A few bottles from the White House State dinner with the president of France. A couple of gems from California.
 

A French Connection

A Taste of Tonight’s White House State Dinner

 

2019 Anakota Knights Valley Cabernet (95 JD)

Roederer Estate Brut Rosé NV (94 JS)

 

 

France is America’s oldest ally. And since French President Macron and the First Lady are at the White House for a State Dinner tonight, they found some nice California Wines with a little French Connection to serve.

 

Our two countries may not always get along perfectly, but like old friends, we sit and share a meal, some wine, and conversation. France and the United States have been sharing tables for all of our history as a country.

 

For their dinner tonight, guests will dine on butter-poached Maine lobster with American Osetra caviar, then a calotte of beef with shallot marmalade. Then a cheese course with Oregon’s Rogue River Blue cheese, which won the World Cheese Awards gold medal, along with a goat cheese from California and a cheddar from Wisconsin. And for dessert, they will have orange chiffon cake, roasted pears and creme fraiche ice cream.

 

But it’s the wines that we are most interested in knowing. All have a connection to France, with the 2018 Newton Chardonnay (no longer available, but we can probably get the 2020) being owned by the same company as Moet & Chandon, the Anakota Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is made by renowned French winemakers Pierre Seillan and his daughter, Hélène Seillan. And of course, the NV Roederer Estate Brut Rose is from the famous Champagne Louis Roederer.

 

We are happy to offer up two of these California wines in honor of our French friends. Santé!

 
 

2019 Anakota Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

$66.89 (750ml) ETA 3-7 days - Buy Now

 

95 JS / 95 JD / 94 WA
Bright pure-grape character with citrus and blackberry aromas and flavors. Medium body, fine and fresh tannins with lemony and stony undertones. White volcanic-stone minerality. A new second wine from Anakota. Drink or hold.-James Suckling

 

Sourced from both the Montana and the Dakota estate, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Anakota Knights Valley is focused and pretty in its aromatics, with dusty earth, currant liqueur, and crushed flowers. The palate is layered, with seamless, well-integrated structure, notes of plum candy and violets, and a soft stone mineral finish. Drink it over the next 15 years, but it will be tough not to drink this now. Jeb Dunnuck

 

 

Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut Rosé NV

$29.89 (750ml) ETA 3-7 days - Buy Now

 

94 JS / 93 WA / 92 WS / 91 WE

A delicious rosé that comes across dry, with baked strawberry-pie character, in a subtle and attractive way. Some peach, too. It’s full and very layered. Fine bubbles at the end that melt into the wine. Clear and beautiful. 56% pinot noir and 44% chardonnay. Drink now.-James Suckling

 

The current release of the NV Brut Rosé is made up mainly of fruit from the 2015 vintage and is a blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay. It was made with about nine grams per liter dosage and was disgorged in March of 2019. Pale salmon-pink in color, it has a lively nose of red berries, crushed stone, musk melon, floral hints and citrus peel and a bright and fresh palate with loads of perfumed red berries and energetic mousse, finishing long and uplifted. Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate

 

 

 

 

Check out all of our wines from Anakota, Roederer/Louis Roederer, and Newton

 

 
 
Cheers,

Daniel McKeown  
Fine Wine Purchasing & Sales Consultant

Grand Vin Wine Merchants

2950 32nd Ave SW · Suite A Tumwater, Washington 98512 | Office: 360.350.4896 x 8

www.grandvinwinemerchants.com | danielm@grandvinwinemerchants.com

 
 
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Grand Vin Wine Merchants · 2950 32nd Ave SW · Suite A · Tumwater, Washington 98512 · United States (360) 350-4896