W.O.W. vacations can do wonders for the soul!
Truth be told, my vacation didn’t even take me 5 miles from my home, but it did wonders for my soul in so many ways! How on earth, you ask? Well, I know you’ve all been missing me terribly and waiting with baited breath for my next post, Instagram story, vlog or any other means of sharing my nerdy wine adventures. So come along for the ride, we’re going to Alsace!
One of my favorite events of the year is the Bastille Day Celebration hosted by Confrerie St. Etienne, Chapitre Americain. What the heck is that – sounds like a religious cult, huh? Well it’s anything but that! With roots back to the 14th Century, Confrerie is arguably one of the oldest wine guilds in the world. Lucky for me, Fort Worth, TX (home of the cowboy, big hats, boots and amazing museums) was the first chapter in the good ole U.S. of A! As a Maitre, or expert, I’ve even pledged my soul to promote Alsatian wines wherever I go – why not start here!
This year’s Bastille Day Celebration was by far my favorite! The wines, oh the wines, were divine. The food pairings by Chef Prefontaine (check out my W.O.W. series where Chef, a few fellow somms and I taste wines for another great event) were spot on perfection. Alsace’s aromatic whites took center stage and I could not have enjoyed them more. Guests were greeted with a unique Cremant de Alsace rose – yum, yum, yum! Complex Trimbach Pinot Gris (one of my varietal and stylistic faves) and a petrol punch in the nose Fernand Engel Riesling took me on a vacation to the rolling hills and lush vineyards outside Colmar. Take me back, please!
Wine vacation, Food and Fun are good for the soul!
Whoa Nelly, hold me back! Up next, Muscat! One of the more challenging to find on the U.S. market, an Alsatian Muscat is truly a delight. Anise, lychee, florals oh my! Kuentz-Bas nailed it on the 2017 vintage! Daring as it may be, our cellar master paired the main course (veal shank for those unlike me who are pescatarian) with dueling Pinot Noir! Burgundy versus Alsace – who does that?! I’m happy to share the Domaine Riefle held it’s own and delivered deep, luscious cherry with earthy undertones.
If that wasn’t enough, my vacation got extended another course with a dessert pairing of Cherry Paris-Brest and a luscious Muscat de Baumes de Venise. I felt like a kid in a donut shop and devoured every last molecule on my plate. As all good things must sadly come to an end, so too did the celebration. But my heart was full seeing so many wonderful friends and happy faces. And, my belly was full of amazing wine and delicious food. While my trip home was only 10 minutes, it was a vacation which truly was good for my soul.
Cheers!
#alsace #alsatianwine #confreriestetienne #frenchwine #bastilleday #wineevent #celebration #riesling #pinotgris #muscat
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