Happy Bastille Day! While I wish I could say we celebrated la quatorze juillet with a surprise sojourn to the City of Light, Jon did whisk me away to 2941 Restaurant for a French wine tasting and festival. (First my birthday, now this ... I'd say the hubs has hopped on the francophile freight, n'est pas?) The contemporary dining establishment, located on the ground floor of an office building in Falls Church, Va., is helmed by Chef Bertrand Chemel, a French native. All in all, the day was fantastique.
We circled tables of imported cheeses, cured meats, fresh salads, and croissants while waiters passed dainty dishes of escargot, croque-monsieur, frites--all sorts of French specialties. Oh, and there were wines. Bien sûr! There were 14 wines, to be exact, and they covered France from north to south, east to west, representing Alsace, Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Loire Valley, the Rhone Valley, and Provence.
^^Cecile loved Chemel's croque-monsieur. That sandwich stayed in her clutches for the better part of the afternoon. Can't blame the girl for loving something laden with slices of melted cheese, can you?^^
^^Have a little wine. Stick a Tricolour in your bun :)^^
Chain Bridge Cellars in McLean handled the wine portion of the festival. The wines we tasted were: Willm Cremant d'Asance Brut Cuvee Pretige NV; Dom De Triennes Rose VdP Du Var Provence 2012; Ch Puech-Haut Rose Prestige 2012; Dom Phillippe Plantevi Cotes Du Rhone Rose 2012; Dom Raphael Sallet Macon-Uchizy 2012; Henri Bourgeouis Sauvignon Petit Bourgeois 2011; Ch De Chasseloir Muscadet Chereau Carre 2011; Furst Gewurztraminer Alsace 2010; Dom De La Chapelle Des Bois Fleurie Grand Pre 2010; Dom Maillard Bourgogne Rouge 2011; Manoir De La Tete Rouge Bagatelle Saumur 2011; Dom Phillippe Plantevin Cotes Du Rhone Rouge 2010; Moulin D'Issan Bordeaux Superieur 2010; Ch Recourgne Bordeaux Superior 2009.
^^Cecile, motivated by my wine glass (what else?), learned to climb stairs today. P.S. Don't you just love her little maillot from Petite Bateau. Fitting attire, I thought.^^
Outside in the gardens there was a full barbecue ablaze. Festival-goers had plenty of frankfurters and cote de boeuf to choose from. Trust me: There was more than enough to keep all the oenophiles from getting too blitzed and falling in the koi pond.
^^There were even fields of poppies to gaze upon ;)^^
Ah, and to finish off the fête there were tiers and tiers of French desserts. I promise you I ate my weight in pistachio macaroons. A lovely Bastille Day ... merci beaucoup, 2941!
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