Roy Cloud is the owner of Vintage 59, an importer of wines from small estate growers, seeking terroir driven wines and grapes produced with careful farming practices (often biodynamic.) This short paperback book details his first trip to France to enlist growers/winemakers for the portfolio of a new importing company. I believe that first trip was in 1997 and he bought the company in 2002. Roy did not speak French so he traveled with his brother who had spent a year studying in Besancon and was fluent in French.
Dinner was at St. Jacques French Cuisine in Raleigh.
All the wines were tasty. I didn't take notes during the dinner but the one I purchased was the Merlin-Cherrier Sancerre (blanc) which I have tried before in other vintages. It was delightfully crisp and combined minerality with fruitiness.
We started with a Bove sparkling Chenin Blanc, Loire, with amuse bouche of mini fouees stuffed with duck rillettes.
Then scallops served over lobster and shrimp filled fried ravioli with parsnips and carrot mousse and creamed fresh tomato coulis served with the Sancerre.
A palate cleanser of Vouvray sorbet.
Loved the wild boar Bolognese with goat cheese gnocchi which was served with a very pleasing Chateau Coupe Rose "Bastide" Minervois.
Dessert was a frozen Grand Marnier mini souffle served with Caladroy Muscat Rivesault.
Roy Cloud and Vintage 59 is based in Washington, D.C. (Roy worked with Macarthur Beverages/Bassin's as a California wines specialist before wanting to follow his preference for French wines.) He mentions Pierre Rovani (of "Wine Advocate" fame) in the book as they were both connected with Macarthur Beverages.
Great dinner and I can see why Lil Lacassagne, owner of St. Jacques Restaurant, is enthused with the Vintage 59 selections. He is passionate about food and wants to understand the wines he serves in his restaurant and finds that the Vintage 59 website answers many of his questions in that regard.
http://www.vintage59.com/about.php