Bonjour,
Fantastic news arrived this morning!!
At long last La Garrigue's wine list has been nominated for an award at the Harpers France Summit in London....I am thrilled to pieces and as proud as a wee cockerel to see the name La Garrigue alongside some of the most excellent establishments in the UK.
Just to be nominated for such a prestigious award is in itself a huge achievement for such a small restaurant. I remember when I first opened the restaurant and decided to offer a selection of Languedoc wines only, the comments from the people in the trade were quite dismissive and I was advised to rethink the idea as the area was not really seen as good quality wines production area...but for a few producers... Well 13 years down the lane, here we are!
Thank you to all those wine makers, suppliers and of course you for your support over the years! I haven’t looked at my schedule for the next couple of weeks but I hope I will be able to go to London and rub my shoulders with the elite of our industry.
This comes at the back of our first Wine testing/Gastronomic trip to Languedoc earlier in September; a week spent in Languedoc during the vendanges with some of our best clients. It was hard work; wine tasting lunches and dinners in some of the best known Vineyards and restaurants in the area as well as visiting Charcuteries and the famous caves of Roquefort...
The hospitality of Catherine Roques and her team at the Domaine De Clovallon was superb and our tour planner and coordinator; Bernard did a great job. 1,800 kilometres later and a few extra kgs are the proof of a week well spent. Amongst the highlights were a Lunch Champetre after a bit of wine picking in the vineyard of Clovallon, a fantastic wine testing in Faugere, a tour of the famous Vineyard of Daumas Gassac with my friend and wine maker Samuel Guilbert....and an evening in my Village Combret where Brigitte the chef owner of L’Auberge put up a great dinner for us.
And this was only the first couple of days....
Thanks for all for making this trip such a success and to the people who trusted me to organise such a trip. I am already planning the next one....May 2014....watch this space....
Before all of this of course there is the launch of the Calvados week, starting with a special dinner on the 14th of October. La Garrigue goes to Normandy, as part of our Tour De France dinners series. The event is sponsored by the Clavados brand “Pere Magloire” as part as the Calvados week . This is a good opportunity to sample great calvados, cider, and great food of course. We still have a few spaces left for Monday the 14th so what a great way to start the week!
November of course will see the Beaujolais Nouveau week....a yearly event in the French wine calendar, announcing the arrival of the long winters days....and then of course December will be on us; office parties....Turkeys...sprouts.... Please note that we will be open for Christmas Day this year again...but I will be in touch again soon to remind you! Meanwhile, do take a look at the menus.
Wishing you all a good start of Autumn and please keep your fingers crossed for the wine award.
See you soon,
J-Michel and the Team
Fantastic news arrived this morning!!
At long last La Garrigue's wine list has been nominated for an award at the Harpers France Summit in London....I am thrilled to pieces and as proud as a wee cockerel to see the name La Garrigue alongside some of the most excellent establishments in the UK.
Just to be nominated for such a prestigious award is in itself a huge achievement for such a small restaurant. I remember when I first opened the restaurant and decided to offer a selection of Languedoc wines only, the comments from the people in the trade were quite dismissive and I was advised to rethink the idea as the area was not really seen as good quality wines production area...but for a few producers... Well 13 years down the lane, here we are!
Thank you to all those wine makers, suppliers and of course you for your support over the years! I haven’t looked at my schedule for the next couple of weeks but I hope I will be able to go to London and rub my shoulders with the elite of our industry.
This comes at the back of our first Wine testing/Gastronomic trip to Languedoc earlier in September; a week spent in Languedoc during the vendanges with some of our best clients. It was hard work; wine tasting lunches and dinners in some of the best known Vineyards and restaurants in the area as well as visiting Charcuteries and the famous caves of Roquefort...
The hospitality of Catherine Roques and her team at the Domaine De Clovallon was superb and our tour planner and coordinator; Bernard did a great job. 1,800 kilometres later and a few extra kgs are the proof of a week well spent. Amongst the highlights were a Lunch Champetre after a bit of wine picking in the vineyard of Clovallon, a fantastic wine testing in Faugere, a tour of the famous Vineyard of Daumas Gassac with my friend and wine maker Samuel Guilbert....and an evening in my Village Combret where Brigitte the chef owner of L’Auberge put up a great dinner for us.
And this was only the first couple of days....
Thanks for all for making this trip such a success and to the people who trusted me to organise such a trip. I am already planning the next one....May 2014....watch this space....
Before all of this of course there is the launch of the Calvados week, starting with a special dinner on the 14th of October. La Garrigue goes to Normandy, as part of our Tour De France dinners series. The event is sponsored by the Clavados brand “Pere Magloire” as part as the Calvados week . This is a good opportunity to sample great calvados, cider, and great food of course. We still have a few spaces left for Monday the 14th so what a great way to start the week!
November of course will see the Beaujolais Nouveau week....a yearly event in the French wine calendar, announcing the arrival of the long winters days....and then of course December will be on us; office parties....Turkeys...sprouts.... Please note that we will be open for Christmas Day this year again...but I will be in touch again soon to remind you! Meanwhile, do take a look at the menus.
Wishing you all a good start of Autumn and please keep your fingers crossed for the wine award.
See you soon,
J-Michel and the Team