On a hill overlooking downtown Truckee, with panoramic views of the Sierra, sits a grand building that began life in the 1800s as a ski lodge. For the past 30 years, this icon has housed one of Truckee-Tahoe’s favorite wine and dine spots, Cottonwood Restaurant. Long-time Cottonwood fans and new owners Kathie and Robert Green have retained the great bones and beloved artifacts here while adding some new life with fresh paint inside and out in the original colors, remodeled bathrooms, and a new kitchen in the near future (see Tasty Tidbits in this issue). On a recent, cool autumn evening, as the sparkling lights of downtown Truckee came to life from the deck, my fiancé and I were especially grateful for another of Cottonwood’s new features – a cadre of outdoor heaters that made the old days of shivering on the deck just a chilly memory.
Radicchio Salad and Wine Line up
The kitchen at Cottonwood is a family affair with executive chef David Smith and pastry chef and wife Michelle creating menus that offer both the classic and the cutting edge. On the wine side, new wine director Ganga Das Welch brings a commitment to keep old favorites and add adventurous, new selections.
Scallop Appetizer
We asked Welch to create pairings for our party and he started our experience with the 2013 Brocard Chablis, $38, paired with the grilled radicchio salad with roasted peppers, pine nuts, goat cheese and a pesto drizzle. Authentic Chablis is Chardonnay like no other, with palpable minerality, and bright citrus and tart green apple flavors. The salad featured local products from Tahoe Food Hub that matched the energy and flavors of the wine.
Next, Welch threw a curve ball with the 2012 Les Brugueres Grenache Blanc, $54, a rare, skin-fermented white wine from Spain. With a full body and a slight salinity complementing the white peach and hazelnut flavors, this wine was just the ticket with the pan-seared scallops napped in kefir lime buerre-blanc accompanied by fresh cilantro micro greens.
The main course wine was the rich and earthy 2013 Mauritson Rockpile Zinfandel, $65. Sous Chef Michael Gelinas, he of the big smile and personality to match, served a Waygu steak with pommes frites and Béarnaise sauce. The Rockpile is a wine full of sarsaparilla and damson plum flavors that had the complexity, backbone and brightness to complement the rich beef, crisp fries and velvety Béarnaise.
Moving forward, the Greens are committed to continue Cottonwood’s tradition of top-notch food, wine and service, as well as providing an environment in which their employees can prosper. If our experience is any indication, they are right on target.
Cottonwood is located at 10142 Rue Hilltop Road in Truckee. For more information or to make a reservation, call (530) 587-5711 or visit cottonwoodrestaurant.com.
Lou Phillips is a Level 3 Advanced Sommelier and his consulting business WineProwest.com assists in the selling, buying and managing wine collections. He may be reached at (775) 544-3435 or lou@wineprowest.com. Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com for more wine columns.
