Red by Joseph Puig

Photo by 2941

Again referring to my recent dinner at 2941 in Falls Church, I wanted to put in a good word about one of the most engaging sommeliers I've encountered in the Washington area, Jonathan Schuyler.

He took the time to discuss our wine choice at length. After I asked him for a less expensive wine than his initial recommendation of a Priorat grenache to accompany our duck, lamb, pasta and halibut entrees, he immediately went to this wine and explained exactly why. Puig had been one of the master winemakers in Priorat and upon retirement started to have some fun with own wines, using grapes just outside the delimitation of Priorat. This wine was half the price of the Priorat and a steal for the quality it offered.

In general, the wine list a 2941 offered a great mix of price and regions. That, combined with un-pushy and un-condescending (you see I don't have a great opinion of sommeliers) assistance from a real expert passionate about his cellar, adds immensely to the overall dining experience and could tip the scale in making that long trek out to Falls Church again.