If I could eat one food for the rest of my life without having to worry about any consequences, it would be pizza. I’ve sampled slices in Italy (though never Naples, pizza’s birthplace), New York City and a world of places in between. I’ve had pies with a runny egg on top (Paris) and on quinoa crust (chez moi). From grubby to gourmet, I’ve had it all.
At a place called John’s Pizzeria in Times Square, on a trip as much about sampling pizza as it was seeing NYC, I had the best pizza of my life. Until recently.
THE SPACE
Lookout Winery is located in Guild, Tenn., a short drive through the lush green hills and around the bend that so appropriately welcomes visitors to our Scenic City. Perched on a hilltop so steep I was scared my little Honda wouldn’t make it up, the building commands a breathtaking view of Nickajack Lake, already stunning in its own right. Every time I cross the lake on my way to Nashville or points beyond, I can’t help but feel I’ve been transported to Hawaii, Tahiti or even Fiji. The winery takes full advantage of the view, with a deck the length of the building and ceiling fans the length of the deck.
Walking the rest of the way up the hill, we were first greeted by the pungent yet comforting smell of wood smoke, a key ingredient in making some pizzas stand out from others. As we rounded the corner, the young man manning the outdoor pizza oven cheerily welcomed us, even though it was 90-something degrees outside and God knows how hot in front of that 800-degree oven. The winery is still very new (some-of-the-driveway-is-still-waiting-to-be-paved new), yet happy chatter from several tables of diners greeted us as we opened the wrought-iron-adorned heavy wooden door. The interior is sparsely decorated, but welcoming; somehow managing to combine the feel of an austere castle, a sophisticated winery and an intimate dinner party.
THE MENU
We’ve all heard the expressions “Less is more” and “Do one thing and do it well.” Lookout Winery adheres to both in the case of its food menu. It features only pizza — several suggested combinations and a list of toppings for those who prefer to build their own.
If you go
Where: Lookout Winery, 11848 Highway 41, Guild, Tenn. Phone: 727-499-8974 Website: lookoutwinery.com Price range: $16.55 for a cheese pizza to $22.75 for the specialty shrimp scampi pizza Alcohol: Wine only
But there’s a whole different menu that bears mentioning. There are 14 wines — masterful takes on standards like the petite syrah, to which one sampler said, “On the second sip I tasted a medium-rare steak”; and unique varieties like Dornfelder/Moscato, which is red enough to be grounded yet light enough to channel lazy days by the pool. A $10 tasting gives you access to nearly all, and a scorecard helps you keep up with your favorites. Though the wines aren’t yet made in-house, the owner, a charming Italian man with three first names who goes by “Chuck,” carefully selected grapes from northern California’s San Joaquin Valley that match what he’ll be going for in the next year or so.
Whatever you’re feeling or whatever your favorite, Chuck will come up with the perfect pizza to match.
THE FOOD
Most of the main ingredients (cheese, cheese and cheese, if you’re asking me) are out of this world or at least out of this country. The cheese, and even the prosciutto, are imported from Italy. The sauce is homemade and the crust is like French bread. While the French may not know that much about pizza (remember that runny egg I mentioned?), they definitely know about bread. And Southerners know about meat. The sausage is a show-stopper. Chuck has managed to up the ante on a local purveyor’s breakfast sausage by adding fennel, sage and a whole lot of flavor.
All the pies are a whopping 16 inches. We were tempted by the House Specialty “Mouthwatering Shrimp Scampi” ($22.75 ): homemade white wine/butter/garlic sauce topped with Buffalo mozzarella, pieces of jumbo shrimp seared in the wood oven and that house-made sausage. But even though the Gewrztraminer was refreshingly good, with a hint of crisp pear, we wanted one of the light red varieties that had so impressed us by being not only good, but different. So we opted for the Zinfandel/Moscato, which was paired with the “Roma Roasted Peppers” ($18.50): Buffalo mozzarella, homemade sausage, fire-roasted red peppers and mushrooms.
I’ve often argued for various components of other places’ pizza — “Oh, the sauce makes it.” “They have the gooiest cheese.” “I could eat their crust for breakfast.” — as making it a standout seller. Lookout Winery’s pizza is all about the sum of its parts, and we all know two is better than one, so obviously the “big three” working seamlessly in tandem is even better.
The crust crunches at first bite but has a satisfying chewiness. It’s light enough that it doesn’t overwhelm, yet hefty enough that it supports the weight of the rest of the ingredients. The sauce is a thin layer of freshness, and the cheese has a smoky creaminess to it that holds everything else together; namely that sausage. The most prominent flavor — and welcomingly so — it gives way to each of the other ingredients.
Just as in Italy, the food (or was it the wine?) brought all the diners together. We chitchatted with guests who hadn’t been part of our wine tasting — and even ended up sharing pizzas. They’d ordered the house special. Our pizza was the best I’ve had since New York. Theirs was one of the most amazing things I’ve put in my mouth. Again, more of that flavor-forward sausage, followed by shrimp, which had a tenderness and richness that Chuck had appropriately likened to lobster, and finished with the light, almost lemony, butter and garlic sauce.
THE SERVICE
From the moment we walked in, we were made to feel not only welcomed, but appreciated. Chuck guided us through the various wines, and subsequently through our pizza choice, with ease and a sense of humor. The servers checked back often and were genuinely friendly. Our pizza, thanks to that 800-degree oven and chipper cook, was out in minutes, though we wouldn’t have minded waiting, what with the perfect setting and glass of wine with which to toast it.
THE VERDICT
There aren’t enough hours in the day for all the good things I could say about this place. In Guild, you thankfully get an extra hour. As the saying goes, “It’s 5 o’clock somewhere,” so, cheers! To good food, good wine and good friends you haven’t met yet. Shakespeare said, “Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.” At the very least, at Lookout Winery they definitely make for an all-around satisfying experience.
Contact Jennifer Bardoner at jbardoner@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6579.