Wine cellars have long been all the rage. But why not let someone else do the cooking and throw a culinary celebration for all the oenophiles in your life? Here are four terrific private wine rooms where you can turn any occasion into something extraordinary.
GABRIELE’S
The lighting in the wine room of GABRIELE’S STEAKHOUSE is magical, gently illuminating the onyx dining table and floor-to-ceiling wine racks lining the walls. Customize your own food and wine event, or choose one of the six party menus for a night to remember with up to twenty-eight guests. Gabriele’s offers four- or five-course wine dinners throughout the year.
NAPA & CO.
Back in the day, Napa & Co. of Stamford included a tiny wine store, which was soon converted to the WINE CLOSET, an engaging spot where groups of two to ten eat at an antique pine table surrounded by racks of wine. There are minimums for the room—breakfast, $75; lunch, $200; dinner, $500—and you can either order off the menu or create a special tasting of your own.
WASHINGTON PRIME
Washington Prime’s PARTY ROOM in Norwalk offers a gorgeous view of the water and the Maritime Aquarium, plus a seventy-inch flatscreen that is WiFi-, AppleTV- and Smart TV-ready, making it the perfect vehicle for presentations, photo collages and videos. The room capacity is twenty-four seated, thirty-five standing, and tables and the menu can be configured to meet your needs.
VALBELLA
More than 10,000 wine bottles encased in mahogany racks embellish the walls of VALBELLA’S WINE ROOM, making this a mecca for wine lovers. But there’s more: A roaring fireplace and heated granite dining table ensure a party here will be memorable. You and your guests can order from the menu or design a customized dinner to appeal to your party of six to sixteen.
Photographs: corks by istockphoto.com © Luso; madonia by Katie Lauricella; others courtesy of restaurants