Last night four of you joined Will and me at Bethesda's LA MICHE (www.lamiche.com 7905 Norfolk Ave-Tel: (301) 986-0707) for a superb wine tasting featuring some excellent new finds. The excellent passed canapes of Brie with Apricots, Pate de Foie Gras and Garlic Sauteed Shrimp were accompanied by 2004 NEW Z LAND Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough. This intense citrus and melon wine is crisp and fun and works with so many different foods. It comes from SACRED HILL, but is bottled as New Z Land label.
We sat down to 2002 CHATEAU FELICE ESTATE RESERVE CHARDONNAY from Chalk Hill, California. This wine made by a French winemaker is aged in new French oak for 8 months and is a revelation. The style is Burgundian, with the slightest of oak influence, yet an intense vanilla flavor that just fills your mouth with excitement. I already ordered a case! There were many choices on the tasting menu, and I opted for the traditional ESCARGOTS BOURGUINONNE which were garlicky and great for mopping up with the warm bread. The chardonnay's acidity easily stood up to the garlic, making this such a great wine with so many different foods.
Next came CUISSE de CANARD GRANDE MERE for me which was a Duck Confit with Mushrooms and Potatoes done like a casserole. We had two red wines from CHATEAU FELICE (Chalk Hill) with our entrees: a not too intense 2002 ESTATE RESERVE ZINFANDEL that I felt needed a bit more punch, and a truly magnificent 2001 ESTATE RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON that was another revelation. Cabs can often invade your palate, but this subtle wine was smooth and full of perfume and flavors of chocolate and berries with a huge silky finish.
We kept enjoying the Cab through our dessert of RASPBERRY CREME BRULEE!
Tonight: The RAMMY (Restaurant Awards of Washington) nominations will be announced at this website and the awards will be made at the annual gala, held this year on Sunday June 25th. We always invite you to join us at our table should you wish to do so (I believe the tickets are $200 this year). It's a truly super foodie event with almost every chef in town attending!
