Cubanisimo Vineyards organization experienced a magical evening at “The James Beard House” on 4/23/2019 when our wines were paired with Cuban cuisine culinary masterpieces put together by selected master chefs from around the USA. Our Pinot Gris was paired with a beautiful “shrimp grouper ceviche” made by chef Victor Albisu, our Rosado de Pinot noir was paired with a “green plantain soup with popcorn” made by chef Guillermo Pernot, our Reserve 2012 Pinot noir was paired a fantastic “lamb with calamari escabeche” by chef Albisu, and our Reserve 2016 Pinot noir was paired with a mouthwatering “suckling pig confit with sweet plantain salpicon, black bean sauce, and cachucha pepper relish” by chef Pernot. This evening was all we expected it to be, and the cause that inspired it, “Casa Cuba” is amazing. “Casa Cuba” is the project put together by Florida International University, and magnificently led by its Executive Director, Maria Carla Chicuen, to explore, study, and promote all that is Cuban. It was, and is the perfect cause for Cubanisimo Vineyards to celebrate, promote, and support.
The celebration of all that is Cuban coming out of Miami, Florida should not be a surprise to all familiar with the Cuban diaspora. The pleasant, and gratifying surprise to this Cuban American owner of Cubanisimo Vineyards was how the board of this organization being composed of individuals with very diverse, and strongly held views on the Cuban experience collaborated, and set aside differences to put together a truly visionary project which is “Casa Cuba”. The goal of “Casa Cuba” is to study, explore, and promote all that is Cuban, and to study the Cuban culture, and history with a fair, balanced, and clear-eyed focus on the past, the present, and the future of Cuba, and its people.
Cubanisimo Vineyards has always been about celebrating our wonderful Oregon Willamette Valley wines while also celebrating the owner’s Cuban culture. We look to partner with “Casa Cuba” project in the future in any way we can!