Cheers to Torres!

Chester Francis-Jackson, Outlook Writer

Now, that was a red carpet event! Hosted by Wray and Nephew Limited, under the auspices of Spanish Ambassador to Jamaica, Jesús Silva, and his wife, Sara, at their official residence in Norbrook, the event was a 'swelleganza', of a do, as Wray and Nephew added the world-famous Spanish wine Torres to its enviable roster!

When it comes to wines in Jamaica, Wray and Nephew has been at the forefront of distributing premium wines for decades. So the Silvas, oenophiles, wine enthusiasts, dealers and owners of fine establishments, were invited to join the Wray and Nephew family, headed by William and Patricia McConnell, for what proved a rendezvous with the wine senses. And when it was time to bid adiós, the Spanish had won over many with their latest export!

Guests were greeted by Ambassador Silva and Wray and Nephew's David McConnell, and presented with an introductory glass of Torres from a cadre of nattily outfitted wine stewards, before being ushered on to the red carpet that led to the giant 'air-conditioned' marquee that served as the staging post for the event. The affair was nothing but humdinger! The lawns were lavishly decorated to facilitate leisure, and some guests lounged in style as they sipped the latest discovery. But for many, the preferred station was the marquee, with celebrated chef Susan Couch serving up some of her culinary masterpieces, all made for one very special outing.

wines a hit

Not only was the affair a social 'smasheroni', the wines themselves were a hit, with the red proving particularly noble in body and taste, with a crispness that made for a perfect aftertaste. The white proved rather rich and fruity in character but truly frivolous in spirit, thus making for a mellow taste that goes down very well. But there was no denying the belle of the ball - a delightful dessert wine, as attractive in taste as it is in presentation - a keepsake of an elongated bottle, seemingly hand-decorated. The wine boasted a most fulsome taste that's a treat to the senses and goes by the name, Floralis - Moscatel Oro.

Among the notables present were former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson; Andrew Seaga and his wife Amanda; former Security Minister Col Trevor MacMillan and wife Dr Olivia McDonald; Tania McConnell; Canadian High Commissioner Stephen Hallihan and his wife Cathy; Mexican Ambassador Leonora Rueda; Chilean Ambassador Alfredo Garcia; Cuban Ambassador Yuri Gala Lopez; Consul of the Venezuelan Embassy Madai Hernandez; Honorary Consul of Iceland Robert MacMillan; Consul of the Thai Kingdom Thalia Lyn; Consul of Portugal Paul Issa; Consul of Ghana Patrick Lynch and his wife Marguerite. Also out were the esteemed Christopher Bovell; their eminence Earl Levy and wife Beverly Junor Levy; Anthony and Jeanne Watson; Richard and Diana Stewart; her son, Robin Delisser; Paul and Rachel Henriques; Lorna Myers; the elegant Janette Stewart; Leicester and Belinda Levy; the charming Nicola Crosswell-Mair; and Andrew and Natalie Desnoes.

Also spotted were banker and fashion icon Minna Israel; the affable David Hall; Dr Douglas and Hyacinth McDonald; Aubyn and Tamara Hill; Rajiv Bakshi and companion Dorothea Gordon-Smith; Mark and Julie Jones; Capt David McRae; the charming Carole Fullerton and her lovely daughter Nicole-Ann Fullerton; Jack and Audrey Shirley; Linda Mitchell; Bruce Loshusan; the lovely Stephanie Scott; Colin and Tina Newman; Christene Steele; Mark and Betty McKenzie; Clement and Marva Bernard; Rosalie Donaldson and daughter Kimika Peterkin; Donovan and Stephanie Chin-See; the lovely Paula McKay; the beautiful Jacinth Byles; radio's Francois St Juste; Nurma James; Bobby and Beverly Hunter; Sharon Asphall; the lovely Jacqui Nielssen; Vikram and Additi Dhiman; the lovely Allison Peart; Michael Casserly and Cherise Issacs. The charmingly lovely Sharon Roper; Dollis Campbell; Nicole Shirley; Stephen Jones; the gorgeous Keisha Burgher; celebrated chef Colin Hylton; the lovely Millicent Lynch; the gorgeous Raihn Sibblies; and Adrien Lemaire with the lovely Danielle Crosskill.

Representing J Wray and Nephew and making it all happen were the elegant Judith Douglas; Andrew Price; the lovely Christine Wood; Vijay Matthews; the lovely Marilyn Bennett; Patricia Dougal; Bridgette Pouyatt and Rema Wright; plus a number of others, all contributing to a memorable occasion!