The parish of Westmoreland may not be regarded as a place for premier fine dining, but tucked away on Negril’s seven-mile coastline is Le Vendomé, Charela Inn’s in-house restaurant, serving up a French wine list that can be appreciated by winos worldwide.

On Saturday, July 23, Francophiles enjoyed the miniature version of France’s Bastille celebrations with an exclusive wine tasting class conducted by wine consultant Mona Blake of Jamaica Wine Club, a subscription membership club that educates wine enthusiasts about the history of wine.

Guests were schooled on the ‘5Ss’ of wine tasting, in the French region while sampling complimentary pairings courtesy of Le Vendomé and CPJ.

“As a wine enthusiast and collector, I want to educate, from the health benefits of drinking wine to the different regions to how to store wine and the temperature, etc,” Mona Blake of Jamaica Wine Club shared with Our Today during an exclusive interview.

As we sat down for the exclusive wine tasting class, here was the menu:

• Le Vendomé’s fruity Moment de plaise rosé complemented the seafood vol-au-vent puff pastry exceptionally.
• Le Vendomé’s Syrah Le Gazelles brought out the sweetness of the caramelised onions in the onion tart.
• CPJ’s Hobnob Merlot served with paté en croute made a perfect pair.
• Le Vendomé’s full-bodied Pinot Noir enhanced the flavours of Le Vendomé’s signature grilled lamb chops.
• CPJ’s Hobnob Pinot Noir enhanced the sweetness in the chocolate profiteroles
• CPJ’s George’s Debeuf chardonnay with hints of vanilla was a match made in heaven with Le Vendomé’s famous banana flambé.

Chas E. Ramson served guests Elle & Vire yoghurt throughout the day while their Evian sparkling and still water served as a palette cleanser.

“It was an amazing experience being taken through the journey of the origins of French wine and how they transformed the flavour of the cuisine served on the menu. They were some delightful surprises.” wine enthusiast and international human rights lawyer Chris Harper told Our Today.

The day ended with an unveiling of a tribute painting by Mandeville artist Dante Edwards, a relative of the owners at Charela Inn.

Then a sunset paint and sip experience guided by a popular local artist Bug Art Savage.

Curated by LuxuryJa’s Kesi Gardner, “France is the country of fine gastronomy and the world’s leader of fine wine. Charela Inn is a little paradise in Negril celebrating French classic cuisine. We’re so happy to connect the dots for many wine enthusiasts who are interested in learning more about the dynamism of French culture.”