A Glowing Green Night Puts Dream Wines and a Houston Michelin Restaurant In the Symphony Spotlight

The Jones Hall stage glowed green with an Emerald City intensity as if the stage had become a verdant garden where 350 art supporters would sip and dine during the Houston Symphony Wine Dinner & Collector’s Auction. The decor could have been a reference to Houston Michelin starred restaurant Le Jardinier, which provided a meal as elegant as the multiple wines served.

Pardon me while I swoon over a menu that began with white asparagus and caviar. But we must move on.

Chaired by Janet F. Clark, this Symphony evening began along the tiers of the grand staircase where people placed their bids on an array of wines, spirits and experiences. The most compelling among them were a three-night stay in France’s Champagne region, three bottles of 1983 Château Leoville-Las Cases ‘Gran Vin de Leoville’ Saint Julien, Bordeaux, and a Robert Parker 100-point wine raffle in which attendees could enter to win a case of Robert Parker rated 100-point wine.

Jack Matzer served as the wine chair for an evening that was brief on program and long on gastronomy. Symphony executive director and CEO Gary Ginstling joined Clark in briefly addressing the 250 black-tie attired Houston Symphony supporters.

As the dinner chimes sounded, everyone moved their way to the stage where DiMartino Design Group worked the decorative magic with the emphasis on green as is the basic color theme of Le Jardinier.

Chef Felipe Botero oversaw the four-course gourmet menu paired with wines expertly chosen by John and Lindy Rydman and Lisa Rydman Lindsey of Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods.

The menu consisted of:

— White asparagus with allium emulsion, courtons, Kaluga caviar accompanied with Domaine de Cabasse Chateauneuf du Pape 2021

— Spring pea custard topped with sweet onion soubise, and morel & mushroom fricassee served with Chartron et Trebuchet Vosne Romanee Village 2022 and Quintus St. Emilion 2017

— Roasted chicken au jus with artichoke fondant, black garlic coulis and broccolini served with Bachey Legros Chassagne Montrachet Petit Clos 2023

— Decadent citrus violin, topped with calamansi cream, strawberry mousse and thyme crumble accompanied by Ch. Rieussec Sauternes 2011

PC Seen: Bobbie Nau, Margaret Alkek Williams, Gary Hollingsworh, Bob Weiner, Kathryn and Eric Brueggeman, Joan and Robert Duff, Betty and Jesse Tutor, Ann and Jonathan Ayre, Elia and Michael Gabbanelli, Jennifer and Scott Allison, Tammy and Wayne Nguyen, Elaine Finger, Vicki West, Khoa and Quynh Dao, Dr. Sippi and Ajay Khurana, Farida Abjani, and Daniel Orion and Kirk Kveton.