Decanting the story behind a star-studded series of wine dinners
Pairing wine is an art form — one that can delight the novice diner and still surprise the most seasoned sommelier. Pinot and duck? Classic. Champagne and potato chips? Deliciously fun. And the most perfect match of all? A passion for handcrafted wines and the sport we love: golf.
This epicurean alchemy made for a star-studded series of wine dinners that could only have happened at McConnell Golf. In early March, three properties and their chefs teamed up with LPGA Champion and awarded Vintner Cristie Kerr of Napa Valley’s Kerr Cellars to produce Beyond Rare Vintages, a series of three wine dinners that invited members to experience some of Kerr’s most exquisite, top-rated wines paired with multiple creative courses.
We all love a good story. It’s why we flip over the bottle to read the back of the label, or lean in to hear how the underdog player fought their way to the top. And the best part of this story began long before the wines were poured, the tables were set or the dishes plated.
“It all started when I received a beautiful handwritten note from Cristie,” reflects Christian Anastasiadis, COO at McConnell Golf. “It said, ‘hello, I’m watching what your team is doing, and it’s awesome. Have you seen my wine collection?’ I knew that she’d won the Women’s Open Championship at Pinehurst in 2007, but hadn’t followed her career since that closely.”
It felt like no small coincidence that Anastasiadis had already started developing McConnell Fine Wines, a distributorship that solely focuses on partnering with boutique vineyards and winemakers to produce private labels for members. “When I looked Cristie and her winery up, I thought, ‘Wow! She’s so impressive—this could be the perfect match.’”
In fact, the first of these exclusive wines, called the M Signature Series, had only just been released—starting with a cabernet produced in partnership with Juslyn Vineyards, and followed by additional varietals that all proved to be a huge hit. Kerr Cellars couldn’t have come calling at a more perfect time.
“At only 4,500 cases a year, they’re a relatively small winery, with a really interesting and well-known winemaker, Helen Keplinger,” says Anastasiadis. “Her wines are hand-picked and beautifully crafted. Her passion for what she does mirrors ours, from a very selective sort of experience and approach.” Named a “Winery to Watch” in 2016, Kerr and Kerr Cellars were also featured on the October 2021 Wine Spectator cover—so it’s no surprise that her first M Signature Series red blend sold out quickly. “We only sell these private label wines to the members at our clubs. You won’t find them on shelves at grocery stores,” adds Anastasiadis.
Like sharpening your swing, when you find something that works well, you pursue it to perfection. “After the wine was such a great hit, I pitched the idea of a wine dinner to Cristie—bringing together other varietals she produces, and the talented chefs at three of our clubs—like a traveling event series. She said she’d love to,” says Anastasiadis, who oversaw the procession from Raleigh Country Club to Porters Neck Country Club, and finally to Providence Country Club. “We kept it fairly small in size, and Cristie was there to tell her story and introduce the wines. We’ve done wine dinners before, but never like this—with such a high-caliber, single winemaker as the focus, and on such a scale.”
The result? An opportunity to be part of something completely one-of-a-kind — and three memorable evenings that members are still talking about. “Nothing was spared. The Kerr wines lived up to expectations, and the cuisine was marvelous,” says Mike Rowe, a member at The Country Club at Wakefield Plantation. “Cristie was so warm, welcoming and excited — her passion for wine was shining through. It was an extraordinary event to say the least.”
Hal Averette, a member at Raleigh Country Club, was just as impressed. “Cristie and Kelli Kuehne were very gracious with their time, chatting with members and discussing their wines. When you combine the excellent pairings of Kerr Cellars with the wonderful food from the McConnell chefs, you can’t have a better evening. We especially enjoyed the Kerr Cellars Pinot Noir paired with the duck breast as well as the Reserve Red paired with the beef short rib.”
Beyond the chic indigo tablecloths, fresh flowers and glittering glassware, the McConnell culinary team was making the most out of this rare opportunity in the kitchen. “My favorite part of the Kerr wine dinners was getting the chance to work with other executive chefs from McConnell Golf. We don’t get the opportunity to get together very often, but when we do, we all have a great time,” reflects John Crawford, Executive Chef at Raleigh Country Club. “Cristie Kerr and her team have done a tremendous job crafting exquisite wines, which makes it very easy for us chefs to create a nice dinner to pair with them.” Whether you’re reliving the moment from March or dreaming of the next event, you’re in luck: Kerr herself enjoyed the experience so much, she’ll be back for more dinners at three different clubs yet to be announced. “We loved sharing our wines and our story with members. The overall experience was truly unique, and it was fun traveling to three different McConnell Golf courses,” says the LPGA star. “The staff was wonderful with details and consistency from venue to venue, and the chef pairings were exceptional. We are looking forward to coming back to North Carolina and visiting additional McConnell Golf properties in the near future.”
“Working with McConnell Golf was wonderful! The members were fun and engaging,” adds Kelli Kuehne, Kerr Cellars’ Events Director, also on hand each night. “The staff was a pleasure to work with and the chefs paired the food and wines beautifully. Cristie and I genuinely enjoyed our time at each McConnell club.”
Beyond Rare Vintages was just the beginning, and Anastasiadis’ team is already hard at work getting the next series ready to be poured and enjoyed. “This year, we’re coming out with the Artist Series, produced in partnership with Chris Corley’s Monticello Vineyards — look for beautiful labels inspired by Art Nouveau and Art Deco.” The exclusive line will only include 150 cases from the boutique winery, and three different varietals: cabernet, chardonnay and a Chris Corley 2006 caskaged red blend. “We’ll likely do a special wine dinner with Corley at some of our properties as well,” adds Anastasiadis. Every wine series, every bottle, every dinner to come intends to tell a unique story — one that members won’t find anywhere else. All good reasons to look for tastings and new
releases later this year and into next.
“These dinners are a great opportunity to find a new level of appreciation for wine. After an event like this, you almost have trouble going to a store and picking out a cheap bottle,” laughs Anastasiadis. “The private label wines McConnell is producing — from the M Signature Series to the new Artist Series — are truly fantastic. These winemakers, like artists or painters, can see the final product in ways that we can’t. They know how to blend wines to create something unparalleled — just like how our chefs pair ingredients to create an unforgettable menu. Collaborating with these boutique vineyards, seeing their ideas and their craft come to life… it’s led to fantastic experiences for our members, and we’ve all had fun.”
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