Bastille Day
| Theme | Bastille Day |
|---|---|
| Location | Chez Michel Malecot |
| Date | Jul 14, 2024 |
| Time | 5pm |
| Host | Michel Malecot |
| Chef | Michel Malecot |
| Wine Selection | Lynn Lathrop |
On a sunny Bastille Day, two of Southern California's most prestigious and pretentious wine and food groups joined forces for an epic celebration. The International Wine & Food Society, La Jolla Branch, and the San Diego Commanderie de Bordeaux, both renowned for their obsession with pairing great wine with good food, converged at Chez Michel Malecot (owner of The French Gourmet), armed with their finest selections from Côtes de Bordeaux.
The event kicked off with Maître Lynn Lathrop of the San Diego Commanderie de Bordeaux and Chef Michel Malecot passionately describing the exquisite wines for the afternoon dinner.
With hors d'oeuvre appetizers:
- NV Bailly Lapierre, Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Rose
With the French classic Lobster Thermidor:
- 2020 Chateau de Reignac Blanc
- 2019 Chateau Talbot Caillou Blanc
- 2021 Virginie de Valandraud Blanc
With French-trimmed Prime Rib Roast:
- 2016 L’Hêtre, Castillon
- 2019 Chateau Dalem, Fronsac
A lively table-side debate erupted, with members from each group passionately arguing which white Bordeaux Blanc provided the perfect pairing for the Lobster Thermidor. As the day wore on and the bottles emptied, their differences melted away like brie in the sun. The conversation reignited with a spirited debate over the merits of Bordeaux by Castillon versus Fronsac. By dusk, everyone was toasting Bastille Day with a haphazard mix of wine and fromage.
Thus, the legendary Bastille Day of 2024 at Chez Malecot became forever known as the day when fifty wine connoisseurs found common ground—a glorious, wine-soaked celebration of French liberty and culinary indulgence.