Table or Booth?

Brix Wine Bar: Perfect Pairings of Wine and Food
by Bess Hochstein

The folks who own Brix want to make something perfectly clear: aside from being a great place to raise a glass, their wine bar is a wonderful place to have dinner. That’s obvious to the many fans who have flocked to the Brix since it opened in the summer of 2005. But Patrick and Libby Spencer, the husband and wife team you’ll find pouring wine behind the bar -- or consulting with customers on the list of more than 110 wines by the bottle and 40 by the glass -- want the world to know that the food on the menu is equal to the high standards set by their wine list.

To be sure, this is wine-friendly food, with a distinct French accent; Francophiles will appreciate traditional starters such as escargots, paté de maison, and a charcuterie plate, as well as Bruschetta with chevre and wild mushrooms or tomato, basil and mozzarella. There are sandwiches, such as the house version of the classic Croque Monsieur, here called the “Brix Monsieur,” with smoked ham, Gruyere cheese and Mornay sauce. Like any good French bistro, Brix offers a “Plat du Jour,” which may be Coq au Vin or Rabbit Moutarde, depending on the day, as well as a savory tarte du jour, plus other entrées that pair well with wine. As for desserts, it’s hard to choose between the assortment of delicacies from nearby Chocolate Springs or the house-made crème brulé.

But let’s not forget the raison d’etre: you’re sure to find new wine discoveries at Brix, and repeatedly so, since the lists periodically change. This winter, for example, all wines by the glass are from France, while the Reserve list continues to present wines by the bottle from around the world. Few selections are commonly found elsewhere, which makes a trip to Brix an adventure in wine tasting. There’s no need to be intimidated; Patrick and Libby have personally tasted and chosen every wine on the lists, and they’re usually on hand to help customers make decisions. Those in an exploratory mood can try one of three wine flights offered daily: four samplings of whites or reds, or an “Introduction to Wine.” Since education is an important component of wine appreciation, Brix also holds wine-tasting classes. And the tasting experience is heightened by the fact that Brix serves wine exclusively in Riedel glasses made for specific varietals.

So if you’re thinking of raising a glass this holiday season, consider Brix -- and consider staying for dinner beyond the celebratory toast. For the non-wine drinkers in your party, Brix also offers beer, cocktails, and selections of port, grappa, and single-malt Scotch. But given the vast choices of wine and the food that combines so well with the fruit of the vine, Brix may just turn avowed oenophobes into oenophiles.

Brix Wine Bar
40 West Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201

About Bess Hochstein
Buzz chronicler Bess J.M. Hochstein came to the Berkshires as a second-homeowner before deciding to move here full time. Previously a communications executive, she's now a freelance writer living in Tyringham with her corgis Duffy and Hobbs and K. She writes for several publications, including Berkshire Living, the Boston Globe, New England Wine Gazette, and Healing Lifestyles & Spas magazine.