Wine Down Thursday: Italian Crush!

Wine Down Thursday: Italian Crush! October 1 from 6 to 7:30pm Sampler: $20/person There's no place quite like Italy for red wine. Every region, grape, and village seems to bring its own distinct personality to the glass. For this week's Wine Down Thursday, we're taking a spirited tour through three iconic Italian regions, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, and Tuscany, each offering a completely different expression of Italian red wine. We'll begin with an elegant, aromatic Piedmontese blend, all lifted perfume, bright fruit, and graceful structure. Next comes a classic Chianti Classico from Tuscany: savory, energetic, and unmistakably Sangiovese. To finish, we're popping open a perfectly fizzy Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna, juicy, refreshing, and guaranteed to put a little extra sparkle in your Thursday. One exciting newcomer, two familiar shop favorites, three signature styles, and plenty to discover. Join us for a delicious Italian red-wine adventure. Salute! Featured Wines: 2025 Sette Vino Rosso “Mille | Millilitri” This joyful, liter-format Piedmont red balances serious site expression with easygoing drinkability. Barbera supplies juicy dark-cherry fruit, vivid acidity, and thirst-quenching momentum, while Syrah adds pepper, violet, and a darker, savory edge. A small touch of pale, high-toned Grignolino brings lift, gentle tannin, and aromatic intrigue. Sette began in 2017, when wine-industry veteran Gino Della Porta and acclaimed Piedmontese enologist Gian Luca Colombo acquired a 15-acre hillside estate in Bricco di Nizza, Nizza Monferrato. Farmed organically and moving toward biodynamics, Sette works to express the elegance and vitality of this Barbera heartland without unnecessary intervention. 2023 Lanciola Le Masse di Greve Chianti Classico A perennial shop favorite for more than a decade, the 2023 Lanciola Le Masse di Greve is a benchmark Chianti Classico from Greve. Lanciola's historic estate vineyard sits on southwest-facing, clay-shale slopes at about 985 feet above sea level, bringing freshness and savory definition to predominantly Sangiovese fruit. Notes of vibrant cherry and blueberry, dried herbs, earth, subtle vanilla, and spice are carried by lively acidity and polished, medium-weight tannins. Simply put, this is one of the essential Chiantis to try from the Greve subzone, classic, honest, and exceptionally food-friendly. 2025 Paltrinieri Solco Lambrusco di Modena The 2025 Paltrinieri Solco is a compelling reminder that Lambrusco deserves far more respect. Made from 100% Lambrusco Salamino in the sandy soils of Cristo di Sorbara, it delivers dark cherry, blackberry, violet, spice, and a gently savory edge, balanced by refreshing acidity and a soft, frothy sparkle. Its modest 10.5% alcohol and discreet sweetness make it dangerously easy to drink, while its fine bubbles lift the wine’s fruit and tie salty, rich foods together beautifully. Chill to 46 to 50°F and serve with salami, mortadella, or prosciutto.