Ten Tables: Wines of Eastern France

I should start by apologizing for the lack of tantalizing food and wine photos in this post. The lighting at Ten Tables in Jamaica Plain is cozy and romantic but not conducive to food photography, at least not at my level of expertise. I was also having too much fun catching up with friends and enjoying food and wine to think about pulling the camera out once it was back in my bag!

Ten Tables, as you may remember from a previous post, is a tiny restaurant with. . . 10 tables. They recently also added TT Bar which tacks on a whole new dining and drinking option and one that I look forward to trying soon.

Every week, they host a wine dinner with a different theme, and for $42 you are served 4 courses and 4 wine pairings, a great deal anywhere but especially in Boston and especially at such a sought after dining location.

Since the restaurant is so small, you can see all of the action going on in the open kitchen.

My husband and I arrived first and were served fresh bread with salt and olive oil, along with some still bottled water.

The theme last night was wines of Eastern France, and we tried 3 whites and a red from the region.

The first course was Marlin Ceviche with Radish and Citrus, served with a 2009 Eugene Carrel Jongiuex from Savoie, France. Crisp with a hint of Granny Smith apple, this wine was a refreshing way to start off a meal and went perfectly with the crunchy radishes atop the ceviche.

The second course was my favorite, both food and wine. Velvety Carrot Soup with Pea Coulis and Pecorino was served with a 2008 Pinot Blanc  from Domaine Sipp-Mack in the Alsace region of France. The soup was warm and comforting but light enough to be part of a lovely spring meal, and the wine was slightly sweet and much more depth than the first course wine from its satisfying mouth feel to the long and lovely finish.

The third course was Roasted Venison with Olive Oil Crushed Potatoes, Mustard Greens and Tarragon Jus served with a 2006 Abrois Poulsard Vieilles Vignes from Domaine Tissot in Jura, France. I don’t eat venison, but I did thoroughly enjoy the spicy mustard greens and olive oil potatoes paired with a light but rustic red with a bright pop of berries. This wine reminded me of our recent trip to Prague and some of the Eastern European wines that we enjoyed there.

The final course was a 24 Month Aged Compte Le Fort cheese with Marcona Almonds and Dried Cherries, served with a 2001 Savagnin from Domaine Berthet-Bondet, another wine from Jura. The wine was very dry and Sherry-like, and while it was not my favorite, it did pair well with the salty cheese and intense flavors of the dried cherries and toasty almonds.

I added a few more grapes to my list last night and can’t wait to check my Grape Century Club chart to see how far I am from 100 varietals. I think I am pretty close. . .

Ten Tables has several great looking wine dinners coming up including one on May 18 that focuses on Sicily and Sardinia, my latest wine obsessions. I hope to be able to attend another one of these dinners in the near future: great food and great wine expertly paired together at a reasonable price in a comfy atmosphere that is perfect for a date or a group of friends.

I will be announcing the winner of the Honest Tea giveaway later today along with a Med Month giveaway that I am VERY excited about. Make sure to check back to see what it is!