WineInk: Summer at Hotel Jerome

Summer visitors coming to Aspen have any number of options of places to stay. It is a resort town, after all.

But the grand dames of Aspen are the three magnificent hotel properties within walking distance of each other that form a virtual triangle of hospitality. Hotel Jerome on Main Street, The Little Nell hotel at the base of Aspen Mountain, and the St. Regis Aspen Resort. All three are closed now for the offseason, but it will not be long before they reopen their doors to welcome guests, and all three will be in high gear by the time the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen rolls into town on June 20 for the weekend.

While each of the hotels provides wine experiences unique to their properties, they all offer the kind of opulence and luxury to guests that would be, and should be, expected of hotels where the nightly room rates begin at four figures and rise exponentially from there. During the Classic, each of the hotels plays significant roles as venues for various events and, of course, gatherings and celebrations.

And Hotel Jerome has added a little lagniappe to the Food and Wine weekend. For over a century since its opening in 1889, the hotel has been Aspen’s most iconic hotel property. While it hosts seminars and special events that are central to the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen (including last year’s unforgettable dinner honoring the 30th anniversary of Gramercy Tavern), the property has branched out to create a special weekend of culinary and wine events of its own.

This will be the fifth year for the Epicurean Passport Weekend, a collection of exceptional one-of-a-kind food and wine experiences that take place in The Jerome from June 19-22. Tickets can be purchased as a package for all the events for $3,500 or individually at prices ranging from $75 to $650 per event.  For more info visit, exploretock.com/hotel-jerome .

This year’s Epicurean Passport events kick off on Thursday, June 19, from 4-7 p.m. with a special “Gather in the Garden to Benefit LA Fire Relief Efforts.” Hosted al fresco in The Garden outdoor patio, the gathering will feature acclaimed Los Angeles-based culinary talents including Chef Ludo Lefebvre of Petit Trois and Chez Maggy. 

The event, which will benefit ongoing Los Angeles fire relief efforts in partnership with José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen, will also feature outstanding wines. JONATA and The Hilt, made by one of California’s top winemakers, Matt Dees, in Santa Barbara, and the Sta. Rita Hills will be poured, as will wines from Westwood and Vinos Finos de California. At $95, it is a great way to kick off the festivities.

Other events at the Jerome during the weekend of the Classic include “The Reunion Dinner: 20 Years of Press with Chef Philip Tessier & Samantha Rudd.” Press is an iconic Napa Valley restaurant with arguably the most complete selection of Napa wines in the world. This only-in-Aspen celebration will be presented in Prospect, the Jerome’s elegant fine dining restaurant. Press, which was owned by the late Leslie Rudd, a beloved member of the Aspen community for many years and founder of Rudd Estate, is celebrating two decades of excellence with renowned Chef Tessier and the proprietor of Rudd Estate, Samantha Rudd (Leslie’s daughter).

There will be other dinners in Prospect on Friday and Saturday night, as well, including an evening with the chefs from New York’s Raf’s. On Saturday, a dinner titled “Night of SHE” will celebrate female talent across the wine and epicurean landscape, including culinary leaders Chef Daniela Soto-Innes and Chef Adrienne Cheatham and women-led wine producers including Poggio Costa Wines and Catherine Kistler Wines. The dinner will benefit our local non-profit Response, which supports survivors of domestic violence and abuse.

Wine-centric happenings ranging from a “Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Tasting Experience” at the Felix Roasting Co. in the corner of the hotel to a “Sky Terrace Caviar & Cocktails” event featuring Petrossian caviar will be ongoing throughout the weekend and a “Sunday Recovery Brunch” with PopUp Bagels tops things off.

Hotel Jerome wine director Christel Stiver, who has curated and maintained a cellar that reaches and often exceeds the expectations of a nuanced wine clientele, will be welcoming guests all weekend for the festivities.

And this year, there will be another welcoming figure at Hotel Jerome as Stephane Lacroix makes his Epicurean Passport Weekend debut as the new general manager of Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts Collection. LaCroix will be bringing his hospitality experience to Hotel Jerome in May after a stint as general manager of the Downtown Los Angeles Proper Hotel, and he understands the importance of the events in June.

“The Epicurean Passport weekend beautifully brings together the passions that define Hotel Jerome, from inventive culinary experiences and forward-thinking design to meaningful connections with our local community,” he shares. “We’re proud to showcase Aspen as a world-class epicurean destination during one of its premier food weekends, and Epicurean Passport is truly the place to be.”

LaCroix brings impressive wine credentials to his new post. As a young man, he attended the Tain L’Hermitage Sommelier School in France and was named “Best Young Sommelier of France — Bordeaux Wines” and “Best Young Sommelier of Monaco.” He will be a welcome addition to the iconic hotel and the Aspen wine and culinary scene.

Something to look forward to this summer.

For more information, visit the Epicurean Passport at aubergeresorts.com/hoteljerome/experiences/epicurean-passport-weekend.