Are you going to celebrate Bastille Day at home this year? In particular, we are thinking of our readers in Melbourne who are back under lock-down and unable to eat out and celebrate Bastille Day at planned events. Or others of you who may not wish to celebrate out and about and prefer to celebrate Bastille Day at home. Happy Bastille Day, everyone!
You can see Bastille Day virtual events here
Watch a French film that showed at the 2019 Alliance Française French Film Festival
FOOD
ADELAIDE
You can pop into Les Deux Coqs’ Adelaide Central Market and Prospect stores to pick up plenty of authentic French supplies for Bastille Day at home including charcuterie, rillettes, pates and even patisserie. They also deliver.
To celebrate Bastille Day, Sucre Patisserie Adelaide is offering 20% off its box of 10 macarons until 8pm Tuesday 14 July. This offer is only available online. A sweet treat for Bastille Day at home.
MELBOURNE
In addition to the restaurants that are offering their Bastille Day menus for takeaway or delivery that we mentioned in our article last week, there are also a few others offering French cuisine to takeaway/have delivered from for your Bastille Day at home celebrations.
PATISSERIE
Agathe Patisserie
Agathe Patisserie will be celebrating Bastille day this week with some special desserts:
- Chocolate Eclair
- Vanilla Millefeuille
- Lemon meringue tart
- Paris Brest
These are only available for purchase at the South Melbourne Market.
CHEESE
What’s a French meal without cheese? Thornbury Fromagerie has a range of Australian and French cheeses available for you to choose from and they also deliver so you can celebrate Bastille Day at home!
They’ve created a Bastille Day at home pack of 4 cheeses from across France. Included in this $65 pack is:
🧀Rouzaire Truffle Brie
🧀Fourme D’Ambert
🧀Crottin Chevrefeuille
🧀Vacherousse D’Argental
You can also add accompaniments such as crackers, fig or quince paste and even matching wines to your order.
Order before 2pm for same-day delivery!
RESTAURANT FOOD AT HOME
You can order from Bar Margaux for delivery or click and collect via their own website https://barmargaux.square.site/
(only within a 6km radius) or via Providoor for delivery within a 35km radius.
https://www.providoor.com.au/promo/barmargaux
Unfortunately, Entrecôte’s Bastille Day Feast for 2 which it was offering for pick-up through Providoor has already sold out.
You may however be able to click and collect their usual offer of the Entrecote at home for 2 today.
If you decide to celebrate Bastille Day on another day other than 14 July itself, on the weekend for example, delivery is available for orders placed by 4pm the day before.
https://www.providoor.com.au/promo/entrecote
Meals from Philippe are available to click and collect 5-8pm Wednesday to Saturday via website Providoor www.providoor.com.au/promo/philippe
So Philippe is one to keep in mind if you’re celebrating Bastille Day at home on a day other than today.
PERTH
French Sweet & Maison Saint Honore
SYDNEY
Bastille Food Wine Art Revolution in the Rocks is a free entry Festival celebrating annually all we love about France on Sydney’s Circular Quay and in The Rocks. Due to COVID-19 outbreak, the organisers decided to postpone the event which normally coincides with Bastille Day.
Given there is no festival this year, Bastille Food Wine Art Revolution in the Rocks has launched their Frenchy “Revolution Box” to help you celebrate Bastille Day at home.
A new business delivering raclette perfect for Bastille Day at home in our Australian Winter. Order your French raclette today and use the code BASTILLEDAY10 to enjoy raclette as part of your Bastille Day at home celebrations.
AUSTRALIA WIDE OPTIONS FOR WINE AND CHAMPAGNE DELIVERY/LOCAL PICK UP
What’s a celebration without wine or champagne? A number of French wine importers have special offers on their wines to help you celebrate Bastille Day at home.
FUN FACT: Did you know that it is very rare if not impossible to see a vine planted before the French Revolution in 1789?
Nathalie from Bottli tells us that
“By the mid 1860s, an “unknown disease”, called phylloxera began to destroy entire vineyards, causing grape vines to rot away, fruit and all. It crippled wine production and threatened the future of the whole industry.
After discovering the cause of the dying vines was the phylloxera pest that destroyed the root structure, a solution was found in the 1880s, which was to graft the phylloxera-resistant American vine root stock onto the European vines. As a result of this discovery and solution implementation, the European vine recovery was well on its way, with eventually 4/5 of the vineyards in Europe being replaced with the new grafted vines.”
DISCOUNT: Use the code Marseillaise for a 20% discount on all of your orders from Airoldi Fine Wines.
Melbourne based Airoldi Fine Wines ships Australia wide but is also open to the public if you wish to pop in and purchase directly. They are supporting those in confinement in these tough times by offering wine specials at below wholesale prices.
The Reconfinement packs are available at a variety of price points starting with the:
Reconfinement pack 1 with 6 bottles for $99. This pack comprises:
- 2009 Château des Tours Botrytis Semillon, Ste Croix du Mont, Bordeaux, France (375ml)
- 2017 L’Atelier Mâcon-Lugny, Chardonnay, Burgundy, France (750ml)
- 2018 Pépé’s Béret Sauvignon Blanc, Gascony, France (750ml)
- 2018 M de Minuty Rosé, Provence, France (750ml) – the one Daniel Airoldi recommended for Rosé Day
- 2017 Jean Perrier & Fils Mondeuse, Savoie, France (750ml)
- 2017 Domaine de Viranel Trilogie Rouge, Cabernet, Syrah, Alicante-Bouschet, Languedoc, France (750ml)
Or to step it up a notch, there’s the Reconfinement pack 2 for $199 with an RRP of $232. In it you will find:
- NV Champagne Le Brun de Neuville, Blanc de Blancs, Champagne, France (375ml)
- 2017 Mas d’Espanet “Eolienne”, Picpoul, Grenache Blanc, Languedoc, France(750ml)
- 2018 Jean Perrier & Fils Roussette de Savoie, Altesse, Savoie, France (750ml)
- 2018 Ch. Minuty Rosé & Or, Côtes de Provence, France (750ml)
- 2016 Château La Tour de By, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Bordeaux, France (750ml)
- 2017 L’Atelier Chorey Lès Beaune, Pinot Noir, Burgundy, France (750ml)
Then there’s the ultimate – the Reconfinement Pack 3 is the Deluxe Wine Pack for $499 (RRP: $576). Includes 1 bottle of each of the following:
- NV Champagne Le Brun de Neuville “Tendre Rosé”, Champagne, France (750ml)
- 2014 Château Lespault-Martillac Blanc Semillon-Sauvignon, Bordeaux, France (750ml)
- 2016 Les Héritier St-Genys Santenay, Chardonnay, Burgundy, France (750ml)
- 2018 Château Simone Rosé, Provence, France (750ml)
- 1989 Château Bel Air Lagrave, Moulis en Médoc, Cabernet Blend, Bordeaux, France (750ml)
- 2016 Guy & Yvan Dufouleur Nuits St George 1er Cru “Les Perrières” Pinot Noir, Burgundy, France (750ml)
**Confinement Sale: Varietal Packs**
But that’s not all! Due to the popularity of their Coronavirus Confinement 6-Packs, Airoldi Fine Wines has also introduced a new range of varietal-based packs to help you beat those confinement blues!
Choose from the following varietal packs to celebrate Bastille Day at home:
- Sauvignon Blanc and blends packs – $250 (RRP: $300) for the 6 pack or $480 (RRP: $600) for the 12 pack, includes French, South African and Australian wines. https://www.airoldifinewines.com.au/product/sauvignon-blends-varietal-pack/
- Chardonnay Varietal pack – $370 (RRP: $415) for the 6 pack or $700 (RRP: $830) for the 12 pack. This includes chardonnays from South Australia, Victoria, California, South Africa and the 2016 La Manufacture Chablis and 2017 Capuano Ferreri Chassagne Montrachet Cuvée Prestige from France https://www.airoldifinewines.com.au/product/chardonnay-varietal-pack/
- Pinot Noir Varietal Pack for $485 (RRP: $535) for the 6 pack or $900 (RRP: $1,070) for the 12 pack. Includes Pinot Noirs from the Yarra Valley, South Africa, California, Oregon and the 2017 L’Atelier Chorey Lès Beaune and the 2016 Mas d’Espanet Pinôt from France https://www.airoldifinewines.com.au/product/pinot-noir-varietal-pack/
- Cabernet and Blends Pack for $390 (RRP: $445) for the 6 pack or $750 (RRP: $890) for the 12 pack. It includes 2012 Château La Reyne “Le Vent d’Ange” (Malbec, Merlot) from Cahors, France, 2015 Château La Fleur Penin (Merlot-Cabernet Franc), St-Émilion, Bordeaux, and 1995 Château Bel Air Lagrave (Cabernet-Merlot) from Moulis, Bordeaux; and wines from the Yarra Valley, South Africa and Washington State. https://www.airoldifinewines.com.au/product/cabernet-blends-varietal-pack/
- Shiraz Blends Varietal Pack – $250 (RRP: $300) for the 6 pack or $480 (RRP: $600) for the 12 pack. It includes 2017 Pépé’s Beret Old Vine Shiraz from Languedoc, France, 2016 Château Viranel 1551 (Shiraz) St-Chinian, Languedoc, 2015 Château Simone Rouge (Shiraz blend) Provence, the Yarra Valley, South Australian Riverland, Rutherglen, Victoria.
https://www.airoldifinewines.com.au/product/shiraz-blends-varietal-pack/
- The Alternative Varieties pack for $285 (RRP: $320) for the 6 pack or $520 (RRP: $640) for the 12 pack. Includes the 2014 Mas d’Espanet “Camille” Picpoul, Grenache Blanc from Languedoc, France, the 2017 Jean-Perrier & Fils Mondeuse from Savoie, France (750ml) and a Fiano from Victoria, a Muscat from South Australian Riverland, 2016 Ashbourne Pinotage from Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, South Africa, and 2018 Pio Cesare Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese from Piemonte, Italy.
https://www.airoldifinewines.com.au/product/alternative-varietal-pack/
Nathalie Taquet from Bottli shares her experiences of Bastille Day in France:
July 14th is an emblematic day in France, since it is synonymous with joy, celebration and convivial meals. It remains the day we celebrate as the symbol of the people’s revolution, in 1789.
Of course, there are many military parades on Bastille Day all over France. Beginning in the morning of the 14th July, on the Champs Elysées in Paris, Bastille Day is the opportunity to admire the French military. Saint Cyr and Polytechnique cadets’ parade, along with official troops, whilst the French Air Force, Patrouille de France, carry out flying in the sky.
Every single town in France commemorates Bastille Day with excitement and pride as this national day represents the first step to the French Revolution which eventually led France to becoming a Republic. On July 14th, patriotic feelings break out throughout the country, French people wear blue, white and red, and sing the typical Mar- seillaise (the French anthem) after one – or more – glasses of Champagne!
A popular custom on National day in Paris is going for a friendly picnic in a public park, socializing, enjoying French food and wine, before watching the fireworks from the Place de la Concorde.
In many French villages, people traditionally get together on July 13 to enjoy a typical Barbecue and sing and dance all night long.
What wine will you find in this month’s Bottli box to celebrate Bastille Day at home?
For their July box to help you celebrate Bastille Day at home, Bottli have selected wines with “very French” names, funny French wine names from Australian & French vineyards but also from a French winemaker who came to Australia to make wine.
Nathalie says:
Château Fonsalade is one of the oldest in Saint-Chinian. It is located in the north-eastern part of the Languedoc region. The name has nothing to do with salad as you can imagine, but comes from the word «Font Salat» which means «the salt fountain» in Occitan. The fountain still exists and is used for the vineyard.
The nose of Petit Bonheur has beautiful notes of very mature red fruits (blackcurrant) and specific aromas such as light tobacco. With time, he will have touches of menthol and eucalyptus. On the palate, this spirited wine has a nice volume that coats a great tannic structure, resulting in a strong personality. The finish is really long and induces blackcurrant and blackberry aromas with spicy touches.
SPECIAL OFFER
Don’t hesitate « Pour le Plaisir”, offer yourself the “Creme de la Creme »
Bottli has a special offer for Bastille Day: 20% off your order!
Just enter the discount code JULY20
Jean-Francois Gavanon from Cyrano Wines says:
The national day is above all a festival which celebrates the Revolution and the motto of equality, liberty, fraternity. It takes place in the middle of Summer, and a public holiday on which we celebrate being French with pride.
The day is punctuated with traditional events organised in the cities and towns. Often a long lunchtime meal around long tables where we come together without necessarily knowing each other. The meal is simple and local.
In the evening, you often find yourself at the ball of the quartier or town. Music through the night which finishes with fireworks.
Generally, we drink local and quite simple wines. It’s not about a dégustation. A lot of sparkling wines are consumed but not necessarily champagne. A lot of regions make sparkling wines like crémants or blanquettes. Often crème de cassis is added to white wine to make a kir, which is called a kir “royal” when the white wine is sparkling.
SPECIAL OFFER
Until 19 July, Cyrano Wines is offering a discount of 15% on all of its wines and possibility of mixing whichever wines you want with a minimum order of 6 bottles. Cyrano carries sparkling wines from Limoux from the reputed winery of Antech. You can only make orders to get this discount by telephone on 0427 318 228.
All wines and their prices can be viewed at: www.cyranowines.com.au
To celebrate Bastille Day, DiscoverVin is highlighting their range of Champagne Jeeper. Of it, they tell us that:
“This incredible product ticks many boxes:
- sustainable certification (no artificial fertilisers or chemical sprays)
- low (or zero) dosage (i.e. low or zero added sugar)
- minimal sulphur
- unique packaging
- average 2 years in old oak barrels
- average 5 years resting on lees
It’s not just about the unique bottle shape (designed to reduce oxidisation and enable minimal use of sulphur), or the story of the Jeep given to the owner at the end of WWII. Champagne Jeeper produces elegant, award-winning, boutique grower Champagnes using sustainable production techniques with predominantly Chardonnay grapes. Parcels are skilfully blended to give the unique “Jeeper taste”. ”
DiscoverVin’s Craig says that their “favourite in the range is possibly, Champagne Jeeper Grand Rosé” which scored 4 stars (92 points) in Gourmet Wine Traveller. It also featured in Winestate Magazine Best of 2019 edition and received 4 stars.
It is the exclusive rosé Champagne of British Airways First Class Lounges.
SPECIAL OFFER
Use code 14JULY2020 to receive 15% discount on any of our range of award winning wines and off Jeeper Champagne. Offer expires midnight July 14th, 2020. Excludes sale items.
Discover Vin encourages you to “grab some bottles and either celebrate your freedom or if you are in Melbourne, cushion the lock-down with some affordable luxury from DiscoverVin!”
Good Pair Days have recently added some delicious bottles of Cremant de Jura from a new collaboration between two of the most famous families in the region, Tissot-Maire.
They say that this would be a great bottle to celebrate Bastille Day with!
In 2000 two families Michel Tissot and Henri Maire decided to collaborate to create special bottling from their shared region of Jura. With a focus on creating the best sparkling wines in the regions they solely produce several bottlings which range in styles. In recent times the success of these wines has seen the property acquired by the Boisset Family in Burgundy.
Created in accordance with the champagne method, based on Pinot Noir blended with Chardonnay and local Jura varieties. This wine spends over a year having a rest on its lees which adds a layer of nut and biscuit complexity. It’s drier in style with notes of honey, ripe apple and white flowers. Fully sparkling, balanced and thirst quenching, with a mineral-inflected finish.
For Bastille Day, Le Plonque proposes celebrating with bubbles!
Margot Dumas at Le Plonque says:
Bastille Day is the French National Day. It’s the day that marks our history as a Republic. So if there’s a bottle to be opened, it has to be champagne!
Le Plonque works with Champagne Remy Massin:
At Remy Massin, champagne has a family history. Situated in Ville-sur-Arce, in the heart of the Côte des Bar, the Rémy Massin & fils champagne house is the fruit of the passion of artisanal winemakers passed down over the centuries. In the quest of excellence, the 5th generation works on the earth and the vines with respect to create champagnes of character.
Le Plonque have a varied range of champagnes which includes:
-La cuvée tradition brut (half bottle)
-La cuvée Prestige : a prestige champagne at an affordable price
-Le Brut Rosé
-Le Brut Réserve : our classic
-La cuvée Louis Aristide : our top of the line
SPECIAL OFFER
Le Plonque currently has a promotion on the cuvée Prestige for $47.90 instead of $59.90
It received a gold medal at the Challenge International du Vin 2012
Buy it here: https://leplonque.com.au/champagne-remy-massin-cuvee-prestige/
Notes: It’s a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It is superb with foie gras, a dessert or even with a platter of cheese and fresh fruit.
SURVIVING PACK
Living Wines currently have a “Surviving Pack” of 6 wines for $180 with free shipping to most parts of Australia (all capital city metropolitan areas and most large regional centres).
In it you will find:
- Nicolas Carmarans IGP Aveyron Mauvais Temps 2016
- Samuel Boulay Rappapéo 2016
- Mylène Bru Far Ouest 2015
- Le Temps des Cerises Un Pas de Côté 2015
- Causse Marines Zacm’Orange 2018
- Laurent Lebled On est Su l’Sable 2018
Living Wines describes the wines as a bit of « Tour de France », mostly of regions which are lesser known in Australia – the Aveyron, Ardèche, Languedoc, Gaillac and Loire Valley.
Living Wines is also working on a “Lockdown Pack” to be only available in the Melbourne metro area some time this week.
HOW TO ORDER
You can order by sending Living Wines an email to [email protected] listing the wines you would like to buy or attach the order form and they will contact you by phone or email to process your order.
A special wine to celebrate Bastille Day
To celebrate the French National Day of 14 July, Mosaïque Wines recommends the Côtes-du-Rhône 2018 from Domaine Garon.
Of it, Thomas Gisbert of Mosaïque Wines says: “Being the middle of Winter here in Australia, we think that this wine with a Syrah and Grenache base will be the perfect accompaniment for your celebratory meal!”
SPECIAL OFFER
A discount of 10% on all orders until Sunday 19 July with the code BD20
Popsy & JJ have some Frenchy deals ready for you to celebrate Bastille Day at home:
French Duo Pack $54.90 RRP $83
It comprises:
Louis Max ‘Max’ Cotes-du-Rhone Syrah-Grenache 2018; and
Ruhlmann Alsace Pinot Blanc 2018
French Rosé Duo Pack $47.90 RRP $72
This pack comprises:
Chateau Haut-Maco Rosé 2018; and
La Perrière ‘La Petite Perrière‘ Pinot Noir Rosé 2018
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How are you going to celebrate Bastille Day this year?
