner, in association with Taittinger, Febvre wine merchants and two hotels - the Westin in Dublin and the Sheraton Fota Island in Cork, would have certainly provided sufficient Champagne to sate even the most incredible thirst.
The latest in the series of Irish Times wine dinners was a bi-located salute to Taittinger Champagne, the celebrated grand marque brand which is back on track after a number of years in which ownership of the company moved outside the family for the first time since they acquired the Rheims-based operation in 1932.
That situation was remedied in 2006, when the family regained control, and listening to the irrepressible Justin Lleweleyn, international ambassador for Champagne Taittinger, the return to the status quo was a relief to all involved.
The Tattinger style is all about elegance. There is a lightness and delicacy to their Champagne which reaches its zenith in Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs, Taittinger's top cuvée, which critic Tom Stevenson described as: "Deliciously fresh, succulent fruit. Great Chardonnay, but even greater Champagne."
He was right. But the Comtes was not the only star. Over the course of the two dinners, in Dublin and Cork, the wines showed brilliantly in the company of challenging and inventive menus. And how the lucky Irish Times readers, picked at random from the hugely oversubscribed list of people willing to pay €75 each for a seat at the table, entered into the spirit of the occasion.
The Irish Times wine dinners are conceived as a celebration of extraordinary wines and food at a nominal cost to readers. Along with our partners, such as Febvre and the Westin and Sheraton hotels, The Irish Times shares all the costs. All the money raised in ticket sales goes directly to a selected charity, in this case the ISPCC.
These events would not be the success they are without the energy and commitment of a wide range of people. And so, glasses raised to Justin Lleweleyn for his colourful and informative contributions; Kieran Quinn, food and beverage manager at the Westin, and chef, Darrin Parrish and his team; Charl Oberholster, food and beverage manager in the Sheraton Fota Island, and chef Neil Foster and his team; Kerri Judge of Febvre for her usual efficiency and charm; and Katie Molony and Maeve O'Meara of The Irish Times.
The next wine dinner will be held in the coming months so watch out for the announcement.