EXSTOrdinary Women

by CWA @ 15 Nov 2019
EXSTOrdinary Women Sommelier Julie Dupouy has held the title of ‘Best Sommelier’ in Ireland since 2019, while also placing 3rd in the ASI World Championship - 2016. Now, she will be leading EXSTOrdinary Women – a series of accessible pairing dinners and masterclasses that will run from 20th to 24th November this year.

Collaborating with master cognac blenders, the Vallantin-Dulac family, Julie has designed contemporary cognacs with the rarest and finest eaux-de-vie. Exsto – the contraction of the French word ‘Extase’ (ecstasy) and XO (the highest quality of cognac) – showcases the sophisticated palate of a sommelier married with the technique of a cognac maker. The words were used to create a play on the words Extraordinary to showcase not just the flavours of the cognac served but also the people involved in creating the alcohol.

The event runs in two types of events: pairings dinners and masterclasses, where diners can expect to start their culinary journey with a refreshing cognac cocktail before tucking into a resplendent meal accompanied with wine and ending with the traditional digestif of Exsto Cognac – neat, on the rocks, or with a drop of water. Masterclasses on the other hand, participants can expect a fully immersive sensory journey to understand the taste profile of the Exsto Elixir, be enlightened on the intricacies of the right glass ware for cognac, and how best to appreciate this exquisite liquid.