An evening of wine, jazz, and art at Van Gogh’s Ear
Created by Felix Aleobua, Marvonnay is a series of wine-tasting events that are catered to students who want an alternative to the typical bar and club scene. Marvonnay began in Aleobua’s home where he wanted to share his passion for wine with 10 of his friends, although, growing interest quickly demanded he find larger spaces. Approximately 70 people attended the event at Van Gogh’s Ear on Thursday, March 31, 2016.
The Ontarion spoke to Aleobua about his goals for Marvonnay.
“We’re trying to change the way that young professionals go out. This satisfies that need. […] When you get introduced to alcohol, you may not understand the variety of beverages that are out there and how to enjoy your beverage versus getting drunk. […] We just move through phases—the older we get, the more sophisticated we get, and I just want to catch people who [want] to take the time to enjoy the details,” said Aleobua.
Marvonnay is advertised as a wine tasting but its strength is creating an experience. The warm sounds of jazz filled the dimly lit room as the art displays filled every empty space with splashes of colour. Van Gogh’s Ear slowly filled up with a crowd that was dressed to impress. Perhaps it was walking out of heavy rain and into this space that made it feel a little dreamy, but the atmosphere transported everyone to another time and place before the first bottle of wine was uncorked.
Jazz musicians Adam Bowman and Andrew Craig were on drums and keys for the night. The crowd especially enjoyed their rendition of Drake’s “Hotline Bling.” “Marvonnay” was inspired by the song title “Marvin Gaye and Chardonnay” by Big Sean featuring Kanye West and Roscoe Dash, so the choice to do a cover of Drake fit the concept of Marvonnay—making class and culture fun and accessible for 20-somethings.
[pullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]This was all inspired by a little Marvin Gaye and chardonnay.[/pullquote]
The art was provided through the Fine Arts Network (FAN), a student group on campus that seeks to provide University of Guelph students with the opportunity to place their art in the community. According to FAN vice president Larissa Abrams-Ogg, one piece—a photogram titled “TOUCH” by Alison Postma—was sold.
Marvonnay featured six wine and cheese pairings that were recommended by a wine specialist at the LCBO; those attending could sample four. The white pairings were: a riesling with blue cheese, a sauvignon blanc with goat cheese, and a chardonnay with Brie. The red pairings were: a Ripasso with Parmesan, a cabernet sauvignon with sharp cheddar, and a shiraz/syrah with Gouda. There was also a large spread of foods including strawberries, baguettes, pickles, and cured meats.
First-year zoology students Macaila Wagner and Kelly Taves spoke to The Ontarion about what appealed to them about Marvonnay.
“It was a change of scenery. As undergrad students, a lot of the time it’s just a bar scene—that’s what everyone gets used to—whereas this is a more mature event. And […] we talked to a bunch of different people; everyone’s very open-minded, outgoing, it was easy to socialize. […] It was relaxing. It wasn’t like crazy loud music in your face all night. It was nice,” said Wagner.
“It’s nice to delve into the world of wine and I realized that I would like to research more into it and get more into wine. I do like red but I think it needs a more cultured taste so I want to learn more about it and get used to the red wine,” said Taves.
Although Aleobua and David Richardson, a co-organizer, were charming hosts who worked hard to keep the evening running smoothly, Marvonnay is in its early stages and there were a couple of issues during the evening. The fact that they were understaffed did not take away from anyone’s evening and actually increased the feeling of community as those attending offered to help. It’s clear from speaking to Aleobua that such issues will be resolved before the next event. Aleobua hopes to be successful with his application for funding to the incubation hub at the University of Guelph and plans to expand Marvonnay beyond Guelph to surrounding areas in the future.
And to think, “This was all inspired by a little Marvin Gaye and chardonnay.”