Alta Restaurant & Wine Bar Hosts 38th Wine Dinner
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Aurelien Telle, left, co-owner of Alta in Lenox, said the restaurant's goal is to find the best local produce and serve it with reasonable prices. |
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LENOX, Mass. — Alta Restaurant & Wine Bar hosts its 38th wine dinner this Wednesday.
It was the first in the Berkshires to put on regular, monthly wine dinners and may be the only restaurant to continue doing them.
The series has become so popular its difficult to get a seat at the French-American restaurant.
"Last month, we were 63. People sat everywhere, even at the bar," said co-owner Aurelien Telle.
It isn't surprising.
The dinners began in 2009, less than a year after the restaurant opened. Alta has been creating these little festivities six or seven times a year since from October through spring.
The first few wine dinners were held in Alta's back room for two or three dozen guests. They now sell out to between 50 and 65 lovers of fine food, wine and wine education.
Reservations are a must. The sooner, the better.
Alta owners Telle and Stephan Ferioli went "all out" for its first dinner, Telle said. "We decided to go with five courses and five wines for only $55 per person. Wine dinners usually range between $80 to $100, but not at Alta."
"As usual," he went on, "we will still be using the best ingredients and will have some wonderful wines."
On Wednesday, Spirited owner James Nejaime has handselected Rhone wines from the Eric Solomon Imports collection. Adam Wilson will be Eric Solomon's wine ambassador and guest speaker.
A few surprises also planned, Telle said.
Chef Ben Daire said he creates his menu by first sitting down with Telle and his staff to taste the chosen wines.
The December dinner will start with a fish course — seared rouget (red mullet) served with an olive tapenade, ratatouille and chorizo oil — paired with Michel Gassier Nostre Pais Blanc 2013. The fish will be followed by a pasta course of porcini agnolotti or wild mushrooms stuffed into a half moon of pasta sauced with butternut cream garnished with toasted almonds and paired with Michel Gassier, Cercius Rouge, 2011.
The main course features quail prepared two ways and served with figs, raisins, crispy polenta and a kale salad; the wine pairing will be Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas, 2011.
The cheese course will be a Berkshire Blue cheese muffin with walnut and arugula paired with Domaine Colliere Rasteau La Fontaine, 2012. And dessert will be a white chocolate mousse with a pink peppercorn tuile and mango coulis paired with Chateau Tirecul Les Pins Monbazillac, 2012.
The menu highlights the creativity, the originality of Daire, Telle and Nejaime.
Even on a cold evening last month, the restaurant was packed with stylish diners of all ages, including local business people, reed-thin young women, trendy families including grandparents. All looked to be enjoying themselves.
Walk-ins without reservations had at least a 45-minute wait.
The busy kitchen turned out countless platters of seared duck breast with salty caramel sauce which Daire had simmered for five hours. Delicious!
"It's our most popular entrée," he said.
Seared beef tenderloin au jus with porcini mushroom butter, sweet potatoes and mushrooms on a bed of freshly wilted baby spinach was also popular that night. As were the four seafood entrees: trout, salmon, cod and shrimp.
As Alta is a wine bar and has many wines by the glass, suggested entrée pairings are offered on the menu. Or maitre'd Raphael Gimbert or Telle will be happy to help with wine choices.
The salads have always been particularly good, unusual and change with the season. Right now, of note are the Mediterranean salad of tomatoes, golden raisins, feta cheese and heaps of toasted pistachios on a bed of Romaine lettuce with creamy Champagne dressing; the Alta salad of endive and arugula with oranges and sunflower seeds in a maple vinaigrette; and the quinoa salad on arugula with carrots, golden raisins, feta cheese, hazelnuts and a fresh mint vinaigrette. Both salads offer satisfying, uncommon flavors and textures.
Daire has been Alta's chef for three years. He and Telle agree on their approach to food.
"We use as much local, wild and organic produce as we can," Telle said. "We do everything from scratch or find producers who work like that.
"Our goal is to use the best produce we can get and serve it as cheaply as we can. We're really a casual restaurant. I don't want to do anything stuffy. I want everything to be nice and a little bit fun, sometimes."
Lunch is a simpler meal of soup, salads, sandwiches, wraps, quesadillas, mussels and an omelet and a stew of the day. All prepared by Daire himself with the same kitchen staff as dinnertime.
Alta's wine dinners are a prime example of Telle's philosophy. And, with Daire's experienced French-leaning Mediterranean sensibility, Berkshire casual blends comfortably with fine dining.
Tags: dining event, fine dining, restaurant, wine,
