Pino Luongo

I love wine. I have been drinking wine with lunch and dinner every day of my life since I was a young man. For me, wine is the most delicious accompaniment to a well-cooked meal, improving the flavors of the food, and the enjoyment of the meal as an opportunity in the day to relax.

I open a bottle of wine while I am cooking. I use the wine in my recipes, I drink the wine while I cook, and I improve my appetite and my palate by tasting the ingredients and the seasonings with the accompaniment of the wine.

I love Italian wines, the inexpensive table wines that are served in large jugs throughout the countryside, not bottled or marketed, just lovingly grown to be enjoyed. And I love the grand Italian wines; Sassicaia, Solaia & Ornelai. These Tuscan wines are expensive and I enjoy them occasionally.

In my home and in my restaurants, I select wines that compliment the menu so the wine list changes seasonally, and I choose wines that offer “value” to my customers. To find good wines that are inexpensive, I include the wines of South America, France, and America, in addition to many of the delicious wines of Italy.

At the moment, my wine list includes:

Famiglia Bianchi, Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Santi, Pinot Grigio delle Venezia, Sortele 2005
Terri di Bo, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, 2003
Terre di Bo, Barolo Albeisa, 2003
Tomaiolo, Chianti Riserva, 2003
Vigneti di Monte Forte, Santi, Soave Classico