Familiar, yet always innovative
The lines of food and wine are always intersecting, and in the best of circumstances they do so in wonderful ways. For most wine lovers it is just impossible to reflect on their favorite food and dining experiences and not factor in that bottle they had that paired perfectly. A recent restaurant experience just cemented this notion for me, and I think will do so who make the worthwhile trip to visit this great venue.
Tony’s on the Lake is a regular destination for many in our community and for many more who summer here. On the long warm summer nights there is a floating traffic jam off their dock from all the folks trying to get a parking spot for their boats big and small. There is a certain romance about boating to dinner that is undeniable. Come fall, though, the crowds thin a bit, land-based parking is easier, and outdoor dining moves indoors near the cozy fireplace, and the restaurant fills with friends and neighbors. The food at Tony’s is always creative and innovative, and in short delicious.
The service is attentive especially in the fall when the crowds are smaller more local and the staff has time to spend tableside. I am always impressed not only that so many of the folks at Tony’s know our names but also they remember small but meaningful details like the bottle of wine I ordered the last time I dined. Owners Paul and Bonnie D’Alessandro create a welcoming atmosphere that is lovely, and from ownership all the way down, the organization is gracious.
For wine consumers, here is the best part! The wine list is deep and expansive with Italian selections focused on Northern Italy, where the family roots are firmly planted. From Piedmont to Tuscany and up to Friuli, choices abound in both by the glass selections and on the bottle list. While domestic selections from the Northwest and California are available, the old world style of dining is to have wines that pair well with dishes from that region. Tony’s does this perfectly, with Northern Italian cuisine and wines that span the Northern appellations.
In whites, they not only have Vementino by the glass — along with a great Prosecco, but they also have Arneis, and Gavi di Gavi, and some of the richest Pinot Grigio I have found most anywhere, all by the bottle. This includes one of my personal favorites, the Damilano Arneis, which we have here on the shelf. Wine markups are very fair and consistent.
In reds, some of my very favorite appellations and producers from Italy are peppered throughout their list. Querciabella Mongrana, a super Tuscan blend from this great producer, is the only wine we have kept on the shelf at the dinner party every year since we opened the shop. The wine is wonderful. The folks at Tony’s must agree, as I have never been there when it was not available.
Just recently on a trip to Tony’s with a large group, I tried the Barbera d’Alba from Pio Cesare. Barbera grows predominantly in Piedmont, the mountainous appellation north of Milan. Primarily around the towns of Alba and Asti, the wine known as “the Pinot Noir of Italy” is a great food wine that pairs with many dishes. It is one of those new and innovative choices to me that tipped me off to the need to put it on the shelf, which I did.
Other old favorites like the 642 super Tuscan from Badiola and the Zaccagnini Montepulciano are regularly on the list, and really shine when paired with the always creative daily specials. The Italian experience continues after dinner with a wide array of Grappa, a lovely limoncello and my personal favorite Vin Santo. Vin Santo is a sweet fortified dessert wine that goes best with biscotti, the almond-flavored cookies that are a truly great treat when dipped in the Vin Santo.
From now until New Year’s Eve when Tony’s closes for the season is a great time to take the drive out East Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive and visit one of our great local restaurants, where the mood is relaxed and the food and wine pair perfectly. Go deep into this creative Italian wine list and try some new things. The staff will help guide you and the experience will be memorable.
If there is a topic you would like to read about, or if you have questions on wine, you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com, or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d’Alene Press.
George Balling is co-owner (with his wife Mary Lancaster) of the dinner party, a wine and tabletop décor shop by Costco in Coeur d’Alene. George has also worked as a judge in many wine competitions, and his articles are published around the country. You can learn more about the dinner party at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com. You can get all of these articles and other great wine tips by friending us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop.