On a cold, blustery January evening, the Mondiale members of the Cincinnati Bailliage gathered at Transept Event Center in downtown Cincinnati for a Blackbird wine tasting dinner. The Transept is a stunning 150-year old restored German Gothic church in the heart of the recently renovated “Over the Rhine” neighborhood of the city.

Michael “Funky” Forgus, owner of this venue as well as Funky’s catering, worked tirelessly with his staff to prepare a buffet dinner designed to bring out the elegance of the evening’s wines. Members were served passed appetizers with a luscious rosé in the reception area and then ushered into the Library Room where tables were set with rows of glasses for the wine tasting.

Bill Schlissel, Eastern US Sales Manager for Blackbird Vineyards, gave a riveting history of the winery which specializes in Right Bank-inspired wines from Napa Valley. Winemaking duo Aaron Potts and Kyle Mizuno are the artisans behind the wines and work hard to allow their wines to express the characteristics of the vineyard by sticking to the philosophy of “let the wines speak for themselves and don’t screw it up.”

Members were then allowed to pair the wines with delicious cuisine from Funky’s Catering including Braised Veal Shank, Truffled Brown Butter Gnocchi, and Squash Napoleon with grilled red pepper. Members gave a hearty round of applause at the end of the evening to Mr. Schlissel, Funky’s Catering staff, and Vice Echanson Mary Horn who masterfully organized the event.

Graig Smith, Vice Chargé de Presse