This past Independence Day we celebrated with our own style of fireworks: food, wine and music. Several months ago my husband received an alert that Third Eye Blind was performing in Dallas on July 4^th. He knew I was a long time fan of the band and had seen them twice before so he bought us a couple of tickets. As the event got closer my 19 year old daughter said she wanted to join us because she grew up listening to them through me. (It is great when kids go off to college and come thinking we are cool parents again!) So the three of us set out for an early dinner and a show. I wanted to explore another restaurant in the Bishop Arts District of Dallas and we found the perfect spot!

Bolsa is a market, café and wine bar that focuses on fresh, local ingredients with a seasonal menu and they claim the “best cocktails in the city.” In 2009 D Magazine awarded Bolsa “Restaurant of the Year” and the Dallas Observer claims Bolsa is the “best place to take a date” and has the “best patio” in Dallas. We found Bolsa welcoming and eclectic with great service and spectacular food. Chef Joel Harrington has a long list of credentials and accolades; needless to say, Bolsa, and Dallas, is blessed to have him.

Before we get to the food the first thing we did was parous the impressive wine list. There were many delicious possibilities from all over the world. We considered Greece wine to help support their economy but decided since it was Independence Day we would order from one of my favorite Napa Valley family wineries: Chappellet.  Though I have enjoyed Chappllet wines for years on many occasions my highlight came last summer at TexSom when I met Cecil Chappellet and participated in one of the best vertical tastings I have ever experienced. Please read about that epic tasting in my article “Vertical to Heaven: Chappellet Tasting at TexSom.”

Chappellet 2012 Mountain Cuvee Proprietor’s Blend: This wine was crafted by Phillip Corallo-Titus from 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 12% Malbec, 8% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Syrah. It poured a deep inky violet into the glass and dazzled the nose with aromas of dark black and red fruit, baking spices, mocha, and roasted hazelnuts. On the palate this luxurious wine delivered rich round flavors of black berry, black cherry, plum and black raspberries, along with cassis, espresso, dark chocolate, ending with a touch of vanilla and toasted oak on the back of the palate. This wine was silky smooth, rich on the palate with round acidity and well integrated tannins. It tasted like a wine well over $50! 14.5% alcohol. SRP $32 direct from Chappellet. You may be able to find it for less elsewhere.

From the Chappellet web site: Blending from the traditional Bordeaux varietals, including our own coveted grapes, the Chappellet Mountain Cuvee Proprietor’s Blend builds on our five decades of experience crafting great Napa Valley mountain-grown wines. Each component varietal in the cuvee contributes nuances that complement each other. The result is a complex array of aromas and flavors that deliver pure pleasure in a glass. Made for more near-term consumption, this is the wine to choose when you are looking for vivid, mouthfilling flavors.

We had to order a delicious dinner to pair with such a high quality wine and that is exactly what we did! Bolsa has so many outstanding appetizers and we were struggling to decide where to begin so we took our awesome server, Adam’s, advice and combined the Texas cheese board with the Charcuterie board. It was outstanding and an amazing assortment of delicious cheeses, smoked meats, pickled vegetables, mustards, honeys and breads. We also added Bolsa’s Chicken Fried Soft Shell Crab but my daughter thought it was so delicious she ate almost all of it by herself.

For our entries my husband and I ordered the same dish: “A Bar and Ranch Wagyu Flat Iron Steak” served with smokey creamer potatoes, watercress, and Texas black gold garlic with marrow butter. Words do not describe this meal. It was epically outstanding and mind blowing on every level. Every bit was pure heaven; we ate every bite. And the wine pairing….truly outstanding! My daughter chose Bolsa’s “House ground burger” with sharp cheddar, Applewood smoked bacon, house made chips and salsa. This is how the menu read but take one look at the photo and you can see it was a mind blowing hamburger, also of epic proportion! The cheese burger was topped with barbecue pulled pork. She had to eat it with a fork! OMG! Bolsa gave us a meal to remember for the ages and in case you are wondering….YES we will be back!

We ended this wonderful evening listening to a great show by Third Eye Blind at Dallas’ South Side on Lamar Ballroom. It was a fun concert, shorter than I liked, but full of high energy and all their best songs. I highly recommend you get yourself a bottle or six of Chappellet’s 2012 Mountain Cuvee and if live in or are visiting Dallas get to Bolsa right away!

My Song Selection: Third Eye Blind has a great song titled “God of Wine” but it is a mellow and depressing song about alcoholism and though I love the song it does not pair well here. Therefore, I am going to choose another one of their songs called “1000 Julys” to celebrate our fun night in downtown Dallas eating amazing food at Bolsa, drinking outstanding wine from Chappellet and singing to great music from 3eb.

Get your own bottle of Chappellet 2012 Mountain Cuvee Proprietor’s Blend and have it with a meal as epic as ours and let me know what song you pair with it. Cheers!