We took our seats at the authentic wine bar as three small glasses and a single napkin with a fork on top was set in front of each of the ten of us. Candles lined the table and a tin for rinsing out the glasses after each wine to make sure each one was pure. We began with a Prosecco: a blend of different grapes made only authentically in Italy. Ranging from dry to brut, with the one we had being brut. It was my favorite of the wines we had because I love the simple taste. The bubbles tickled my throat as I sipped and swallowed. Massimo, our sommelier, and for the third generation owner of the place, explained that when the bubbles trickle perfectly vertical, the wine is more authentic and made official on site. Next was a Viognier, a romantic white wine produced in Tuscany. As we all sipped, everyone was shouting out what the taste of the wine reminded them of “Cheese!” “Green apple!” “Grass!”. Everyone shared what their taste buds were experiencing. The first thing that came to my mind was the lingering of some sort of nut. Massimo described this wine as “a pleasure for your mouth,” as he went back behind the bar to fetch us the next one to taste. The third wine was another white called Vermentino. The taste was similar to the Viognier but with a “larger smell,” as Massimo explained it.

It was giving me a hint of orange in the aroma. By holding the stem of the glass, tipping the glass downward a bit, and holding a white napkin beneath it, you can really see the color and density of the wine. This was apparent in the next two wines. After being served a delicious dish of Penne alla Carbonara bursting with flavor, we were served a red Terrae D'Itrj. As we tipped our glasses, we could see the translucency of the liquid meaning it is not deep and not concentrated. They use the process of refermentation to make this kind of wine. The next red was a Sangiovese made of the most important grape. This one was much more concentrated than the previous red in that you could see the density in the dark color when tipping the glass over the napkin. You could see your finger through the Terrae D'Itri, but the Sangiovese was much deeper. It was more of a natural, sweet wine, but it also had a very bitter aftertaste that tingled my tongue. The sixth and final wine was a dessert wine that gives the sweet ending to an explosion of flavor in my mouth. I felt like I was biting into a sugar cube as the liquid hit my tongue. It was a very sweet surprise to finish off the night. Although you must pace yourself with this wine as it is 15% alcohol. The alcohol is masked by the sweet sensation.