A Queen’s View

New Orleans, Feb. 13, 2004 --“Can you please help me?” the nice lady asked us as we walked through Jackson Square on our way to Jax Brewery. “I swear, I just saw a big bunch of purple grapes walk by!”
No, it was not just another Friday in the French Quarter, we explained, although that would have been a logical conclusion. We were happy to tell the growing crowd of tourists and locals that it was kick-off time for the Krewe of Cork Parade. Hurrying up to the observation deck at Jax, we joined our fellow Corkians, royalty, and commoners alike, for Ciroc Vodka bloody marys courtesy of our hosts, Earl and Michelle Weber. While many boogied to the music of Johnny Angel, we all got our first glimpse of the wonderful costumes taking wine and corks as a theme.  Besides grape clusters we found cork heads, faux wine barrels, corks and corkscrews and even T-shirts with the cautionary message, “Friends don’t let friends drink white zinfandel.” So true!

Joining the party was a Blue Nun, a Sultan of Zin and a Wine Wizard. There was even a human champagne bottle in green and gold satin with curves in all the right places and a realistic label declaring the lovely wearer a bottle of “Derriere Jouet”
This was a year of many firsts for the Krewe, and that meant new formal attire for our royalty. This year’s Queen, Mary Ann McDougal, was resplendent in burgundy satin and tulle accented with grape vines and clusters and long gold gloves. Spotted later in the day in her gorgeous regalia, she was asked to donate her gown to the Mardi Gras Museum. Similarly, King Patrick Van Hoorebeek, the man for whom the phrase “joie de vivre” seems to have been invented, was decked out in his fabulous new royal rags, matching the Queen’s burgundy in the lining of his cape and sleeves, overlaid with black and gold. Equally wonderful costumes were worn by Krewe Captain Bill Trufant and other royals while Royal Chef, Greg Picolo, wore his chef’s whites trimmed in green and cork bandolier. King Patrick introduced the assembled crowd to the Krewe’s first ever Grand Marshal, Robert Mondavi Jr, who traveled from California with his wife, Lydia, to party with the Corkians. Rob, as he is known to his many new friends, donned a green and gold cape (later complimented by a giant Elvis wig) to lead us on to the mule-drawn carriages provided by Royal Carriages as we followed the King and Queen to Court of the Two Sisters for a scrumptious luncheon buffet. The Krewe was entertained by jazz band Sensation while we enjoyed the first wines of the day, including Piper Heidsieck champagne and California reds from Sonoma Cutrer, Rodney Strong, Robert Mondavi, Kendall Jackson and others. All were served by the volunteers of the Wine Police whose slogan for the day was, “To Serve and To Pour.”

Well fueled, we were ready to march!  The weather gods were with us, threatening but not dumping rain on our parade.  Grand Marshal Rob and Freddie’s Hot Cork Poppers Brass Band led us out down Royal Street to our first stop, the Touche Bar of the Omni Royal Hotel, to consume glasses of Perrier-Jouet Brut. Another first this year: Krewe members tossed not just corks, but also beads with our logo, a purple grape bunch and two crossed wine bottles, as a medallion. Passersby were soon yelling for those beads and I did have to explain to some stunned tourists from Ireland that we had not been teleported by some mysterious power from County Cork. Throughout our march, we were escorted by officers from the Eighth Police Precinct in the French Quarter to ensure the flow of traffic and safety of everyone. One officer even posed for photos with Krewe members, especially those who are young, female and blond.  You go, Officer! That’s what we call community policing.  The Krewe continued on to Brennan’s Restaurant to sample wines of Michel Picard, and then soldiered on to May Baileys in the Dauphine Orleans for Terra D’Oro zinfandel and Markham Sauvignon Blanc.
 
As the sun began to set and tossing arms began to become exhausted, the Krewe repaired to the grand ballroom of the Omni Royal Orleans for the King and Queen’s party and fell upon a supper buffet that included wild mushroom pasta, fire roasted oysters and carving stations of roast beef. Here we got down to the serious partying, dancing to the 12-piece band featuring the Motown sounds of Sha’On and the Girls with Success. We were met with glasses of Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial, then moved on to the tables laden with offerings by Beaulieu Vineyards, and in the interest of health and balance, Evian water. Winners of the costume contest were announced including a gaggle of “pheasant heads” in fabulous feathers, a “baby Bacchus” wearing some vines, a gold thong and plenty of chest hair (Most Decadent), a human corkscrew, and the special Grand Marshal’s award which went to wine distributor Karen Stone looking fetching in not very much. In keeping with the tradition of an annual poster celebrating the parade day, New Orleans artist and Krewe member, Freddie Guess, produced this year’s official poster featuring a reinterpretation of Caravaggio’s Bacchus if he had spent a lot of time doing bicep curls at the New Orleans Athletic Club.

Rob Mondavi took a few minutes from the fun to tell me his impressions of his first Krewe of Cork Parade. “It’s unlike anything else I’ve ever seen,” he said. “The love and spirit of food and drink and camaraderie is just unbelievable.” Rob represents the third generation of the Mondavi family that started with 12 acres of Napa Valley land in 1965 and built it into an internationally famous winery of world-class wines in its own distinct style and put the Valley firmly on the world wine map.  Despite their extraordinary life and travels, Rob said he and Lydia were “exhilarated” by the day. “The Krewe has a passion and zest for life and for the cork. We can’t think of any place in the world we’d rather be.” They revealed that the Krewe has a new wine coming in the fall to taste and enjoy. Lydia and a close woman friend will be bringing out their own zinfandel under the label Renegade Vintners. She described it as tasting of “black and white pepper and blackberry cobbler.” Yumm. Both promised to return for next year’s parade and to bring “somebody absolutely spectacular from Tuscany” with them. The more than 300 marchers give great thanks to the many wineries and distributors, venues and especially to our royalty and volunteers whose many hours of hard work organizing, planning and even bagging beads  made our day possible! On to Krewe of Cork Parade 2008!

Kate Bishop