Please contact me for private tasting parties on (646)322-3658 or email Karl@charlemagnefinewines.com

Category Archives: Lifestyle

Tar and Roses.

August 19 2016 posted by Karl Curran
Have you ever been invited into the wine cellar at a friends house? It pops and says something about the owner, you can tell what the person is like by the wines they choose. Its very similar to looking at their library, fascinating to get into the mind of the enigmatic type. These cellars vary from place to place. In Paris top private cellars will be exclusively French. Hong Kong is all about marquee names, brands with strong financial clout. In London you will find wines from all over the world. Overall London and New York are where you will find an even distribution and the most interesting cellars. Los Angeles has some amazing collections, dominated by local picks which are excellent, and the exciting thing is that a lot of the buyers are open to trying something new. Showing an unsuspecting buyer the beauty of a Meursault premier cru or a Cannubi Barolo is a...

A gastronome’s journey to entrepreneurship, part 2

November 17 2015 posted by Karl Curran
Voila, I said I wanted to do this professionally and now i’m doing it! I recently launched Charlemagne Wine Tasting Dinners. We have done three evenings so far; our last dinner was a moment of triumph. I am collaborating with a great chef, Mr. Graham Heldreth, who is helping me realize this dream. Graham worked at the Beverly Bouchon in Beverly Hills and is an extremely talented man with a desire to learn and please his guests. I look after the wines and Graham is preparing the menus. The style of cooking is modern American done to a high gastronomic level. The wines are all imported from France and Italy, and they too are of top pedigree. All of the clients so far are loving the experience with its tremendous cultural backdrop, loaded with history and accentuated by exciting facts about the wines and how they pair with the...

A gastronome’s journey to entrepreneurship, part 1

November 17 2015 posted by Karl Curran
I was young when I attended catering college in France. I must say, when I was there I had no clue how cool it was. I didn’t realize what a two star Michelin restaurant was even though I was working in one for my Easter holidays during that school year. I was working at Pierre Gagnaires’s place in a well know French ski resort for the Christmas break. That restaurant was my first taste of gastronomic cuisine. After I left France I got a job on the trading floor in London thanks to my fluent french. I was working as a currency broker during the bull market of the 90’s. Leverage was in and to all intents and purposes I was Jerry McGuire with an expense account. Being a currency options broker was almost like having baseball star status. I went to the best kitchens all over the world—Lucas Carton, Taillevent,...

A Dinner Fit For A King

August 3 2015 posted by Karl Curran
This summer I held a dinner at home with my wife for some friends who have supported my venture, an entertainment and lifestyle business all based around fine wine, the culinary arts and travel. I feel there is a great opportunity to extend my knowledge of the culture and the wines and food of France & Italy in this format. To that end, I thought it a good idea to have guests participate in the kitchen so they too can feel the moment. Thereafter it would be easier to understand the wines and their pairings in the dining room, offering some real value and a sense of belonging. knowledge is power.   At the forefront of my mind is making sure my guests would enjoy themselves. I was thinking to myself, work on the basics. The quality of the food & wine will do the trick. I was looking for qualified people who can...