Ok, so a week after saying this job doesn’t often mix business and wine it happens again. Tuesday night we conducted a kick-off meeting with Scott and Jennie from our new client GovDelivery. With relatively little fanfare, this company has become the dominant provider of email and digital subscription management services delivered. These services are made available via a software as a service (SaaS) platform.
What does all that mean? It means that millions of citizens can interact electronically with government, at the federal, state and local levels. They receive highly personalized emails on topics they have requested, receiving vital information on national security, drug testing and when the local bridge will be under construction. GovDelivery clients include the Department of State, the Department of Commerce, the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the British Parliament. You’ll be hearing more about them soon.
After the launch meeting we went down the street to Ray’s the Classics, sister restaurant of Ray’s the Steaks in Arlington VA. It’s an excellent place that offers better food and value than the the old-line steak places. Here’s the Washingtonian review.
So there are four of us, three ordering steak. What’s best to order to please everyone? Decided on Chateauneuf-du-Pape at a moderately expensive price point the waiter — who was solid and old school — confirmed was good. It was — very flavorable but medium body, tart but not overly, strong enough to complement the meat but not overpowering or tannic. Not amazing, but very solid. And most importantly, the client seemed to enjoy it!
Chateauneuf is in the southern part of the Rhone Valley and can vary a lot due to it being a mixture of different grapes, not straight Syrah. This one was a:
Domaine Paul Autard, Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2005
Probably retails for around $30-$35. It shouldn’t disappoint, and neither should Ray’s, whether the Silver Spring or Arlington locations.
Wow! Chateaunef-du-Pape. As your readers might know, the name of that wine, in English, means “the new castle of the Pope” and refers to the Papal exile to Avignon, France during the middle ages.
Which is, actually, quite appropriate given the government’s increasing propensity to outsource its non-core activities to private companies. GovDelivery is certainly in the forefront of that trend and one of the best-of-breed examples.
Of course, I might be biased by the simple fact that I am one of Ray’s the Steaks greatest fans. My first time there was in 2002, I was immediate impressed by how wonderful the food was. So any blogger, or company, that endorses Ray’s has my eternal admiration.
Yes…yes…I was the participant at dinner who did not order steak. Yet, I found Chris’ selection of wine to go well with the salmon.
A good choice that capped off an excellent day with GovDelivery!
The Chateaunef-du-Pape was an excellent choice…for the pairing with an excellent steak (or Salmon) and the celebratory pairing of the Strategic and GovDelivery teams.
Thanks Marc and Chris for an excellent start to a great partnership! And I need to mention the steak…the best fillet I’ve had in a while. Superb choice of restaurant.