You wouldn’t believe this, but there’s a certain kind of tired that comes from standing in chest high waders for four hours, mending line fly fishing in the Provo River while a guide quietly judges your cast. Don’t worry, it’s the good kind. The kind that makes a cocktail garden on Main Street, Park City feel less like an event and more like a reward you earned with your forearms.
That’s how the night began. Boots traded for real shoes, sunburn still settling in, and a short walk down to High West Spirit Garden before dinner.
The Warm Up: High West Spirits Garden on Main Street
High West does what it always does. Pouring whiskey with zero pretenses is an art only enhanced by the alpine light catching the edge of the cocktail, and the buzz of the crowd suggesting something bigger is coming. The High West Spirits Garden is the transition zone. The spot where a day spent standing in the river turns into a night on the town. It’s where everyone walking past on Park City’s historic Main Street is clearly headed somewhere good.
The Main Event: Riverhorse on Main and Piattelli Vineyards
That somewhere was Riverhorse on Main. There the kitchen had teamed up with Piattelli Vineyards for Savor the Summit, a one night collaboration that pulled Argentina up into the Wasatch. The menu flowed from the coast to the mountain. Opening with seafood and working its way into Rocky Mountain venison and buffalo, each course paired perfectly with wine poured straight from Mendoza and Cafayate.
The standout was Cab Five, Piattelli’s flagship red blend. Never before available in Utah yet fascinatingly tasting exactly like the kind of thing you’d want after a day spent fighting the Provo River. Bold, dark, and unbothered it served to enhance the already delicious dish as award winning chef Seth Adams carefully watched from the balcony above, patrons savored each bite with a smile.
Live music, string lights, a summer sky doing its best impression of a postcard. This is Park City at its finest. It’s the kind of night that makes you forget you spent the morning untangling a fly line from a willow branch.
Why Park City Perfects the Summer Après Philosophy
Park City does this well. The town knows not to separate the mountain from the table. Instead it stacks them on top of each other in the same 12 hours. Fish in the morning, outdoor feast in the evening, and somewhere in between a whiskey garden to bridge the gap. That’s the whole appeal of a place like this. Nobody’s choosing between adventure and indulgence. You get both, back to back, before the day even has a chance to end.
What to Know: Piattelli Vineyards at Riverhorse on Main
Riverhorse is keeping a limited selection of Piattelli wines on the regular list through July 4, including the Rosé of Malbec and the Reserve Malbec and Tannat blend. After that, Cab Five goes back to being something you have to chase down, like a defender chasing down Lionel Messi. So if you’re in Park City before the holiday, that’s your window to taste these Argentine delights.
About the Author
Rich Stoner is the founder of the après-ski lifestyle clothing and media brand, All About Après. He is also the co-host of the Après All Day Podcast. No stranger to the ski and après-ski scene, Rich has been a long time contributor for many publications on topics like skiing, travel, gear, beer and food. However, his passion is on the slopes and enjoying good times with good people. You can find him perfecting his craft carving turns and drinking beers in the Green Mountains of Vermont. @allaboutapres