I had the honor of attending Chateau d’Esclans’ reveal party of their rose wine, Rock Angel, on May 4, 2015. This fabulous affair took place in the Art Gallery at NoMI Kitchen on the seventh floor of the Park Hyatt Chicago. The view was impeccable as the gallery overlooked the famous Chicago Water Tower. This event was a prelude to the James Beard Awards later that night.
The wine was paired with fresh Island Creek Oysters which were flown in just hours before the event. I tasted oysters for the first time in my entire life and it was delightful. The oysters were grilled with scallion oil, roasted peanuts, salt, black pepper and lime.
NoMI Kitchen’s new Executive Chef, Satoru Takeuchi, created one-of-a-kind delectable passed hors d’oeuvres which included signature NoMI rolls and vegetable sushi rolls, glazed chicken teriyaki and main lobster au poivre with pink peppercorns and red pepper salad.
An exquisite cheese and charcuterie station was in view for sampling and toward the end of the soiree, delicious miniature sweets were made available.
Chateau d’Esclans is located twenty five kilometers off the French Mediterranean coast north of Saint-Tropez.
Along with tasting the incredibly heavenly Rock Angel, Chateau d’Esclans included tastings of their delicious rose wine, Whispering Angel. Per their website, Whispering Angel is ‘an irresistible pink! Charming, refreshing, refined, and with plenty of juicy, enticing, strawberry and berry fruit.”
Paul Chevalier, United States brand ambassador for Chateau d’Esclans, discussed the wines with the party attendees. While speaking with Chevalier, I asked how both wines got their name. Whispering Angel got its name from two cherubs who grace the walls in a 19th century chapel in Chateau d’Esclans. Rock Angel is named after the rocky soil because you can taste the rock minerality. It has nothing to do with rock music.
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