Fans of the palatial charm of the Gilded Age may find themselves visiting the historic estates dotting the Northeastern U.S. One such estate, found in Lenox, Mass., is the Wheatleigh Hotel. Established in 1893 as a country home, the Italianate mansion houses a 19-room luxury hotel that matches the scenic grandeur of its Berkshires surroundings, offering a sumptuous experience for food and wine lovers at its restaurant, the Portico at Wheatleigh.
Awarded Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence in 1989, the wine list highlights red and white Burgundy, California Cabernet and Bordeaux blends, with 850 selections and a 6,500-bottle cellar. Wine director Alan Champney manages a robust wine program, which includes nearly 25 wines by the glass; the restaurant’s Tasting Tuesdays feature pairing menus from chef Jeffery Thompson.
Chef Thompson crafts American-inflected, French cuisine across his prix-fixe and tasting menus, with dishes such as fricassee with black truffle, sunchoke gratin with squash and broccolini and pork rillette with kohlrabi, red cabbage and rutabaga. The dining room has just eight tables, so book ahead.
