Domaine South Presents
Italian Wine Dinner
Featuring Porto Vino Imports
Special Importer Guest: Meredith Acocella
July 29, 2026 5:30 PM
We represent iconic traditional growers and the edgy outliers. All are family wineries that don’t use synthetic chemicals in the vineyards, and follow a minimal intervention approach in the cellar. Most are certified organic or biodynamic; all are growers who care about soil health and madre natura. From the beginning, we have been seeking out wines with terroir – the soul or anima of the place and people they come from.
NV Denny Bini Lambrusco Dell'Emilia, Emilia Romagna
Flatbread – Wild Mushroom, Lamb Pepperoni, Fontina d’Aosta
**
2024 Vignetti Massa Timorasso Piccolo Derthona, Piedmont
Artichoke Risotto – Marsh Hen Mills Carolina Gold Rice, Grilled Artichoke, Giorgio
Cravero Parmigiano Reggiano
**
202 1 I Custodi Enta Bianco "Ante", Sicily
Sicilian Swordfish Aghiotta – Capers, Golden Raisin, Red Onion, Castelvetrano Olives,
Toasted Pine Nuts
**
2022 I Custodi Enta Rosso "Pistus", Sicily
Eggplant Parmigiano – Fairytale Eggplant, Fresh Mozzarella, Giorgio Cravero
Parmigiano Reggiano, Housemade Marinara
**
2018 Colombera & Garella Bramatera Cascina Cottignano, Piedmont
Piemontese Tajarin – Traditional Egg Yolk Tagliolini, White Truffle, Wild Mushroom
**
Housemade Hazelnut Tiramisu
$125 Per Person
256.759.9952 to Reserve
The Wines
NV Denny Bini Lambrusco Dell'Emilia, Emilia Romagna, Italy $21.99
This super-dark, brambly, natural Lambrusco is the stuff of the old country. With dark, dusty tannins, berry flavors, and vibrant acidity, this earns its place on the dinner table with ease.
Lambrusco and conviviality go hand in hand, and Denny Bini’s red fizz has been a favorite of ours for so many get-togethers that we often informally call it festa, or party. This is a classic Emilian Lambrusco, with a more depth to the fruit, since Denny works so carefully in the vineyard: sweet-sour berries, with that classic Emilian bitter note on the finish.
Lambrusco Marani 30%, Lambrusco Salamino 30%, Lambrusco Maestri 20%, Lambrusco Grasparossa 10%, Ancellotta 10%. Alcoholic fermentation for 10 days without temperature control, with 5 to 6 days on the skins. Secondary fermentation for 1 month in autoclave.
Denny Bini is one of the humble heroes of this renaissance-revolution. He makes 6000 bottles per year from a single hectare of organically-farmed vineyards.
2024 Vignetti Massa Timorasso Piccolo Derthona, Piedmont, Italy $37.99
A crisp and lively introduction to Timorasso, the 2024 Piccolo Derthona from Vigneti Massa highlights both freshness and character. Aromas of green apple, lime zest, and white peach are lifted by chamomile, almond blossom, and a hint of wet stone. The palate is bright and zesty, with taut acidity and a clean mineral line, finishing with a touch of citrus peel and savory salinity. Approachable and vibrant, it’s a gateway into the Derthona style.
2021 I Custodi Enta Bianco "Ante", Sicily, Italy $47.99
Ante, whose name is an anagram of Etna, is a study of volcanic minimalism: sketches of volcanic spice and Ionian salt breezes. The expression of this 100% Carricante from this parcel has always been a sharp wine, with great acidity and length. In the 2021 vintage, despite being a particularly hot year, the wine has a pH of 3.16 with a total acidity of 6.55.
Among I Custodi’s gnarly bush vines, curled into the stark black soils. The muted sun falls on cooled lava flows and crumbled pomice fields. Dry-terraced lava walls demarcate the vista. This is what it must be like to grow vines on the moon.
93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The unoaked I Custodi 2021 Etna Bianco Ante (or "Etna" spelled backwards) is a balanced and textured wine, more so than your standard white wine from the Sicilian volcano. This wine offers a very nice sense of fruit weight, acidity and minerality. Fruit comes from a 1.3-hectare site at 700 meters in elevation on volcanic soils. I would place this bottle on the more elaborate and sophisticated side of the Etna Bianco spectrum.
93 Vinous
The 2021 Etna Bianco Ante is remarkably pretty, with a tinge of lemon zest and sweet mint giving way to raw almond and hints of petrol. It is savory in style with saline mineral tones up front and tart orchard fruits throughout. This finishes poised and pleasantly tense as a salty resonance slowly fades.
91 James Suckling
A tight Etna showing smoky minerality and marzipan, lemon pulp and broom bush. Light-bodied, this has delicate acidity and an almondy finish.
2022 I Custodi Enta Rosso "Pistus", Sicily, Italy $35.99
Salvo Foti, one of the most respected figures in Sicilian winemaking, has been instrumental in preserving the traditional, low-intervention methods of Etna. His 2022 Etna Rosso 'Pistus', made under the I Custodi label, is a pure and expressive take on Nerello Mascalese, sourced from high-altitude vineyards on Etna’s northern slopes. Farmed organically and vinified with minimal intervention, Pistus highlights the elegance and energy that make Etna one of the world’s most exciting wine regions.
Red cherry, pomegranate, and blood orange mingle with wild fennel, dried roses, and a distinct smoky minerality from Etna’s volcanic soils. The palate is fresh and vibrant, with lively acidity and finely structured tannins that add grip without overwhelming the wine’s finesse. Compared to deeper, more structured Etna Rossos meant for long aging, Pistus is all about immediacy and drinkability while still reflecting the power of its terroir.
A natural match for Sicilian dishes like pasta alla Norma, grilled swordfish, or roast lamb, this 2022 Pistus is delicious now but will evolve beautifully over the next 5–7 years. A benchmark Etna Rosso that captures both the wildness and refinement of Sicily’s volcanic heart.
“Ripe strawberries and cherries with black pepper and smoky, earthy tones. Medium-bodied, this has silky tannins, moderate refreshing acidity and a polished finish. Not too extracted, more elegant than powerful, it’s delicious to drink now.” 93 points James Suckling
2018 Colombera & Garella Bramatera - Cascina Cottignano, Piedmont, Italy $53.99
From the volcanic soils of Alto Piemonte, this Nebbiolo-dominant blend offers a mesmerizing bouquet of dried rose, sour cherry, and forest floor with emerging tertiary notes of leather and tobacco. The palate is both powerful and refined, with firm yet silky tannins carrying flavors of red currant, blood orange, and smoky minerality that earned 95 points. Aged 30 months in large oak casks, it's just beginning to show its full potential but will continue evolving for another decade. Decant for several hours and pair with wild game or aged cheeses to experience Northern Piedmont's answer to Barolo.