As winter weather was encroaching on the Midwest, Cincinnati Mondiale members and their guests met at the Little Red Schoolhouse Event Center to celebrate their ninth Cellar Treasures event.
The event center was built during 1873-74 in what is now the village of Indian Hill, an upscale neighborhood east of Cincinnati. The building has retained its historic charm and was an ideal venue for showcasing the “cream of the crop” wine treasures offered up by Mondiale members. The parameters of this annual event are that each member shares a high-quality wine at least 10 years old and a rating of 93, or a bottle worth at least $75. Many attendees went above and beyond those minimum standards!
Little Red Schoolhouse 
Little Red Schoolhouse Historic Plaque 
Little Red Schoolhouse 
Little Red Schoolhouse Entrance and Event Sign In 
Setting up the wines 
Frank Skukca, George Elliott, and Janet Reynolds 
Vice Chargé de Missions Clint Haynes and Echanson Provincial Mary Horn 
Jan Lazarus, Janna Skufca, and Professionnel du Vin David Lazarus, Jr. 
Vice Chargé de Missions Don Buckley and Kim Jackson 
Mushroom and Onion Tartlets 
Mini Crab Cakes 
Flavia Bastos and Chevalier John Winkelmann 
Steve Spalding and Vice Chancelier-Argentier Honoraire Susan Verschoor 
Susan Schuler, Rebecca Hearst, and Evi Banzhaf 
Matthew Millett, Carol Durbin, Mark Millett, and Eric Durbin 
Susan Martz and Chevalier Charles Martz 
Kathleen MacQueeney, Susan Schuler, and Jean Haynes 
Ray Vanderhorst, Ellen Vanderhorst, Lee Flischel, and Sue Flischel 
Paul Parks and Chevalier Nick Gonzales 
Chevalier Kelly Meyer and Vice Chargée de Missions Janet Reynolds 
Irwin Weinberg, John Mocker, Al Vontz, and J.T. Mayer 
Sheryll Barraco of Barraco Culinary LLC and her staff 
Enjoying the wine selections 
Craig Willis, Martha Willis, Ronna Willis and Jim Willis 
Fall Salad with Squash and Apples 
Tuscan Salmon with Spinach 
Chicken Piccata 
Herb Crusted Tenderloin 
Roasted Root Vegetables, Quinoa Salad and Dinner Rolls 
Wines for Blind Tasting Competition 
Shared Cellar Treasure Red Wines 
Selections from the Buffet 
Spice Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream 
Wines for the Blind Tasting, Revealed 
Blind Tasting Winners – Marcus Relthford and Marilyn Buckley with George Elliott 
Winners – Marcus Relthford, Carmen Parks, Marilyn Buckley, Bob Dalhausen and George Elliott 
Barraco Culinary LLC owner Sheryl Barraco and her staff
To start the adventure, grab a glass! An outstanding selection of sparkling and still white wines were the group’s favorite to launch the evening with passed appetizers. The event was catered by Sheryll Barraco and her catering company based in Milford, Ohio, a neighboring community to Indian Hill. Ms. Barraco and her team created a fabulous buffet—perfect for the amazing selection of red wines—with dishes that included Fall Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Honey Crisp Apples and Goat Cheese, Tuscan Salmon with Parmesan Cream Sauce, Chicken Picatta, Herb Crusted Grilled Petite Beef Tenderloin, Roasted Root Vegetables, and Quinoa Salad.
It wouldn’t be a Cellar Treasures event without a guessing game hosted by Echanson Provincial Mary Horn. Throughout the evening, members sampled two mystery wines, recorded their blind tasting guesses, and voted on their favorite wine of the evening. At end of the event, Mary Horn revealed the two mystery wines: 2018 Mayacamas Mount Veeder Chardonnay and 2003 Mayacamas Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon. Chevalier Marcus Relthford and Dame de la Chaîne Marilyn Buckley were the winners of the blind tasting. Two wines tied for the honor of best wine of the evening. Vice Chargée de Missions Honoraire Carmen Parks shared a 2014 Darioush Darius II, and Chevalier Robert Dahlhausen brought a 2012 Screaming Eagle Second Flight. All four winners received an allotment of Chaîne swag, but more importantly, they reserve bragging rights until the next Cellar Treasures event.
At the conclusion of this fascinating evening, Bailli George Elliott thanked Vice Chargée de Missions Janet Reynolds for obtaining and setting up the charming historic schoolhouse venue and Echanson Provincial Mary Horn for organizing another stellar Cellar Treasures event. Bailli Elliott also introduced and thanked the Sheryll Barraco culinary team for providing a terrific meal to showcase the impressive array of Cellar Treasures.
That perfect trio of outstanding culinary offerings, “over the top” wines, and an extraordinary venue made the evening one to “treasure” for a long time.
Graig Smith, Vice Chargé de Press