Dan's Rosé Soirée Countdown: Macari Vineyards Winemaker Kelly Koch

Enjoy a taste of the East End with Macari Vineyards Winemaker Kelly Koch at Dan’s Rosé Soirée presented by Porsche on Sunday, May 27 from 5–8 p.m. at the Southampton Arts Center. As she says, “With its natural beauty, the East End is a very inspiring place. This fuels my creativity as I strive to make our wines the best reflection of each growing season. Wine can be a very clear reflection of the place it was grown, so it’s a special experience to be able to taste it at the source.”

What is it about rosé that has so captured the imagination here on the East End?
Rosé is a representation of the lifestyle we have on the East End. The soft sand between your toes, the salt spray of the water, the gentle sway of the corn stalks in the fields, an amazing autumn sunset, a crisp bite of fresh fruit from the farmstand, a warm summer day, the blaze of the changing leaves in the fall. Those are just a few of the places our rosé can transport you.

Where are you from originally?
I was born and raised in the Napa Valley, in Northern California, which cultivated a love of the outdoors and an appreciation of great food and wine

What’s your earliest wine-related memory?
My grandfather had a small vineyard in St. Helena, California. As kids, my brother and I would help my dad and grandpa take care of the vineyard and make wine.

What has inspired your career the most?
The Macari vineyard is a unique and magical place with an immense amount of diversity, from the vines to the animals, which graze the land. The proximity to the water is striking, and has a great influence on our vines. Working with the fruit from this farm is incredibly rewarding and inspiring. Our tasting room at Macari has beautiful sweeping views of the vineyard and a great team of pourers who are very knowledgeable about the wines and enthusiastic about sharing them.

What is special about Long Island wine?
Our maritime climate on the East End allows us to consistently grow quality fruit. Our wines are a great match with our local bounty of seafood and produce—we’re able to achieve ample ripeness while maintaining fresh acidity.

What’s the best quote you’ve heard about wine?
“Wine is sunlight held together by water.” —Galileo

Dan’s Rosé Soirée presented by Porsche is Sunday, May 27 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Southampton Arts Center. GA tickets are $140. VIP tickets are $190 and include event entry from 5 to 8 p.m. PLUS access to the Rosé After Dark VIP After Party Presented by The Palm by Whispering Angel, from 8 to 10 p.m. For tickets and more information about all Dan’s Taste of Summer events, visit DansTaste.com. Patrons must be 21 or older to attend.

Read more about more about Dan’s Taste of Summer and Rosé Soirée.