Provencal Wine Dinner in Raleigh

[wondersofwine]

Saint Jacques Restaurant in Raleigh has an owner from Provence. He's been holding monthly wine dinners. I missed the Alsace dinner thanks to a tremendous cloudburst that made driving to Raleigh a dubious idea.
The weather cooperated June 21st--warm enough not to need a sweater outdoors but not hot or humid as some days have already been in June. I can't give you much analysis of the wines we drank--it may have been the relaxed spirit of the patio setting with a small group of musicians playing and a little girl (7 or 8 years old?) in Provencal costume and a single long braid of hair handing out white and yellow daisies to the ladies at each table. Or it may have been the interesting conversations and the dsire to avoid appearing rude by turning attention away from fellow diners to my notebook. Anyway, I was not in an analytical mood.
We started with a white wine punch of some sort with fruit. Refreshing on a warm day.
Appetizers were eggplant or tomato grilled with bread crumbs. We also had lots of good bread throughout the meal.
With the possible exception of the dessert wine, the wines were not fancy--just pleasant and congenial with the food.
First was a surprising Chardonnay--2003 Maison Nicolas Reserve Chardonnay. I wouldn't have expected the steely nose on a southern France white wine if the presenter hadn't told how crushed granite rock is a staple of the vineyards and is expressed in the wines. The steely nose with a velvet soft touch of butter over the minerals created an odd sensation. I was intrigued--others were enamored. 12.5% alcohol.
(The presenter mentioned that Provence is home to 60 different varietials of grapes and produces bone dry wines).
Next wine up was a 2003 Domaine Houchart Red Table Wine at 13% alcohol. From Cote de Provence. I thought I detected some black currants and dark berries. The blend does include Cabernet Sauvignon but also Syrah, Carignan, Grenache, Cinsault and Mouvedre. The Grenache probably softened it. It appeared light in tannins, fruity and a good food wine. The same blend of grapes appeared in the rose' wine, a 2004 Domaine Houchart Rose'. The color was somewhere between rose and salmon orange--quite pretty. 13.5% alcohol and another dry wine.
We had a pork and more pork course (thin smoked ham, other small portions) and I think two types of foie gras (one I liked by itself or on the bread; the other I wasn't crazy about--it may be the one that incorporates black and green olives). This was followed by a seafood course. Three plump shrimp, one mussel, a bit of salmon, etc. Also green beans and carrot and potato.
The dessert wine was the only non-Provence wine of the evening. It was a Muscat de Beaumes de Venise "Bouquet des Dentelles" but I couldn't determine a vintage or producer from the label. Botrytis nose; lush on the palate with a long, lingering finish. Liked it much better that the first Beaumes de Venise I tried (over two years ago) which reminded me of quinine. Very nice dinner. One couple at my table had lived in Paris for awhile (working for IBM) and others were well traveled (one lady took the Cordon Bleu cooking school in France).