American Friends Host Rare Wine Dinner at Le Bernardin

Château Ausone Tasting & Gourmet Dinner to Benefit the Thomas Jefferson Auditorium

On the evening of Wednesday, November 7, George P. Sape, President of American Friends of La Cité du Vin, along with famed chef Eric Ripert, welcomed guests to an invitation-only tasting of sixteen Château Ausone vintages beginning with 1990 and culminating with an extremely rare 1924 double magnum.

Served in the private Le Bernardin Salon, this gourmet dinner was designed and prepared by Chef Ripert, who made last minute changes to the main course with a glass of the 1924 vintage in hand. Wine Director Aldo Sohm, “2007 Best Sommelier in America,” took great care to open and pour the delicate 1924 vintage of Château Ausone for the small group of guests invited to this once-in-a-lifetime exquisite dining experience.

Château Ausone is one of only four wines to be ranked Premier Grand Cru Classé in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine. Alain Vauthier and his daughter Pauline Vauthier, proprietors of Château Ausone, are direct descendants of the 17th Century owners and verified that the 1924 bottle was one of only two of this size remaining from the vintage.

“(This dinner) has to be one of the greatest evenings of all time for wine lovers,” said George Sape. “It’s hard to imagine how it could have been any better. The wines were exemplary, and the efforts of Eric Ripert to make the matches of food and wine were themselves extraordinary… I venture to say that this will be the most important tasting of Ch. Ausone in the US for some time.”

Proceeds from this exclusive event support the Thomas Jefferson Auditorium at La Cité du Vin.