Gabriele and I recently had an excellent dinner at the Majestic, in the heart of Old Town. Last year Cathal Armstrong and his wife Mechelle took over the Majestic, along with a few other partners that include former Governor Mark Warner. The long time landmark delivers good food, strong service and a fun vibe:
http://www.majesticcafe.com/maj_new.html
Like other Armstrong restaurants, The Majestic takes its cocktails very seriously. We sampled two as we waited for a table, even though we showed up after 9:00PM. We were both in the mood for seafood, but started with an excellent house cured meat appetizer. The main courses were also prepared very well, scallops over an avocado mousse and a top notch seafood stew. Service was very good and included new silver after each course, something not enough places do.
Since we both prefer red over white, we were thinking Pinot Noir. There were a number of choices on the menu, and we asked our waitress for a recommendation. She didn’t hesitate to suggest the Allan Scott 2006 Pinot Noir. From the Marlborough region of New Zealand, it had a fresh, crisp aroma with vibrant fruit led by blackberry. It was light bodied but not weak, and fruit forward without being simple. The finish is dry and lingers on the palate. It’s an extremely food friendly that should go well with a range of meals. Probably retails for about $25.
Next time your head spins at the prices some Oregon Pinots go for on restaurant wine lists, give this Kiwi a try. You won’t be disappointed.
You are right about New Zealand wines, in addition to Pinot noir being a great choice, Riesling, Chardonnay, Sparkling and the many different styles of Sauvignon blanc are delightful with many styles of food.
Some have said that $50 is the new $100 when it comes to buying wine and New Zealand wines in these price ranges are real bargains when compared to wines from other parts of the globe.
Can be a bit of a treasure hunt to find, such is the joy of the journey.