AUTHOR: ARTSY CHOW ROAMER

Pick of the Month:

TRATTORIA DI MONTALUCE

Whenever I’m wanting a taste of Italy in my own backyard, I head up to Montaluce Winery in the beautiful hills of Dahlonega. It’s the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the views with a bottle of their wine and some great choices of small plates, brunch, lunch or dinner.

The architecture follows that of any small Tuscan village around Italy with the red clay tiled roofs, stone walls and high ceilings with elegant chandeliers. The grounds are so beautiful with rows of grapevines, ponds, lush landscaping and tall trees creating lovely shady spots to enjoy the breezes.

SOME HISTORY

The original building opened with a gracious tasting room, dining room, event spaces and outdoor patio. The general manager, Matthew Garner, was brought on to help build and maintain every aspect of the big project that included villa rentals and some very special residences.

It was an ambitious vision for sure and there were times of struggle but the ship righted itself. The soil and weather conditions in Georgia make for a longer growing season with grapes that provide strength, complex flavor and aromas. Their award-winning wines are produced in their own in-house winery at the farm making them one of the top three in the state.

two restaurant choices

While the restaurant in the main house is wonderful, in 2021, they opened the Trattoria di Montaluce kust next door and that is where we headed on a lovely Sunday afternoon to check it out.

Stepping inside the cozy dining room, you smell the heavenly aromas of Italian herbs and warm bread from the large orange pizza ovens on full view in the open kitchen. The staff regularly look up and call out welcomes to arrivals like you’re a regular they recognize.

Several big screens around the bar show soccer, golf and other sporting events from around Europe which makes it a great spot to gather and catch a few games with a beer or signature cocktail. The place was already pretty full inside and the outdoor dining and patio were packed when we got there.

COCKTAILS & FIRST COURSEs

There’s a lot on the menu which will take you a bit to get through. Trust me, anything you choose will be traditional and just like your Nonna would make. You will want a drink of course as the bartenders are super. A wide flat body glass choice on the traditional martini with three stuffed blue cheese olives was a big success while a negroni in a short glass filled the bill nicely for my husband; both pretty and delicious.

My suggestion is to begin with a shared bowl of pasta fagioli soup or a classic Cesare salad. We chose the latter, and it was excellent in a way you just don’t get in other restaurants. The art of the perfect dressing of the crisp fresh greens with the salty flavors of anchovy and shaved parmesan is harder to get right than you might think.

Bread service comes with a sharing of veal and pork meatballs that are very light, creamy and packed with herb flavoring of rosemary and garlic. The tasty bread is the perfect dipping vessel for the marinara love on the bottom of the bowl. You will be in the clean plate club when you send it back!

SECOND COURSE

As most of you know, I am a pasta gal and I had to try at least one course. Staying simple is always rule number one for the true test of the best Italian kitchens. Carbonara with guanciale, cage free eggs, salt, pepper and parmesan with a light herb sprinkle was so delicious I hogged most of it for myself instead of sharing like a good girl should.

They are making their own pasta, and it is very apparent. If you want a heavier choice I would go for the pappardelle al ragu with beef and pork. There is a clean Amatriciana and tagliolini di mare with squid ink pasta, clams and shrimp. Simple classics that are sure to please.

Pasta not your thing? Go with the pizza. Those ovens are putting out some wonderful crispy crust on the thinner side in twelve different combinations from margherita to salmon lox. Want to make your own? They offer over twenty different toppings and bases to add to your pie.

There are a number of secondi choices should you have the room for them. Tuscan style short ribs, chicken parm, lasagna and whole roasted sea bass to name a few can easily be shared. If you just want to nosh with your wine, there are three different choices of mercato on a board served with fruit, breadsticks, nuts and house-made jam.

dessert

We don’t always have room for dessert, but the waiter gave us our choices and we thought we had to try a luscious ganache chocolate number that was drizzled with two kinds of sauce with fresh berries on top. Served with a little cream on the side, it was rich and just as light as you would expect a European dessert to be.

after lunch

As families lingered to enjoy their Sunday meals, many were sipping glasses of grappa with a small espresso on the side. We joined in and found the grappa to be the best we’ve had since visiting Italy. The espresso was fresh as well which can often be stale from lack of ordering in other restaurants. When you hear people speaking Italian, you know you are in the right place.

STUFF TO DO

Montaluce is obviously a destination experience but not just for weddings by far. The villa rentals offer a way to stay for a luxury weekend sleeping up to six and coming in at $350-$500 a night. Styled shoots for the photographers in your group are on offer as well as fly fishing, wine hikes with gourmet picnics and Chef’s Table meals with five delicious courses. Don’t forget that Dahlonega offers beautiful mountains, waterfalls, shopping and their own restaurants to explore.

CONCLUSION

I think you can see why Montaluce is one of our favorite places to visit. It’s perfect for a five-star weekend getaway with friends, a romantic wedding spot, the perfect brunch choice and the best Italian trattoria experience around. You can dress it up or dress it down. You’ve got lots of choices. Go make them!

If you enjoyed what you read, you might also enjoy other posts under Edible Fare. There you will find restaurant reviews, recipes, foodie tips and best spots to eat in a variety of cities. I also put emphasis on food experiences in my travel posts under Explore the World. Until next time…

Cheers!

ArtsyChowRoamer

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