How The Village Bistro in Napa Crafts a French Themed Beverage Menu
On Bastille Day 2022 the Meritage Resort & Spa launched The Village Bistro. A French-themed pop-up with plenty of local wine country touches, it will operate through the end of the year. Inspired by the grandmother of the resort’s director of culinary experience chef Vincent Lesage, it’s overseen by food and beverage manager Maria Villalpando, who curated the restaurant’s list of 90 wines, and signature cocktails. We reached out to Villapando to learn how she created the unique beverage program that pairs with an outstanding French bistro menu with classics such as cheese and charcuterie, steak frites, clam and mussel steam pot, Parisian gnocchi and Bouillabaisse.
Cocktails
The Village Bistro menu features classic cocktails including the Martini and Margarita, but Villalpando has given them a French feel with the inclusion of French liqueurs and spirits. Each one was chosen with care. Says Villalpando, “We really wanted to ensure that we added all these special and different French liqueurs to the cocktails on our menu because of their rich and bold flavors.”
She goes on to explain, “While creating these cocktails we took great care to research the best way to incorporate a definitive French feel.” For the Margarita she says, “We wanted to ensure that we captured the floral taste while at the same time preserve an authentic essence of the citrus combined with the French cognac. Our Margarita is a rich, fruity spin on a classic Margarita, full of big floral notes from the St-Germain's elderflowers and silky from the liqueurs.”
Grand Marnier was an easy way to give a French spin to a Margarita. Remarks Villalpando, “Who doesn’t love Grand Marnier? We specifically chose it because of the history that comes with it. The distillery sits outside of Paris, and is small but very sophisticated. The liquor itself is delicious, made from cognac and oranges from the Caribbean, compared to Cointreau and Combier that do not carry the same essence.” Note Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge, Grand Marnier Cuvee du Centenaire and Grand Marnier Louis Alexandre were all Gold winners in the 2022 NY International Spirits Competition.
For the French Martini she incorporated Grey Goose vodka and Suze, also both from France, adding a citrusy, fruity, and bitter taste with a bit of gentian root. Why Suze? Explains Villalpando, “We wanted to add some French aperitifs that are bitter and pleasingly great by itself or in a cocktail and Suze gives us just that. Suze has this amazing soft citrus that also is refreshing. We thought this would be great for the summertime.”
Another liqueur that guests may be less familiar with is Benedictine. In fact, Villalpando learned about it from the resort’s chef and director of culinary experiences. Explains Villalpando, “Benedictine was first introduced to me by our very own Vincent Lesage. Benedictine is made and originated from a small town close by to where his mother lives. This sweet but unique liqueur is made with 27 herbs, spices, and peels. The flavor is smooth and sweet but has a uniqueness of licorice that opens up in your mouth.”
Wines
On the wine list you’ll find pairings of a French and an American wine such as sparkling Mumm from Napa and from France, a pair of Napa sauvignon blancs and a pair of Sancerres from France. Explains Villalpando, “When opening this new concept, we really wanted to incorporate side-by-side offerings of these wines. We want to take our guests on a voyage to France while preserving a Napa feel. These two varietals are among the best in the wine world, and they really come through when paired with the dishes.”
Burgundy
While Napa cabernet sauvignons often get compared to wines from the Bordeaux region of France, Villalpando leaned toward Burgundy on the wine menu. She explains, “Burgundy tends to be more rounded and focus on one single grape rather than Bordeaux /Rhone Valley. Burgundy produces much less wine than Bordeaux but the quality is much greater and we really love the wine pairing with our food.” From Burgundy she chose Lecheneaut Chambolle Musigny and Lecheneaut Vosne Romanee. She explains, “I specifically choose the Lecheneaut Chambolle Musigny and Lecheneaut Vosne Romanee because they both are very rich and intense and pair amazing with our dishes. Both are diverse but fall into the same portfolio for a Burgundy wine.”
Sparkling and Rosé Wines
A French wine menu would be remiss without sparkling and rosé options. Villalpando chose Bertrand Cremant for both. She explains, “The story behind the location of this crémant is amazing. The grapes are grown on the highest elevation vineyards in the south of France. The elevation helps keep the wine's freshness, fruitiness, and elegance. The Bertrand is one of my favorites due to its crispness and acidity. These two pair particularly well with our cheese and charcuterie board.”
The sparkling section features Champagne from Perrier Jouet and Pommery and G.H.Mumm, along with a Napa-based sparkling Mumm. Says Villalpando, “Champagne is an iconic wine for France and being in Napa with a broad selection of sparkling, we wanted to bring two of France’s most popular wines to the restaurant to really cultivate our guest as to what the difference is between Napa and France. Both are amazing, but obviously they are from a different region.”
Are two wines better than one? When you’re staying at a resort, there’s no good reason not to indulge.