Alpine Vino – High Mountain Fine Dining
My friend Holly from Whister and I took the gondola up from Mountain Village to the top of the tram. We then transferred to a cute red snowcat that would take us up even higher. The cat was filled with people from all over the country, most all were long time returning guests to Telluride. We chatted the entire way up and by the time we got to Alpino Vino, we were all close friend. We exited the cat and were welcomed with a tall sparky glass of  Prosecco. Alpino Vino, is one of Telluride’s top dining experiences. It is a cozy mountain chalet, replete with crackling fireplace. The cuisine is Northern Italian and they have a price fix meal. We started with a delicious Bruschetta paired with Prosecco from the Veneto (yay – more Prosecco!), then moved to Ravioli with Pear and Gorgonzola served with Friuli. Next came a tomato consume with a poached quail egg. For the main course, I chose the Petit Rack of Lamb medium rare with a mint basil pesto that was served with a super Tuscan from Bolgheri. Does life get any better? Desert was an assortment of Italian cheeses served with truffle honey and a glass of Tawny Port. It was pure gastronomic perfection. Our server Andrew, also the manager, was an expert in the cuisine and wines of this Northern Italian region and his passion for this came through every time he presented a course. We had a big ski day ahead, so after sitting by the fire and drinking a Grappa, we bundled up and headed out. We rode back down in the cat, took the gondola back to our comfy digs at the Mountain Lodge – Telluride and were dead asleep the second our heads hit the pillow.