NYC Tastes

Day two of the Bordeaux wine tour was also my birthday and it was absolutely perfect.   We began in Saint-Ėmilion, an amazing medieval town on the Right Bank of Bordeaux with breathtaking views and one of our favorite winery's of the trip Château Guadet.  This small vineyard is one of only two wineries in the heart of Saint-Ėmilion and owned by the famous Petrus wine family.   The vineyard consists of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc grapes, merlot being the prominent grape grown on most Right Bank properties. We started our tour upstairs to learn about the cement vats used to vinify their wine.  Then we took a steep ladder down to the massive cellar, where miles of limestone quarries had been created for storing wine.  This was easily the best part of any wine tour I've experienced.  The cool, dark caves winding beneath the Château were astounding to behold; it was almost an entirely new city underground. We then stopped into...

Usually on European vacations I'm obsessed with getting Steak Tartare everywhere we go. Which was still true on this trip, it just took a serious back seat to Mr. T's duck obsession. Duck Confit to be exact. but since that dish isn't available in every restaurant, other forms of duck would have to suffice.  Mr. T had already enjoyed a classic Duck Breast at Gordon Ramsey the day before but now we moved onto to Brasserie Bordelaise; a bustling spot right in the heart of the city.   When the meal begins with a complimentary tin of pâté you just know it's going to be something special. The Duck Breast arrived perfectly scored with their signature red wine bordelaise sauce for drizzling on top.  This was rich and juicy, with just enough fat to melt into the meat making it incredibly tender. This was served with a huge bowl of frites that was more than enough for the entire table.   I was still full from our big lunch,  so I or...

To get the full Bordeaux experience we booked a two day wine tour through  Bordeaux with Elodie .  Our fantastic guide Lea picked us up at our place each morning, then drove us to various wineries beginning with Château Paloumey on the Left Bank. This small winery has a long history in the Médoc region however it wasn't all wonderful.  In the 1950's the original owners abandoned the vineyard, due to rising costs and it wasn't until 1990 when it was purchased by the Cazeneuve family, that it became a fully functioning winery once again. Château Paloumey's location has a warm climate with gravel soil perfect for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard has 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and all of the wines are aged in 30% new French oak barrels for 12 months before bottling.  We had a chance to tour both the vineyard and the barrel room, then finish with a tasting of wine from their vineyard and a few others in the area...

Monday evening in Bordeaux was quiet; most of the restaurants were closed but we found a cute little bistro Glouton that was listed as vegetarian friendly and also accepted online reservations for six people (not an easy find in Bordeaux). It didn't seem vegetarian friendly at first.  The tiny chalkboard only listed two appetizers, two entrees and dessert; but after speaking with the waiter we were presented with a few additional options that sounded wonderful.  I'm obviously not vegetarian but the options sounded so good I jumped on board with the veggie set. Burrata is always delicious but add on freshly ground pesto, basil and some juicy heirloom tomatoes and a this Burrata became knock your socks off kind of good. It was followed by a wonderful creamy Risotto studded with mushroom, cherry tomato and spring onion that tasted just as fresh and seasonal as the Burrata.   For dessert a Black Cherry Floating Island which provided a sweet and simple end t...

Our first full day in Bordeaux got off to a sleepy start. We had treated Brussels a bit like spring break with 10:00 AM brewery visits each day and nonstop eating and drinking thereafter.  I guess my body was a little tired, because I didn't open my eyes until it was almost noon. Luckily I woke up just in time for lunch at Gordon Ramsey's Le Bordeaux.  I've honestly never been a huge fan of Gordon Ramsey, but this restaurant was absolutely gorgeous.  A lovely patio sat out front, overlooking the elegant Bordeaux Opera House, while inside was a much more formal affair, with white linen tablecloths, cushy red velvet love seats and a beautiful spiral staircase extending from the center of the room. Le Bordeaux offers an amazing three course prix fixe at lunch but I wasn't excited about the options, so Mr. T and I decided to split a few appetizers beginning with the delicious Cesar Salad stuffed with chicken, marinated anchovies and Parmesan cheese with a thick, egg...