Dinner - Palisades (France)

This was my second visit to The Palisades Restaurant in Eggleston, Virginia for their "Wines Around The World" series. Tonight's menu was inspired by France, a country that's famous for their food and wines. The drive was more enjoyable this time because it was still light out, and my roommate and I got to see some spectacular mountain views along the way.

First up on the wine list was Gascogne San de Guilhem, a white wine to be paired with French mussels. The wine was a pale yellow with a zesty, fruit scent. Something peculiar tickled my nose...it almost smelled like gasoline to me. When I tasted it, it was dry at first, but I actually enjoyed the aftertaste. I could detect some floral notes. I thought this wine was okay; it was an interesting experience tasting it. When paired with the mussels that were cooked in white wine, parsley, and shallots, the Gascogne tasted ten times better. It was sweeter and went well with the oceanic taste of the seafood. These two paired deliciously together.

The next wine was a varietal Merlot/Cabernet Domaine de Courteillac. It had a deep red color and thickly coated legs around the glass. I sensed a hint of fruitiness in its scent, but also some oak. Overall, though, the wine honestly smelled like paint to me. It tasted woody, slightly peppery, and seemed to have a high alcohol content. This wine was not for me. Paired with the Hachis Parmentier, France's take on a Shepherd's Pie, I think the wine tasted even worse. It reminded me even more of paint and in a way interfered with the taste of the food, which was really good on its own.

Lastly, we tried a Ventoux Famille Perrin. This red wine was a ruby, candied color. I loved the smell of it - for some reason it smelled like something savory. After several sniffs I felt like I smelled something salty. It just had a really, really nice nose. Then when I tasted it, I couldn't believe that I was tasting buttered popcorn! It took me awhile to figure it out, but that was the saltiness that I was detecting. This wine was light and lifted, and I enjoyed drinking it. I could not make out any fruitiness in its taste, though. We paired this one with Alsatian Pizza, topped with creme fraiche, caramelized onion, and bacon. Tasting them together really didn't change much about the wine for me. It had the same intensity of flavor, and it was still good wine, but I wouldn't say it was the best combination. I preferred the food and wine separately.

Another great dinner experience in the books! Not sure when I'll be back to this restaurant, but I would highly recommend it to others. Someday I plan on returning and trying items from their regular menu. The staff is so kind and the restaurant's ambiance is great. My roommate and I even purchased a bottle of our favorite wine from last week!