Wine Pairing Extravaganza: The Farm at Old Edwards

Written By: Marlene Osteen | Issue: March-2022

Sunday, March 27, is an evening about a trio of talented ladies and one skilled fellow who have impacted and left their imprint on the contemporary food and wine landscape. 

It’ll be an evening at Old Edwards Inn to be remembered – when stimulating conversation is bound to abound and great wine will flow, and delicious food will be enjoyed.  

And on that evening you’re invited to join this brilliant foursome – Chef Kristen Essig of Dauphine’s in DC; Paula Kornell, head of Paula Kornell Sparkling; along with Ellie Anest and Brett Weis, of Eleven Eleven Wine – to share a meal and listen to live music.  

It’s certain that Paula Kornell will not only delight with wine but will regale all with tales of a lifetime in the wine business.  

The story of Paula Kornell is a tale of family continuity. Kornell was literally born into the business.  She grew up playing at the family winery, founded by her father in 1958 – Hanns Kornell Champagne Cellars – and has spent her life surrounded by wine.  From her beginnings, “selling peacock feathers, walnuts, and prunes in front of the tasting room,” she went on to working in sales and marketing and in her own consulting business.  Today, at the namesake winery that she started with the 2017 vintage, she produces award-winning sparkling wines crafted to be stylish, sophisticated, and engaging, and—importantly for Paula—food-friendly.  

No less intriguing is the story of Eleven Eleven Wines and the serendipitous event that launched the winery.  It was on an international flight that Ellie Anest, a professional financial consultant, met Aurelien Roulin.  The camaraderie was immediate and in short order they formed a partnership, beginning with a real estate purchase alongside Ellie’s lifelong friend, Carol Vassiliadis. That property came with a world-class estate vineyard.  Soon thereafter Roulin connected with legendary winemaker Kirk Venge.  Brett Weis, progeny of the famous Weis winemaking  family, soon joined the team as Director of Winemaking and Operations.  The rest was history.    

As Anest says: “Very soon I came to understand that there was something written in the stars about this new venture.” The winery produces varietal wines – Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Syrah, and Chardonnay that have received high scores from the nation’s top critics and recognition for a style that is “elegant, nuanced, and always balanced.” 

Essig, who moved to DC from New Orleans, where she was a James Beard Best Chef South finalist three years running, certainly has sagas to recount – about the 20 years she spent cooking in New Orleans and the years she put in under the tutelage of a litany of chefs that included Emeril Lagasse and my husband – Louis Osteen. 

Now, Essig is “excited to share the stories of the many cultures, chefs, and traditions that make New Orleans cuisine so special.” In dishes like rockfish amandine, duck jambalaya, and oysters Dauphine, Essig’s expresses the finesse and expertise that rated a “top-notch” review from The Washington Post. 

Cost is $185 per person, plus tax and gratuity.  Please note the event is for guests 21 and over.  This is just one of a fabulous line-up of other chefs visiting Highlands this year. Check lodging (not included in ticket price), and availability at OldEdwardsHospitality.com.