Nancy Toppan
We are introduced to The Roaring Twenties, The Jazz Age and Prohibition in Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby. The bestseller describes the opulent lives of wealthy east coasters during one of the rowdiest periods in American history. The pursuit of wealth and materialism and the acceptance of moral laxity was man’s aspiration during the 1920s.
The Roaring Twenties was a decade of prosperity and dissipation. The Age of Excess, The Crazy Years, “Années Folles,” Harlem Renaissance, Jazz bands, Charleston, gangsters, flappers, bobs, bootleggers, raccoon coats, cool cars, extravagant parties, bathtub gin, long cigarette holders and tabloid newspapers are a few words to describe the Roaring Twenties.
Ladies and gents entered Viv and Al Wright’s Great Gatsby Mansion in elegant 1920’s fashion and were entertained by the vintage nostalgic sounds of accomplished pianist Marguerite Richardson. Visitors were served the infamous ‘Bathtub Gin’ of the Golden Twenties era. As the ladies sipped Martinis and strolled through the gardens, five cascading fountains offered tranquility to the outdoors.
Party guests wined and dined in elegance under the Wright’s sparkling turquoise crystal chandelier amidst flower palms and crystal vases.
With the introduction of refrigerators, invitees enjoyed a superb array of delicious food and chilled drinks.
California wines were tasted and judged. Everyone was lost in the sensual pleasures of Ménage à Trois Silk—a smooth, seductive red blend that caresses you with every sip. It has a bright, red ruby hue in the glass and alluring fragrance of dried violets and berries. Silk beckons promising an unforgettable experience. Succulent cherry and ripe raspberry flavors mingle with delicate hints of rose petals and toasty spice and glide gracefully across your palate like liquid silk. Brought by Catherine and Ken Bass, this wine captured first place.
Ménage à Trois Red brings together three strange bedfellows: Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Silky and soft, this delicious dalliance makes the perfect accompaniment for grilled meats and chicken. This Ménage à Trois wine, brought by Nancy Toppan, placed second tying with Terry and Mike Gilberti’s Dreaming Tree Crush Red, a blend of the North Coast’s finest varieties. This wine has some great raspberry jam and vanilla oak characters on the nose. It has juicy mixed berry flavors and full-but-so approachable tannins.
In third place was Mary and Roy Bryant’s Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine has a deep ruby color and exudes aromas of plum, black currants, blackberry, smoke and earth. Soft tannins and bright acidity add a sense of balance and substance to this full-bodied Cabernet.
With glamorous allure, the Wrights enticed the Grapeviners into an unforgettable, “Fun and Frivolous Great Gatsby Party.”