Staff Picks: Italian

A formidable and quite royal wine from 55 year old south-facing vines in the cru “Cichin,” the grapes are harvested only when they are tending towards super-ripeness. This sturdy, somber wine is thick in body, deeply... Read More

The 2021 Chianti Classico RS Cultusboni is rich, boisterous and quite appealing. I would open it in advance to allow some of the youthful brawn to soften. A burst of red-toned fruit, pipe tobacco, cedar and sweet spice makes a... Read More

The world is awash in the cheap, sweetish industrial fizz otherwise known as Prosecco...BUT, this fresh, organic, sophisticated Prosecco made by the father/son team of Danilo and Luca Ferraro stands as a reminder of how great... Read More

Occitan Gin has traditionally been made exclusively from hand picked juniper that grows wild (not cultivated) in the Maritime Alps, near Cuneo. This combination of altitude and maritime influence enriches the essential oils of... Read More

A mix of twenty-nine herbs, flowers, fruits and roots from Calabria’s beautiful land, blended to provide an intense experience of pleasure: the bittersweet taste of oranges, the delicacy of orange blossom and chamomile,... Read More

The 2013 Candialle Ciclope is a unique blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, and Petit Verdot sourced from vineyards planted on clay and schist soils. In the glass, this has nice density: it’s ripe and rich with some spice and tar... Read More

This off-dry style of Lambrusco offers up violet and red berry aromas, with a compelling vibrant palate that doles out ripe cherry, raspberry and candied orange peel notes. Amazing paired with charcuterie, sausages or pizza!... Read More

Translating to ‘little kiss,’ Basadone is a wine made from Castello di Verduno’s plantings of Pelaverga Piccolo. Slightly more delicate than most of region’s other famous grapes, it results in fresh, lively... Read More

The Lambrusco del Fondatore is a modern version of the same wine Chiarli produced for the customers of his trattoria back in the early 1800s. It is made by the “ancestral” method, by which a still wine was fermented... Read More

This lovely little rosé bubbly has been a best-seller for years. It's hard not to love the fresh and lively ripe cherry and berry flavors here. Bone dry and crisp on the palate, with a level of acidity that makes you... Read More

This is seriously good Prosecco from sustainable, herbicide-free estate vineyards in the Veneto region of Italy. Dry, crisp, and zippy with notes of grapefruit, lime and chalky minerality. Our new favorite!

From a small biodynamic winery nestled between the Adriatic Sea and the Gran Sasso Mountains, this is an elegant, pristine example of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo fermented spontaneously and matured in concrete. Bright, juicy... Read More

This Piedmont Chardonnay is aromatic with lightness, freshness and verve. Harvested on the early side to protect its acidity, the wine is fermented and cellared solely in stainless steel tanks and bottled young. If you’ve... Read More

The ever-pleasing and fruit-forward “Tasmorcan” Barbera by Elio Perrone is a sure crowdpleaser. Loaded with aromas of blueberry, raspberry and plum with a hint of sweet baking spice and wild mint is a pleasure. The... Read More

The ruby-hued 2021 Barbaresco is savory and ripe with aromas of medicinal herbs, cherry lozenge, sour cherries, salty earth, menthol, and licorice. Medium-bodied, it’s rich through the palate, with ripe tannins and notes... Read More

Mandarin oranges of the ‘Marzatico’ variety, grown organically on the hillsides of the Amalfi coast, picked in season between January and April, peeled by hand, the peel immediately macerated in pure grain alcohol... Read More

From Italy's smallest wine region comes this fascinating, authentic red based on the local clone of Nebbiolo (called Picotendro), along with other local varieties (Gros Vien, Neyret, Cornalin and Fumin). This elegant, lithe... Read More

Mr. Tomato Man! 85% Sangiovese and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from Tuscan vineyards. Pizza wine unparalleled. Spaghetti wine sine qua non. With its enticing black fruit aroma and luscious mouthfeel, this is about the most... Read More

A collaboration between Giusto Occhipinti of the winery COS in Acate, Sicily and Simone Sabaini, founder of the artisanal chocolate producer, Sabadi. This is their orange vermouth, made with organically grown Zibibo (Muscat) grapes... Read More

This wine comes from the lava-rich terraces of Etna, where the unique soil and altitude shape its character. Made mostly from Nerello Mascalese, a local grape, it has a natural, straightforward taste. There's a mix of floral... Read More

The focused nose of this white wine opens with a mix of orchard, stone and citrus-fruit aromas that all meld seamlessly and then give way to mineral and savory aromas, fresh flowers and wild herbs. Mouth watering and structured,... Read More

An explosion of aromas: white flowers and fruits which magically transport the drinker to the slopes of the volcano. Combines softness and boldness of taste with a drinkability rich with the authentic fruitiness of lemon peel... Read More

Produttori di Manduria is the oldest active wine cooperative in Puglia, and we love their take on Fiano. It is dry, well-structured, balanced, lighter bodied and fresh with zesty acidity. This elegant wine has flavors of apple,... Read More

Distilled from a combination of barley, wheat, and rye (all malted), matured for three years in Sicilian Marsala casks, then finished in peated, Islay single malt barrels, PUNI ALBA is rich and malty on the nose with a textural... Read More