Wine Pairing Extravaganza with Vintners Paula Kornell and Brett Weis alongside Chef Kristen Essig

Description

Join us for this special dinner with Vintners Paula Kornell of Paula Kornell Sparkling and Brett Weis of Eleven Eleven Wines, alongside Chef Kristen Essig of Dauphine’s in Washington, D.C. This dynamic group of talent will present a masterful pairing of food and wine. 

About Eleven Eleven Wines
Ellie Anest and Aurelien Roulin met in circumstances that in hindsight seem fated: onboard an international flight. Their in-flight conversation sparked an immediate connection, highlighting a shared entrepreneurial spirit and aspirations. Over time and many more conversations about work, life, and dreams, a lifelong friendship grew. Not sure what or when, but they were certain that they would create something special together. With this in mind, they began their partnership with a real estate investment alongside Ellie’s friend, Carol Vassiliadis. Out of pure coincidence, the land they purchased came with a world-class estate vineyard.

As Ellie and Aurelien developed the vision that became Eleven Eleven, they looked to Carol’ business acumen, sharp aesthetic, and artful eye for details that give Eleven Eleven its polish and poise. Carol’s support of the winery’s many philanthropic endeavors and understanding of the complexities of merging business with pleasure make Eleven Eleven as much a hospitality experience as it is a wine experience.

Eleven Eleven represents meant-to-be moments that highlight synchronicity, inspiration and delight. A fine bottle of wine embodies these elements and can elicit the same sense of mystery, wonder and joy.

Director of Winemaking, Brett Weis, will be in attendance.

About Paula Kornell
Reviving a Napa Valley tradition begun by her father, pioneering winemaker Hanns Kornell of Kornell Champagne Cellars, Paula Kornell is carrying on the family legacy in her own inimitable way with Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine.

Growing up on a Napa Valley vineyard meant Paula was always at the table with family and friends. Her father loved bringing home guests for impromptu dinner parties, and her mother, Marilouise, loved cooking simple, beautiful food and trading stories as the wine flowed.

The launch of her own wine brand in partnership with Vintage Wine Estates brings Paula full circle. No longer the little girl who sold prunes, walnuts, and peacock feathers in front of the family tasting room, she is a consultant and community leader with 30-plus years of experience in the wine industry. As principal of Kornell Wine Company, she has consulted with esteemed wine brands and appellations throughout Napa and Sonoma Counties.

Deeply connected to her community, she chaired the 1992 Napa Valley Wine Auction, now known as Auction Napa Valley, and served as a co-chair in 2005 and again in 2019. She was 2009 President of the board of directors for the Napa Valley Vintners, filling a position her father held 45 years earlier. She is currently on the boards of Napa’s Queen of the Valley Hospital Foundation and Napa Humane.

Paula creates camaraderie through hospitality. It’s in her genes. Her home is open and easy going, with cut flowers from the garden, homemade jam in the pantry, and rescue dogs and chickens all around. Each glass she pours her guests is a celebration of the everyday beauty and bounty of Napa Valley.

About Kristen Essig

Kristen Essig is the Executive Chef at Dauphine’s in Washington, D.C. A native of Seminole, FL--and longtime advocate of sustainable sourcing--Essig spent many childhood weekends at her grandparents’ home crabbing and cooking Sunday dinners. Her grandmother, a second-generation German immigrant, taught Essig to make traditional dishes like schnitzel and sauerbraten with ginger snap gravy. Essig’s love of food, the stories it tells, and gathering around a table with family and friends provided the foundation for her career at an early age. 

After attending culinary school at Johnson & Wales in Charleston and working in the kitchens of culinary legends like Chef Frank Lee at Slightly North of Broad and Chef Louis Osteen of the iconic Louis’s Charleston Grill, Chef Kristen Essig moved to the city she long considered her culinary home – New Orleans. She spent years learning from culinary giants like Chef Emeril Lagasse at Emeril’s and with Chef Anne Kearney at Peristyle. From there, Essig developed her culinary style and became known for her farmer’s market-driven dishes and innovative, ingredient-driven takes on New Orleans classics.

When Essig parted ways with Coquette and Thalia in 2020, longtime friend Neal Bodenheimer encouraged her to think about sharing her love of New Orleans food with a new city. Several trips to the District to meet with Long Shot Hospitality team members, including chef/partner Kyle Bailey, convinced Essig that the group’s vision for Dauphine’s Seafood, Bar, and Boucherie echoed her own ideas of how to best share New Orleans cuisine outside the Crescent City. 

Chef Essig is excited to share stories of the many cultures, chefs, and traditions that make New Orleans cuisine so special.

Date & Time

Sun, Mar 27, 2022 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Venue Details

The Farm at Old Edwards

336 Arnold Road
Highlands, North Carolina 28741

Old Edwards Inn and Spa