John Brown has been a wine and food columnist in West Virginia since the 1980’s. His regular columns appear in the Charleston (WV) Gazette-Mail under the title Vines & Vittles.
For wine lovers: Milo’s in Davis
Many of you have ventured to the Canaan Valley and the towns of nearby Davis and Thomas. I have written about some of my favorite eating and sipping establishments there such as Sirianni’s Café, Stumptown Ales and The Billy Motel in Davis, along with Farm Up Table Restaurant, Riverfront Wood Fired Pizza and Tiptop Coffee in Thomas. I’m also excited about the renewed emphasis on food and wine at Canaan Valley Resort with the recent hiring of an internationally trained executive chef. From a culinary perspective, things are looking up in Tucker County.
I’ve been privileged to have had a second home in that mountain county for the past three decades. I am still in awe of the physical beauty of the place, but I’m even more blissfully affected by the almost mystical ambiance of the mountains to produce feelings of well-being and peace. And those pleasant feelings are enhanced by sipping a glass of wine while meditating on Mother Nature’s bounty.
Don’t worry, though, I’m not going to launch into Deepak Chopra-speak and suggest mindfulness, meditation and chanting. But like that Indian mystic and alternative medicine advocate, I have always touted the healing powers of the naturally produced elixir we all love. And when I find an establishment in a location like Tucker County, where you can sip and sup in a such an inspirational physical environment, well, I’ve got to tell you about it.
The newest and most wine-centric of all the eateries in the county is Milo’s Café & Restaurant in Davis. Located on the first floor of the Bright Morning Inn B&B, Milo’s features an excellent and reasonably priced menu with an emphasis on locally grown and produced food. The cafe also features the most extensive wines by the glass list of just about any restaurant in the state! Oh, and the staff at Milo’s is first class, providing excellent service and in-depth knowledge of both the menu selections as well as the wine list. The restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner Thursday through Monday, has weekly musical entertainment and has a very good selection of craft beers. When the weather warms a bit, you can also enjoy your meal and/or beverage outdoors in Milo’s side yard
It’s evident that owner Brent Markwood (who also owns Bright Morning Inn) has spent a tremendous amount of time ruminating about wines to accompany his restaurant menu because he has succeeded in compiling an eclectic and regularly changing list of international bottles. And he has priced the wines exceptionally well with 18 of the 25 wines by the glass under $10. Only four of the more than 30 wines on the list are by the bottle only. Six bottles are from California while the international offerings come from Australia (3), Germany (2), France, (8) Italy (5), New Zealand (2) and one each from Chile, Argentina, South Africa and Spain.
On my most recent visit to Milo’s, my dining group sampled the following: whites: 2018 Chateau de Valmer Vouvray; 2020 St. Kilda Southeastern Australia Chardonnay; 2020 Dr. Loosen Mosel Riesling and 2019 La Doria Gavi. Reds: 2019 Dante Pinot Noir from Sonoma County; 2020 Mont Gravet Carignan; 2018 Giuseppe Barbera D’Alba; and 2018 Cortijo Tempranillo Rioja.
My favorite of all the above-mentioned wines that evening was the 2020 Mont Gravet Carignan ($6 a glass). This wine proves my oft-repeated admonition that you don’t need to spend extravagantly for a good wine. From the Languedoc region of southern France, this deeply purple wine, is rich and chock full of blackberry and dark cherry flavors. Perfectly balanced, the wine was recommended on Milo’s menu to accompany my entrée of pan sauteed pork medallions with an au poivre sauce. I have to say it paired perfectly with the dish.
So, next time you venture up to Tucker County, stop in at Milo’s for a bit of dinner and a nice glass of wine. Or, if you’re so inclined, find an outdoor spot and channel your inner Deepak Chopra while you sip an adult purple or white beverage and allow the spirit (s) to elevate your enjoyment of all that Mother Nature has to offer
John Brown is also a novelist. His latest book Augie’s World, which is a sequel to his debut novel, Augie’s War, is available online at Amazon. You can find out more about his novels and wine columns at wordsbyjohnbrown.com
