Jazz Vocalist Cassandra Wilson

Cassandra Wilson--a beautiful person and an incredible jazz vocalist loves some of my favorite French wines--shouldn't be surprised I suppose!

Uvealblues

Mississippi-born singer stocks her recording sessions with quality wine.

 

Grammy award-winning jazz vocalist Cassandra Wilson is the smoky-voiced songwriter known for indelible opuses such as "Blue Light Til Dawn," "Traveling Miles," "New Moon Daughter" and "Loverly." Wilson, 54, is also a passionate wine lover who stocks her recording sessions with her favorite bottles to the point that the studio time almost becomes, in her words, "a food-and-wine tasting." The Mississippi native spoke with Wine Spectator about what wines she likes to have on tour, the role wine has played in her music, and her desire to develop her own wine label.
Wine Spectator: What types of wine do you like?
Cassandra Wilson: I love French white wines. When I’m shopping, I may get something from the Loire Valley—Sancerre and Vouvray, for example. Or I may get a Viognier. I like Château de Puligny-Montrachet Clos du Château. But I also like Robert Mondavi Coastal Private Selection Chardonnay.


WS: What do you drink these days?
CW: I’m so into entertaining that while the recording is going on, I make sure there are delicious wines and foods lurking around because it should be a full experience that is reflected in the music. Our recording sessions are more like food-and-wine tastings. When we’re recording in Mississippi, we enjoy a lot of the native food—gumbo, jambalaya, étouffée, catfish and West African–style tamales. These are rich dishes, so white wines work well with them. I may serve Korbel because it’s a good time. Or I may serve Veuve Clicquot, which I absolutely love. If the guys are being fed and pampered a certain way, you hear it in the way they play. Wine is an essential element on every European tour. One former musical director, Brandon Ross, always requested a Brunello di Montalcino or Château Coufran for the artist rider. And we have always made it a point to explore the local wines and cuisine wherever we travel.
WS: Do you like red wine?
CW: In the winter, I like Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Domaine Vacheron-Pouizin Châteauneuf-du-Pape stands out. Those smoky, heady flavors remind me of my music.