There’s a Touch of Tuscany--and Lots of Wine--at Alto Palato

Just about this time last year I was happily ensconced in front of a panoramic view of Tuscan hills and vineyards, drinking a gorgeous Brunello di Montalcino and sampling a selection of superb local salame, prosciutto and cheese. The place was Osteria Osticcio in the tiny hilltown of Montalcino in southern Tuscany. It’s essentially a wine shop where you can choose a bottle from the phenomenal selection of Tuscan (and Italian wines) and sit down right there and enjoy it with platters of classic cold cuts.

What could be simpler? Or better? I thought to myself, as I bit into a slice of rustic salame made from a special breed of Tuscan pig and then tried a gorgeous local pecorino or sheep’s milk cheese. I found myself wishing someone would open a place like this in L.A.

And now someone has. Alto Palato, the reliable West Hollywood trattoria, has put its roomy bar at the front of the restaurant to work as a wine bar. Owner Danilo Terribili has moved in cozy little sofas and overstuffed armchairs and installed a Cruvinet to keep open bottles of wine fresh.

The selection of half a dozen whites and reds available by the glass changes frequently (of course you can also order anything on the restaurant’s wine list by the bottle, too). Plus, die-hard wine aficionados can sample four wines in either a white or red wine flight for $20 and under, depending on the selection that day. The pours are 3 ounces, which is enough to share a taste.

When a couple of friends and I dropped in one night recently, on our way to a movie, I was thrilled to see the 1992 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino ($18) listed along with another favorite of mine, the 1996 Fontodi Chianti Classico ($9). And from Sonoma, the 1996 Dehlinger “Goldridge” Russian River Pinot Noir. Not at all shabby. The idea was a snack before the movies. A platter of assorted formaggi (cheese) and salumi (cold cuts) would do the trick nicely. There was a beautiful prosciutto di Parma, a delicious coarse-cut salame and a little bresaola (air-dried beef), too. I love sheep’s milk cheese so of course we had to taste the Spanish Manchego along with a Tuscan pecorino and the caciotta romana. Then we felt like a pizza, so we ordered up one of Alto Palato’s thin crusted, Roman-style pizzas, this one topped with slices of potato, sweet onions and house-cured bacon.

That required another glass of wine, so it’s understandable why we never, in fact, made it to the movie.

BE THERE

Alto Palato, 755 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood; (310) 657-9271. Wine bar Monday through Thursday, 6 to 10:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday till 11 p.m.; Sunday, 5 to 10 p.m. Formaggi $3.50 to $7; Salumi $3.50 to $10; wines by the glass $7 to $18.