Friday Night Flight: $16 for 5 pours with 3 additional wines for purchase.
Join us for Friday Night Flight, every week. Your weekend starts here. Each Friday we pour a curated flight of five wines. We explore a different region, grape, or theme, guided by our team's genuine curiosity and enthusiasm for what's in the glass. No reservations, no dress code, just good wine and good company. Walk in, find a seat, and taste your way through somewhere new. And if something catches your eye, stick around. We're happy to pour you a glass.
Tuscany
This Friday we’re exploring Tuscany. In ancient times, the area of Tuscany and its environs were part of the Etruscan empire. The Etruscans were the first vintners to work the land. They trained their grapevines with natural, high-trellis supports like fig, olive, and nut trees. Eventually, the area was taken over by the Romans.
During the Medieval period, wine was a major commodity in Tuscany. Wine sales were documented as early as 1079 in association with the Mercato Vecchio in Florence. Local wine merchants formed a guild in 1282 in an attempt to promote and regulate their trade. Many of the Tuscan wines we know today—Chianti, Brunello, Trebbiano, and Vernaccia—can be traced back to the 14th century.
From the time of the post-World War II reconstruction through the 1970s and ‘80s, Tuscan wine production focused largely on quantity over quality. It was also during this period that many of the region’s large estates, which had been historically owned by local nobility, were sold to non-Tuscans. But the wine region went through a rebirth in the 1970s and ‘80s, which gave way to the premium quality regional wines that are world-renowned today. Meanwhile, the torch for Tuscan viticulture is being carried by the diverse mix of Tuscan, Italian, and foreign winemakers that have taken over the old estates—and introduced new ones.
Wines you’ll find in Tuscany:
Suvereto DOCG, produced in the homologous Val di Cornia area, accompanies typical local recipes, such as tortelli, buglione d'agnello and game dishes. Suvereto is made from 85% to 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Sangiovese grapes.
Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG, also mentioned by Dante in the "Divine Comedy", is the only white wine on this list. It has a characteristic straw-yellow color that tends to golden with age.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano in 1980 became the first Italian wine to obtain the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita label. The basic grape varieties are Sangiovese (Prugnolo gentile from 70% up to 100%) and Canaiolo nero (maximum 20%).
Chianti Classico DOCG is produced in the territory in the municipalities of Greve in Chianti, Radda in Chianti, Castellina in Chianti and Gaiole in Chianti and part of the administrative area of San Casciano in Val di Pesa, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa and Barberino Val d'Elsa, Poggibonsi and Castelnuovo Berardenga. The wine contains at least 80% Sangiovese, and bottles of Chianti Classico DOCG are labeled with the characteristic "Black Rooster" seal.
Brunello di Montalcino (Rosso in the "normal" type and Riserva) is made from the Sangiovese grape variety, traditionally referred to as "Brunello" in Montalcino, and is produced exclusively within the municipal boundaries of Montalcino, among the hills of the Val d'Orcia. Excellent with meats and elaborate dishes, Brunello is also considered a "meditation" wine.
In this week’s flight:
Cantine Gini 2022 Chianti “Solatio" $15 - A warm-vintage wine offering ripe, fruit-forward flavors with balanced tannins. User profiles highlight cherry, red fruit, blackberry, and subtle earthy or oaky notes.
Tenuta di Gracciano della Seta 2024 Rosso di Montepulciano $20 - Fresh and approachable, this Sangiovese-Merlot blend opens with black cherry and a hint of red licorice on the nose. The palate is structured with grippy tannins up front, giving way to juicy red fruit that is both vibrant and inviting. Soft, savory notes emerge as the wine opens, balancing the fruit with subtle earthiness.
La Fortuna 2023 Rosso Toscano “Fortunello" Montalcino $22 - Made of 100% Sangiovese the nose is classic ripe cherries and strawberries and a hint of coco powder. On the palate of this full-bodied wine, you will find the fruit describe above with a touch of minerals with some tannin structure, which gives this wine a great back bone and very lush feel to the palate and has an incredible long finish.
Azienda Lisini 2023 Toscana "San Biagio” Montalcino $25 - Clear ruby-purple with slight brightening on the rim. Very clear and intense nose with lots of rich blackberry fruit and dark currants, some bay leaves. Round and polished on the palate, fruit is revealed nicely, then shows some harsh tannin, slightly drying.
Montepeloso 2024 A Quo Suvereto DOC $27 - Dark cherries and strawberries with fresh sage and thyme aromas follow through to a medium body with fine tannins and a crunchy finish. Savory and delicious with lovely energy and drinkability. A blend of 45% sangiovese, 35% cabernet sauvignon, 10% malvasia and 10% other varieties.
Bonus Wines:
Montenidoli DOCG Vernaccia di San Gimignano Tradizionale 2023 $30 - This Vernaccia is mineral-forward and complex, and the skin contact it undergoes imparts texture, concentration, and body. Aromas of ash and crushed seashell, stone fruits, honeydew melon and fresh cut herbs. The fruit and bright acidity are balanced through the long finish.
Fèlsina 2022 Chianti Classico $33 - Rich and deep yet also quite translucent, the 2022 is an archetype of Castelnuovo Berardenga. Black cherry, leather, spice, tobacco, menthol and dried herbs inform this potent, super-classic Chianti Classico.
Camponovo DOCG Brunello di Montalcino 2020 $64 - Intense ruby color streaked with garnet. Intense, ethereal bouquet melts into aromas of sweet violet and iris, with hints of spices such as tobacco, cinnamon and leather. Smooth, warm and velvety flavor, harmonious, rich in fruit and persistent in the mouth.