We're at the State Department...Yep, that's right!
07/24/2014
How did you celebrate the 4th of July? Did you go to a neighbor’s barbeque? Did you watch the fireworks from your friend’s rooftop deck while drinking a glass of your favorite wine? This year I did all of the above, with a twist. I spent this Independence Day watching the fireworks with 500 of my newest friends, including ambassadors, foreign diplomats, and their families, from the terrace of the State Department Building. I’m not trying to brag. I’m just sayin’… I’m kind of a big deal. Yeah, I’m totally kidding.
How did that happen, you ask? I met Jason a few years ago while I was pouring wine at the DC Wine Riot at 11:00 on a Friday night. While at the time all I could think of was how sore my feet were and how badly I wanted to be home on my couch watching a Mad Men marathon, today I’m awfully glad that I wasn’t. We kept in touch over the years, as he made a point to visit the winery periodically to try some new wines as they were released. Lucky for us, he liked them! So it’s settled - you’ve all got great taste in wine!
The local folks were excited because they knew who we were, and all of the “out-of-towners” were excited because they had no idea who we were! They were so genuinely and pleasantly surprised to discover a great new wine region. It was so fun and such a privilege to be able to share Tarara’s story with such a diverse, curious, worldly, and enthusiastic audience.
So why does any of this matter to you, friends of Tarara? Because the whole reason I was invited to attend one of the most exciting events in our nation’s capital was to introduce political figures and their families from all over the world to Tarara. “World, this is Tarara. Tarara, meet the world.”
That’s right, Tarara Winery was selected by State Department Executive Chef Jason Larkin as the only winery to attend and represent its wines at the evening’s festivities.
How did that happen, you ask? I met Jason a few years ago while I was pouring wine at the DC Wine Riot at 11:00 on a Friday night. While at the time all I could think of was how sore my feet were and how badly I wanted to be home on my couch watching a Mad Men marathon, today I’m awfully glad that I wasn’t. We kept in touch over the years, as he made a point to visit the winery periodically to try some new wines as they were released. Lucky for us, he liked them! So it’s settled - you’ve all got great taste in wine!
It was obviously a huge honor for Tarara to be invited, and it was such a perfect night in every way. From the impossibly beautiful weather, to the perfectly executed, old-timey American street-fair themed event featuring a simple, but uber-amped up BBQ buffet (including some of the mac and cheese I’ve ever had), separate root beer float and S’mores stations, and passed “hors d’oeuvres” like warm pretzels and cones full of French fries and popcorn - all set against the stunning backdrop of gorgeous antiques and other national treasures – it was surreal and perfect. To say that they thought of everything is a huge understatement. Oh yeah, those fireworks were ok, too.
However, it goes without saying that the thing that really turned it to 11 was our wine (of course!). Guests enjoyed our Long Bomb and our partner winery Boneyard Wine's Bad to the Bone Bubbles, Chardonnay and Rose.
The local folks were excited because they knew who we were, and all of the “out-of-towners” were excited because they had no idea who we were! They were so genuinely and pleasantly surprised to discover a great new wine region. It was so fun and such a privilege to be able to share Tarara’s story with such a diverse, curious, worldly, and enthusiastic audience.
And while all of the wines were a hit and seemed to pair perfectly with the BBQ extravaganza, the bubbly was the real belle of the ball. Who doesn’t love bubbles? The Long Bomb was up there, too; in fact, there were a couple LB repeat-repeat customers. (You know who you are!)
As the event died down and most of the guests left, Jason and I, along with my husband and some new friends, sat down and enjoyed a few laughs and a drink. There was one last bottle of Bubbles left. We had to deliver a glass to someone important who didn’t get a chance to try it during the party. But we all shared what was left before we headed our separate ways for the night.
I really didn’t think it could have gone any better. The party was fun, and people loved the wine. I would have been happy enough with that. But I guess I didn’t realize just how much they loved the wine until the next day when I got a text from Jason telling me that he was sitting on the deck at the winery enjoying a couple bottles with some of the folks from the night before.
Turns out he brought the world back to Tarara. Looks like we’ve all got some new friends!
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Tarara
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