On a recent date night my husband and I decided to return to Bistro 31. In the spring we attended a surprise birthday party for a dear friend at Bistro 31 in Highland Park Village. It was our first time at the restaurant and we really enjoyed the location, food, atmosphere and friendly staff. We were met at the door by a friendly hostess who sat us immediately. Upon being seated our waiter, Muhammad, greeted us with a warm smile and the wine list. As an oenophile, I typically review a wine list online before arriving at the restaurant. Sometimes that works well but frequently at Lombardi owned restaurants the wine menu at the restaurant is different than the online menu; thus was the case at Bistro 31. Therefore, the lovely French wine I had selected from home was not available at the restaurant; however, Muhammad remedied the dilemma by offering us two exceptional wines, a Super Tuscan and a Bordeaux, that were not on the wine menu. Since this is my summer of learning about French wine, we had already decided to drink French; therefore we chose the Bordeaux.

Château Saint–Georges 2009 Bordeaux: This beautiful deep garnet wine met the nose with a seductive bouquet of ripe berries, pepper and smoked oak. The palate oozed with ripe black berries, black plum and black currants, followed with rich flavors of pepper, anise, smoked oak, tobacco and espresso. With rich sultry tannins, medium acidity and medium finish, the Château Saint–Georges 2009 Bordeaux was well enjoyed with and without food. This claret was comprised of a classic right bank Bordeaux blend: 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc. After harvest, the fermentation of Château Saint–Georges 2009 Bordeaux was conducted in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks with a month-long cuvaison. After Malolactic fermentation, the wine was aged for up to 18 months in new French oak barrels. This wine is now hard to find; however there are still some wine retailers in the US who have some in stock. Click here to locate it and have it shipped to you. We loved this wine so much we have bought a few bottles for our own collection. It will only improve with more age!

A wine of this profile was made to accompany a wonderful cut of beef, lamb, ox tail soup or a rich bouillabaisse. Bistro 31 has a very good menu so we chose to pair the wine with beef and red snapper. My husband’s meal was entitled Filet Au Poivre and consisted of a 7oz. filet, grilled asparagus, French fries and Madagascar peppercorn cognac cream sauce. It was a great pairing! The fat of the steak and the creamy, pepper flavor of the sauce were a perfect pairing for the delightful Bordeaux blend. I chose the Red Snapper, which consisted of sautéed snapper, roasted cherry tomatoes, ligurian olive oil, capers and basil over snow peas and fingerling potatoes. The dish was light, fresh and delicious. Additionally, because the French make wines that pair well with food, the Bordeaux was a lovely accompaniment to my light, fresh and zesty dinner.  The final pairing of the evening was of course the most important: dessert! Each selection of Bistro 31’s dessert menu was tantalizing; we chose to share the Trio of Ice cream Sandwiches. The dessert included a scoop of vanilla bean, dark chocolate and berry ice creams sandwiched between two Chocolate Fleur De Sel cookies.  As you can see, it was delicious. The creamy, sweetness of the ice cream and the dark crisp cookies paired very well with the little wine that remained.

Château Saint Georges (Côte Pavie) is a Bordeaux wine producer located on the Pavie hill (Côte Pavie) in Saint-Émilion. Château Saint Georges is produced from the Vauthier famly’s seven hectare St. Emilion vineyard located close to their more famous property, Château Ausone, and just a short walk from the St. Emilion village. The terroir at Château Saint Georges is clay on top of limestone. The vines are 25 years old. The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 5,500 vines per hectare.

My Song Selection: The song I have chosen to pair with the Château Saint Georges 2009 Bordeaux is Remedy by The Black Crowes. I selected this song because it has soul, funk and an awesome beat. Can you listen to this song without moving and singing? I cannot. The Château Saint Georges 2009 Bordeaux was such an enjoyable wine we have ordered more. It was smooth, with style and just the right amount of funk to keep you dancing. Furthermore, since Muhammad remedied our situation of not having the wine we thought we wanted with a wine we loved it seems all the more fitting.

Get your own bottle of Château Saint Georges 2009 Bordeaux quickly before they are all gone and let me know what song you would pair with it. Cheers!