Wine dinners are the coup de grace for any fine restaurant. More time and energy is devoted to these special events than for any other kind of service at a great restaurant. As much as the staff takes pride in treating every guest as well as possible every day, it is the wine dinner format that really gives them a chance to shine.
Having orchestrated and eaten at countless wine dinner events, I wanted to highlight some area restaurants that consistently deliver an exceptional experience so you will know where to head the next time you are in the mood for something special.
Some of these events are semi-formal and cost $200 or more per person, but are worth every penny. Others are far more casual, cost $40-$50 per person, and can be a great way to spend a relaxing evening of food paired with wine, beer, or even sake.
Regardless of whether your preferences or pocket book lead you to the elegant or the laid back, the following restaurants provide amazing wine dinner experiences time after time:
(DISCLAIMER: I have indeed worked for a couple of the following companies in the past, but have no ties or affiliations and am not receiving any compensation from said companies for choosing to include them below. The list is created based on quality and value alone.)
Bartolotta Restaurant Group
Joe Bartolotta has been doing a lot of things right for a lot of years. When it comes to wine dinners, no one does it better than his Director of Operations, John Wise. John has an eye for the details that make the difference in each dinner's theme. Couple that with the Bartolotta's James Beard Award winning Executive Chef, Adam Siegel, and a deep history with many great producers and winemakers, and you are guaranteed a good time. With such diversely themed restaurants, Bartolotta's is able to hold many different great dinners.
Lake Park Bistro, 3133 E. Newberry Blvd., has been the site of amazing and refined top Growth Bordeaux Dinners such as Chateau Angelus, Chateau Haut Brion and Chateau Lynch Bages. When you get the chance to meet the personnel responsible for some of the most prestigious wine in the world, how can you pass that up?
Ristorante Bartolotta has hosted many a famed Italian winemaker for dinner, as well as events like their annual White Truffle Dinner. A bit more rustic and just a touch more laid back than Lake Park, but wonderfully executed.
Bacchus, 925 E. Wells St., has the luxury of having a wine list and menu from all over the world. Here John Wise has jumped at the chance to focus on California Winemaker dinners the likes of Duckhorn and Far Niente. More modern and elegant in feel, but every bit as centered and focused as Lake Park and Ristorante.
Upcoming events:
First Growth Bordeaux Winemaker Dinner
Erwan le Brozec of Chateau Mouton
Rothschild, Pauillac
May 12, 2009
Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro (414) 962-6300
Wisconsin Brewmaster Dinner
Drink Local!
Dan and Deb Carey
Owners, New Glarus Brewing Co.
June 5, 2009 $65 per person, plus tax and gratuity
Bacchus - A Bartolotta Restaurant (414) 765-1166
Canine and Wine Dinner
Bring your pooch to this event!
Dr. Kent Rosenblum
Owner, Rosenblum Cellars, California
July 19, 2009 $85 per person, plus tax and gratuity
($20 goes to Wisconsin Humane Society)
The Tent at Pier Wisconsin (414) 765-8610
Dream Dance at Potawatomi Bingo Casino
Chef Jason Gorman probably has the most creative culinary mind in the city. The complex and sometimes unorthodox creations are consistently terrific. Dream Dance, 1721 W. Canal St., has also been able to garner some amazing winemakers to host many great dinners. The highlight of all these dinners, which I at one time claimed and still hold to be true, was the greatest wine dinner Milwaukee has ever seen -- Domaine LeRoy.
With seasoned Milwaukee sommelier, Peter Donahue, and Chef Gorman creating new menus, the upcoming events are definitely worth attending.
Upcoming events:
Tuesday May 12
Wine Maniacs Wine Dinner
5 courses of food and wine
$70 per person
6 p.m. reception/wine tasting
6:30 p.m. dinner
Thursday May 21
Frogs Leap Wine Dinner
Featuring Winemaker John Williams
5 courses of food and wine
6 p.m. Arrival
6:30 p.m. Dinner
Price TBD
Nanakusa
Hands down the freshest fish in Milwaukee, owner Richard Kaiser oversees Chef Ian Somerville as he creates amazing Japanese degustational delights. Nanakusa, 408 E. Chicago St., takes a little bit more informal and yet traditional Japanese serving approach to wine dinners. One of the other things that make wine or sake dinners here special, is that the wines are paired in tandem for each successive course. For example, a second wine is brought out halfway during the first course to compliment it in a different way than the first wine. This second wine becomes the first of two wines for the second course and so on. This adds a whole new intricate dimension and is amazing to try. If you join the "sushi society" you will be privy to all the great Sake Dinners and Wine Dinners like the one below.
Upcoming event:
Japanese Beer Dinner
featuring Japanese micro brewers Hitachino and Baird
Tentatively scheduled for July 15th, 2009
(414) 223-3200
Comet Café
Comet Café, 1947 N. Farwell Ave., is the dark horse addition to this list. Even though Comet serves up terrific brunch, great lunch and fun dinners in an ultra casual café/bar atmosphere, Chef Adam Lucks lets guests get a glimpse of his culinary past every now and then. Adam (he doesn't like the formality of "Chef") is actually classically French trained. He even interned at North Pond, a three-star French Restaurant in Chicago. Although not very well publicized because of their immediate popularity, the Comet Secret Supper Club dinners are recurring events not to miss. Adam creates amazing and inspired dishes paired with either beer or wine, depending on your preference. This is a super fun time, and if you want a great meal without all the fancy clothes, make your reservations early for the next Secret Supper Club.
Comet's upcoming event:
Secret Supper Club
An absurdly delicious evening at Comet!
We go fine-dining with a 5-course tasting menu.
Each course is paired with your choice of beer or wine.
Tickets $65
Date is TBD
(414) 273-7677
Balzac
Although Balzac, 1716 N Arlington Pl., is most thought of as a wine bar, they serve some tasty food, too. The style is more tapas oriented, with a nice selection of cheeses. On a regular night, you will want to order several small plates to make your meal, but on occasion they do full dinners with wine pairings as well. Just last month, they featured the wines of Plantagenet from Western Australia. If you want a wine dinner that makes a mission of taking the pomp and circumstance out of traditional wine and food dinners, make sure to check out their next event.
Upcoming event:
The "Finger-Lickin' Chicken & Mighty Fine Wine Supper," sponsored by OnMilwaukee.com
6 p.m., Tuesday, May 12
$40/person (the event is limited to 75 people and seats are filling fast).
(414) 755-0099
There are always new events around the corner at these, and other great restaurants around the city. A great way to hear about upcoming events is to subscribe to the OnMilwaukee.com Daily Digest.
Comments:
There have undoubtedly been many other amazing wine dinners at other great restaurants that I have not mentioned here. Feel free to use the Talkback feature to mention the notable ones you have attended.
After three weeks, we have had some great comments on a variety of topics from the readers, but now that we have started to get this column moving, let's see what direction you want to take it.
A couple of questions for you:
What are some of your favorite establishments in Milwaukee to get a good glass of wine and why?
What are some juicy tidbits (pun intended) that you have always wanted to know about wine in general, but have never been able to ask?
As always, if you prefer to see yourself in print, please feel free to utilize the Talkback feature. If you prefer to volunteer your opinions safe from the scrutiny of your fellow readers, please e-mail me at your leisure.
I look forward to your comments.
