An Exquisite Night at Georges

Bart here. We had friends in from out of town, so my wife chose Georges French Bistro to catch up and share this wonderful Wichita icon with them.  I usually order one of the chicken dishes or partake in the fresh seafood options.  Tonight, however I thought I would try something different. I chose the Duck A’ L’Orange. It comes with two confit-prepared duck legs with house-made L’Orange sauce, served over sweet potato and carrot puree and white bean and pork sausage cassoulet. Using the by-the-glass menu to pair with this, I tried the 2022 Les Allies Pinot Noir from Burgundy France and the 2022 Submission Cabernet from 689 Cellars, Napa County, California.

The Les Allies Bourgogne is soft and well balanced.  It has dark cherry, fresh boysenberry, and vanilla notes with softer underbrush and mineral notes. On the palate, it is medium bodied with smooth tannins and a generous finish.

The Submission Cabernet leads with vanilla, cedar and oak spice. This is on a backdrop of dark ripe silky cherries and blueberries.  This, too, is a medium-bodied wine with slightly more prominent tannins that remain soft and round.  A wine that could be called delicious.

Confit refers to the process of storing and slow cooking in fat. The duck was beautifully presented and skillfully prepared.  It was very tender, rich, and savory with just a hint of sweetness. I was never a fan of wild game duck as it is generally too gamey.  Trust me, domestically raised duck is completely different and can be exquisite! Georges hits this one out of the park both visually and gastronomically.  I had to remind myself we had company.  Now, to the wines, and their ability to keep up.  

First up is the lighter Pinot Noir/Bourgogne from Les Allies.  The rich duck dish I felt was a little too much for the wine, reducing it to sweeter simpler cherries. While it should have been great with poultry, the richness of the duck was just too much.

Next up was the Submission Cabernet, and it not only held its own, it played beautifully against the bold duck flavors.  The prominent wood character of the wine and savory richness of the duck allowed smooth transitions throughout dinner.  Not a tug-of-war, but a graceful duet.  A duo that should not be missed.   This wine will also likely pair very well with the offered beef dishes as well.   Get out and enjoy the fine food and wine parings in Wichita.