Upstairs at the Gwen, past complimentary hot cider just off of the elevator and an opulently decorated Christmas tree, my partner and I attended the hotel’s twelfth “Spirited Affairs” event in the bar’s adjoining private room. One of many activities offered by the Gwen made available to both their guests and city residents, this Spirited Affair blended the hotel’s excellent ambience and catering with a presentation of Prisoner Wines, and a winter floral arrangement activity from Leelee’s Garden, a Chicago-based floral company.
We were greeted with champagne and charcuterie, and found our seats in a cozy semi-circular booth with a direct view of Leelee’s extensive floral menagerie. Servers delivered us crostinis topped with brie and an apple pear compote, and east coast oysters decorated in caviar and microgreens, which whet our appetites for the rest of the evening’s spread.
Leelee Dameron took center floor, demonstrating how to make our own “ongoing seasonal piece,” using fir and cedar branches as a base with flashes of aroma and color from a wide scope of options, including three different types of eucalyptus, baby’s breath, and sprigs of holly. There was a huge opportunity to personalize one’s arrangement, and the room flooded to the center table to claim their various fronds. Everyone clipped and sorted their leaves and flowers in the provided birch-framed vases as wine was passed around by our servers, and Leelee and her two employees came around to offer encouragement and direction. Everyone’s centerpiece came out different heights, depths, and colors, and the room was filled with the smell of a forest—delightful, even if I had to take my asthma medication in the middle of the fun!
As for wine, we began with the Blindfold Blanc de Noir, a varietal neither my girlfriend nor I were familiar with. This is a “white of black,” or white wine made from rich, red grapes. It was medium bodied and acidic, with a bitter taste almost like a granny smith apple. It wasn’t our favorite flavor as a stand alone, but paired perfectly with the citrus butter lobster roll—fatty foods are this wine’s friend. The Prisoner Pinot Noir was next, and our favorite of the night, with smooth tannins, a full body, and a tart cherry note accompanying a base of sweet plum. Schantz brought the bottle around for us to view, noting that it represents the best of what she called “the Prisoner house style” of a full-bodied, fruit-forward wine. A pinot noir made for cabernet lovers, to be sure. The Gwen paired this with a duck confit taco with squash and cherry mole; the duck cooked to a perfect texture, and the accents adding a great complexity of flavor.
The Saldo Zinfandel followed, paired with a beef tenderloin crostini topped with bernaise sauce. The tenderloin was delicate, the bernaise was flavorful, and the plate made for a perfect partnership with the jammy, sweet red zinfandel; the two rich flavors balanced each other very well. We ended our evening with Prisoner Chardonnay and an adorable cup of buttermilk panna cotta with a topping of vanilla apple chutney. The panna cotta had a gelatinous structure that surprised me, expecting something more akin to a whipped pudding, but the flavors were great. The chardonnay was pretty classic; no considerable body, fruit flavors, or buttery texture. A touch of oak, and a sweet minerality here that may be due to the blend of gewurztraminer grapes in the wine. Nothing to complain about! Though I was disappointed not to be treated to Prisoner's “cult” favorite red blend (their flagship product and main mechanism for their prison reform and advocacy work), it was a pleasure to sample some of the many other products Prisoner Wines has to offer.
Overall, the Gwen treated us to nothing short of our expectations: a fun activity that has our apartment smelling like a winter wonderland, a stomach full of delicious food, and more wine than we could have possibly finished over dinner but nevertheless enjoyed.
You can browse activities hosted by the Gwen, learn more about Prisoner Wine, or take a winter centerpiece workshop from Leelee’s Garden through any of their websites. The Gwen is located at 521 N Rush St, Chicago.
All photos by Campbell Grace.
Campbell Grace (she/they) is a Chicago-based bartender and writer. You can find more of their work at straightcam.com.
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