In The Press
From Palm Beach Daily News:
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 February 11, 2003 - Roberta Sabban (Cover Story)
'DIVA' SINGS MERITS OF WINE
She sparkles, she bubbles, and she knows how to rattle her saber when she has to.
Christine Ansbacher, "The Wine Diva," was the guest of honor at a recent luncheon in the Tea House at Mar-a-Lago. The luncheon for 60, given by Mary Frances Turner and Janet Gusman, was to introduce Ansbacher, a wine educator and entertainer, to a group of their friends. "A meal without wine is called breakfast," said Ansbacher, as she welcomed the guests.
Her wine journey started a decade ago when, as an aide to Carter Burden, a New York businessman and philanthropist, she was in charge of expanding his wine collection. She started taking courses, attending tastings, visiting wineries and bidding at auctions on his behalf. When Burden died, she realized that she had become passionate about wine and decided to spend the rest of her career somewhere in the wine world.
Within three years she attained the Advanced Certificate and Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust in London. Ansbacher began lecturing on wine and was dubbed "The Wine Diva" after a wine dinner she conducted for the Metropolitan Opera Club in New York.
The luncheon at Mar-a-Lago began with a 2001 Greco de Tufo, 2002 Albarino , NV Bollinger Champagne and a mystery wine. As guests nibbled on Maryland lump crab and Ahi tuna with wasabi, Ansbacher explained which wine went with what food and how to remember the name. She said two of the white wines, Greco de Tufo from around Naples and Albarino, from NW Spain, were a better alternative to heavier, oaked Chardonnay because they paired perfectly with lighter food such as salads, seafood and shellfish. As for remembering the names, Ansbacher suggested the approach used in the game charades, "…sounds like…" So for Greco di Tufo, think "Greek tough guy" and for Albarino, how about "Al Pacino" or maybe the word "albino." The mystery wine turned out to be a 1999 Egon Miller Scharzhofberger Riesling. Oohs and aahs of approval echoed from every table as the wines were tasted. One woman was saying that they should get together and do a wine luncheon every week. Other said they would come weekly and just listen to her lecture.
The red wines were next. A 1989 Clos du Vougeot Meo-Camuzet and a 1990 Chateau Lafite were served with rack of lamb. Ansbacher served a history lesson with the reds, beginning with Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin's days at the court of King Louis the 16th. Jefferson had not really been a wine drinker before he went to France. Once exposed to wine, food and the beautiful, intelligent women of the French court, however, he was smitten. The customs of the time dictated that dinners were served at long tables. All of the candelabras, food and wine were placed in front of the guests, making it impossible to see across the table. You had to talk to the people on either side of you-from which came the expression "tete-a-tete," face to face.
Upon his return to the United States, Jefferson brought back not only French wines, but the custom of enjoying wine with a meal, and architectural ideas such as French doors, French windows and skylights, details that were incorporated into his home in Monticello.
Dessert was a flan with caramel sauce and slivered almonds served with Dios Vaco Oloroso Sherry. Ansbacher related the historical anecdote that it was as a result of Sir Francis Drake burning down the armada of the King of Spain and bringing 3,000 barrels of sherry back to England that the drink became popular there. She then mentioned that the caramel flavors of the flan were in perfect harmony, like a duet, with the butterscotch and brown sugar aromas of the oloroso sherry.
The grand finale was complete when Ansbacher sabered a bottle of sparkling wine. She first saw this technique demonstrated on a trip to Vouvray in France's Loire Valley. The winemaker simply lopped off the top of a bottle with one well-placed stroke of the blade. When she returned to Paris, she purchased a saber in a military antiques shop, brought it home, and began to practice. There were a lot of smashed bottles, shattered glass and cut fingers before she mastered the sword. At Mar-a-Lago, everyone stood up, moved to one side of the room as Ansbacher, bottle in hand, took up her saber and positioned herself. The countdown began -- six, five, four, three, two, one- -then-whack! She scored a direct hit and sliced off the top of the bottle which went flying in an arc 30 feet across the room! Everyone cheered as some of the Bollinger Champagne gushed from the open bottle.
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