schiller-wine: Lunch at Restaurant Claude Darroze, 1 Star Michelin, in Langon, with Jean-Charles Darroze

Picture: Lunch at Restaurant Claude Darroze, 1 Star Michelin, in Langon, with Jean-Charles Darroze

Following the visit of Château Climens, Sauternes 1er Cru Classé, and ahead of the visit of Château de Chantegrive, Grave, we had a wine pairing lunch at Restaurant Claude Darroze in Langon. Restaurant Claude Darroze has 1 star in the Michelin Guide.

Pictures: Restaurant Claude Darroze in Langon, 1 Star Michelin

Restaurant Claude Darroze in Langon

The restaurant is an ancient stage coach stop in the center of a typical French very laid back country village in the heart of vineyard country Sauternes and Graves. The cuisine of Claude Darroze concentrates on the traditions of France’s South-West region with a sophisticated twist, and every single bite is a culinary delight.

Pictures: Lunch at Restaurant Claude Darroze, 1 Star Michelin, in Langon, with Jean-Charles Darroze

Michelin Guide: This lovely provincial inn with discreet charm perpetuates the traditions of the cuisine of southwest France and serves it with good Bordeaux wines (there are some 600 different bottles). The little extras are worth noting, such as the pleasant terrace beneath the plane trees and the bright, spruce rooms.

Pictures: Lunch at Restaurant Claude Darroze, 1 Star Michelin, in Langon, with Jean-Charles Darroze

Gault Millau: Une maison de famille depuis quatre générations, aujourd’hui sous la direction de Jean-Charles et Annelie Darroze, qui ont su s’entourer comme il le fallait (en salle, en cuisine) pour conserver à cette institution sa place dans le peloton de tête du canton. La carte évolue gentiment vers plus de modernité tout en conservant une solide assise classique, avec le thon rouge juste snacké pimientos del piquillo piperade d’oignons doux, le pigeon ragoût de petits pois mousseline de carotte fane et la tomate green zebra en dessert, associée à de la fraise, du kiwi et du balsamique blanc. Bonne formule « bistronomique » à 32 € au déjeuner.

Sébastien Putcrabey and David Delieuvin are running the kitchen, under the supervision of Jean-Charles Darroze: Notre cuisine, pleine de saveurs et de gourmandise s'appuie sur des produits de saison et de grande qualité. Nous nous évertuons chaque jour à vous faire partager notre passion et nos émotions, tout en conservant ce que nos parents nous ont transmis, le gout de l'authenticité.

Claude et Marie-Pierre Darozze founded Claude Darroze in 1974 and were in charge until 2010. In 2010, their son Jean-Charles Darroze took over, with his wife Annelie.

The Darroze family

Claude and Jean-Charles Darroze are part of a well-known family of hotel and restaurant owners and Armagnac producers and traders in the Southwest of France. The roots of the Darroze family are in Villeneuve-de-Marsan at the Relais Restaurant and Hotel, which opened in 1895 and was run by the Darroze family for 4 generations (until it closed in 1999). The last chef at the Relais was Francis Darroze, who took over from Jean Darroze, a highly respected chef of the local Landaise cuisine.

Over the years, while running the family restaurant and hotel, Francis Darroze started to get into the Armagnac trade. He developed a talent for hidden treasures in little, out of reach, unknown estates. These first discoveries date back to the 1950s and 1960s. In 1974, Francis Darroze constructed a cellar specifically dedicated to aging and started his business as a trader and producer of vintage Bas-Armagnacs.

His son Marc, a trained oenologist, joined his father to follow in his footsteps in 1996. Today, Marc Darroze is a most respected Armagnac trader and producer. Robert Parker dubbed him ‘The Pope of Armagnac’. Marc learnt his craft from his father Francis and his famous, chef-restaurateur grandfather Jean Darroze.

Robert Parker: I cannot claim to have tasted all the finest Bas-Armagnacs, but I know of no one who makes finer Bas Armagnac than Darroze. All his Armagnacs are unblended from single vineyards from a single vintage. He is considered the “Pope of Armagnacs”… You haven’t tasted real old style Armagnacs until you try one of these incredibly intense, fiery creations. The aromas are undeniably heady, but deliver powerful yet complex scents of vanillin, leather, sauteed almonds, and hickory. Extremely full bodied and intense, the remarkable amount of fruit these Armagnacs possess and the astonishing richness they have set them apart from just about any other brandy on the market

Hélène Darroze, Marc‘s sister, left the Southwest and has three Michelin stars and three restaurants: Hélène Darroze at the Connaught in London, Restaurant Hélène Darroze in Paris and Moscow.

To come back to Claude Darroze, at the peak, he had 2 Michelin stars. Finally, Claude‘s brother Alain Darroze was at some point the private chef of the French President.

The Lunch

We had the lunch menu of the day.

Pictures: The Lunch Menu

Prélude gourmand

Prélude gourmand

Marbré de foie gras en Fines Strates

Thon Rouge Juste Snacke

Volaille Fermière

Barre Framboise & Pistache

Mignardises Maison

The Lunch Wines

We had 3 wines.

Armagnac Darozze

Lunch at Lunch at Restaurant Claude Darroze, 1 Star Michelin, in Langon, with Marie-Hélène Lévêque, owner of Châteaux Chantegrive

The year before, we also had lunch at Restaurant Claude Darroze during the Bordeaux Tour by ombiasyPR & WineTours, but in the lovely garden and with Marie-Hélène Lévêque, owner of Châteaux Chantegrive and her world-class wines. See: Wine-pairing Lunch at the 1-star Michelin Restaurant Claude Darroze, with Marie-Hélène Lévêque, Owner of Châteaux Chantegrive - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France