Summer Blass at Sasha's

1 Photo

by Mr. Enjoy
on Friday, July 24, 2009 12:00 AM

Summers at Sasha's will always occupy a special place in my heart. It seems like only yesterday that I was watching the 2002 World Cup out back, while the goat grazed peacefully next door. When a younger Mr. Enjoy needed to show grace, elegance and class to a young lady, a dinner at Sasha's always did the trick. Then came Zapata's, and Wednesday nights changed forever, for ladies and gentlemen alike. Yet throughout the years, I always wondered: Was it possible to combine the casual sophistication of Sasha's with the unbridled celebration of Zapata's? Now I know the answer to this timeless riddle: Yes.

The moment of revelation was the Summer Blass Beach Party, held at Sasha's last weekend. Hosted by ASC Wines, the event involved hundreds of beautiful young people, a live reggae-ish band and, for the piece de resistance, free flow of Wolf Blass red and white wines. This was Mr. Enjoy's first experience of the Summer Blass concept - it was like open bar at a club but without the desperate fight to get the barman's attention; like partaking in a delightful outdoor wine tasting, but where everyone was up for getting drunk, having fun and going crazy.

It was hot outside, so I stuck to the chilled whites: Riesling and Chardonnay. On a sweltering Shanghai evening, a chilled Riesling is the civilized man's choice. After just a few glasses of civilization, Mr. Enjoy was ready to join the conga line, snaking through fellow revelers, and chanting along with the lead singer.

Conduct unbecoming a wine tasting? Failure to employ pretentious vintner jargon while clasping the base of a glass? Disbarment from the Royal College of Wine Snobbery? Guilty as charged! Mr. Enjoy had a great time. When's the next party?

Beach parties and free-flow wine may be an unlikely combination, Watson, but deucedly effective.