જ⁀ HOSTED BY GIANPAOLO PATERLINI, AQUARELLO & SORELLA RESTAURANTS

San Francisco is blessed with an exceptional wine community. We often see our peers at wine tastings, charity events, and social settings. We are extremely lucky to call on the expertise of one of our top talents to educate our clients for a couple of flight nights.

Gianpaolo Paterlini’s wine career began at 21 years old when he worked under Rajat Parr at San Francisco’s famous Restaurant Michael Mina. A few years later, he assumed the responsibilities of running the wine program at his family’s restaurant, Acquerello. At 27 years of age, Paterlini became the youngest wine director ever to earn Wine Spectator’s Grand Award, an honor the restaurant still holds today. His drive to promote Italian wine and Champagne has led to countless other awards, including Best Italian List in the World 2026 from Star Wine List and Best Champagne & Sparkling List in the World 2026 from World of Fine Wine. Today, Gianpaolo oversees the wine programs at Acquerello and Sorella and loves sharing his experiences and passion with fellow wine enthusiasts. And he is a GREAT all-around person!

This flight takes us all over the Italian peninsula and highlights a number of important indigenous varieties. We start in Liguria, where Pigato is a white grape that thrives along Italy’s Riviera. Feipu dei Massaretti’s expression is a crisp and dry white with savory herbal notes and refreshing acidity. Passo delle Tortore’s Falanghina comes from Irpinia, a volcanic terroir roughly one hour east of Napoli and the Amalfi Coast in the Campania region. It makes a ripe and fruity white wine with juicy stone fruit flavors that are balanced by a dry finish. Federico Curtaz is famous for his wines from Mount Etna in Sicily, so his version of Nero d’Avola shows his gentle touch. The grape can often be overripe and jammy, but Curtaz manages to keep the fruit fresh and vibrant. Chianti Classico is one of Italy’s most famous wines, and Caparsa excels at a traditional style that highlights Sangoiovese’s ability to age. Now at 10 years old, their 2016 Riserva is still youthful, with red fruit and earthy undertones beautifully balanced by a firm tannic structure. And we finish with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, another red wine that can be taken too far, but Tenuta de Melis’s balanced version provides all the deep and dark fruit we want with a pleasantly dry finish.

Must be 21+ to attend.