After departing from a disappointing hockey tournament in Massachusetts, my husband and I were in need of a nourishing meal, consoling drinks and good cheer. We made a quick detour on our trip back to NY and stopped off in Bennington VT to settle in for a cozy evening at Allegro Ristorante. From his rabbit and ricotta meatballs to his seasonally fresh grilled ramps, Owner and Executive Chef Geoffrey Klose focuses his rustic Italian and innovative contemporary American menu on sustainable and locally sourced ingredients. In addition to her phenomenal sommelier skills, his wife and Co-owner Anna is knowledgeable, warm and hospitable, offering personal attention to each and every table. Over the years Anna has taught me countless things about wine, so I enthusiastically waited to see what bottle she would pick out for me and the story behind it. She emerged from her extensive cellar that is centered on small, artisanal wineries with a bottle of Pasquale Pelissero Dolcetto D’Alba 2010.
Pasquale Pelissero is a tiny family owned winery started by Papa Pasquale in his garage. Since his death in 2007 his daughter Ornella has carried on the family tradition of farming sustainably and doing everything by hand. The cellar sits picturesquely on the top of a hill, completely surrounded by the vineyard and is visited quite often by tourists and fellow wine producers alike.
