Category Archives: L’Angolo Divino

L’Angolo DiVino my Favorite Wine Bar in Rome

L’Angolo Divino  is a wine bar just off the Campo dei Fiori in Rome. Michele and I discovered it over 20 years when she was researching an article she was writing for the Wine Spectator magazine. It became one of our favorites because it is one of the few places in Rome where you can both drink and eat very well. For many years, I would choose the wine but now I like to let the owner, Massimo Crippa, choose for me. He knows the style of wine I like and will bring out 3 or 4 different wines for me to consider.  I know I can count on him to recommend something interesting to try.

Cheese plate — Massimo always has an interesting assortment of cheeses available.

Salumi — We always order the salumi assortment.  This one included prosciutto, smoked culatello, mortadella and bresaola.

Soup — Our friend ordered the chick pea soup which was very good.

Vallee d’Aosta Donnas DOC 2020 Caves de Donnas 2020 made from 90% Nebbiolo Pictendo grapes (which are small and tender) 5% Freisa and 5% Neyret from the municipalities of Donnas, Pont-Saint Martin, Perloz and Brad. The wine is aged for at least 12 months in large 25hl barrels. This is a wine with hints of cherry and raspberry, spice, and a touch of leather.  Very easy and approachable wine but it can age.  It went very well with the food and we all enjoyed it.  The wine is made by a cooperative.

Ravioli Stuffed with Sheep’s Ricotta and Spinach in Sage Butter

Aglianico del Vulture “le drude” DOCG Superiore 2014 Azienda Agricola Alluce.  Le Drude was the name given by Piedmontese soldiers to the bandits’ wives in Basilicata after unification.  This wine was created in honor of their courage. Made from 100% Aglianico del Vulture grapes. The soil is calcareous, clayey. It is magma rich of volcanic origin. Vinification is in stainless steel at a controlled temperature. It is the only Aglianico del Vulture DOCG to be aged for two years in large oak barrels. It is then aged in bottle for 12 months before release. This is a complex wine with hints of blueberries, blackberries, and currants. It is a wine that will age.

 

Polpettine — Classic meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Coda alla Vaccinara — A Roman classic, oxtail in a spicy tomato sauce.

Dessert was a Crostata di Visciole, a simple tart filled with sour cherry jam.

L’Angolo DiVino has a large selection of Grappa, dessert wines, and digestivi, after lunch/dinner drinks.

Traditional Grappa

Marsala

Marsala

Cerasa, a locally made red wine flavored with cherries.

As always, I enjoyed my visit to L’Angolo Di Vino and look forward to returning again soon.

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L’Angolo DiVino in Rome

Every time Michele and I are in Rome we go to L’Angolo Divino, a wine bar just off the Campo dei Fiori.  We always recommend it to friends going to Rome.

Massimo Crippa is the owner and often I will ask him to chose the wine for us. It is always a pleasure to speak to him about Italian wine and the wine scene in Rome.  I know I can count on him to recommend something interesting for me to try.

This time I wanted a light wine low in alcohol and he came up with the perfect choice.

Schioppettino 2023 I Clivi Venezia Giulia IGT made from 100% Schioppettino from vineyards facing south-east on the hills of Prepotto in the Province of Udine. The soil is ponca and the harvest is in early October.  The vines are about 30 yers old.  Alcoholic fermentation takes place in temperature controlled steel tanks with indigenous yeast and maceration is with submerged cap. The wine remains on the lees for a few months before release. This is a fresh light wine with red fruit aromas and flavors and hints of cherry, strawberry, pepper, spice and a touch of licorice.

We started with an antipasto consisting of vegetables preserved in olive oil.  There were olives, artichokes, onions, sun dried tomatoes and pickled peppers stuffed with breadcrumbs, anchovies and herbs.

Then we had an assortment of local sheeps’ milk cheeses ranging from young and mild to mature and deeply flavorful.  They were served with a pear compote.

We also shared an assortment of cured meats including mortadella, coppa, salame and prosciutto

Ravioli stuffed with ricotta and anchovy was served in a light tomato sauce.

Strawberries in Rome are incredibly flavorful this time of year.  These were bathed in Marsala wine.

L’Angolo Divino

Via dei Balestrari n.12/14 angolo con Vicolo del Giglio n.6 Roma

Tel. 39 06 6864413

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L’Angolo Divino – A Perfect Wine Bar

Every time Michele and I are in Rome we go to L’Angolo Divino, a wine bar just off Campo dei Fiori. This time it was a mild sunny day and we were able to sit at tables outside in a charming piazza a few steps from the restaurant.

IMG_6199 We have known the owner Massimo Crippa for many years.  I enjoy speaking to Massimo about wine. Sometimes I will choose the wines and sometimes I will ask Massimo to choose the wine for me. This time I asked Massimo to select 3 local wines from  around Rome.

IMG_6182Cosmico Vino Frizzante IGT Lazio 2019  Casale Certosa made from 100% Trebbiano from the Castelli Romani. The soil is of volcanic origin. The wine ferments in the bottle for about 12 months. Then there is the refermentation in bottle and the wine is disgorged  by hand.  Aging takes place in the bottle. The winery is certified organic. This is a wine with hints of citrus fruit, lemon a note of pear and a touch of apple with good acidity.

IMG_6189 2Assortment of Italian Cheese – We asked Massimo to choose a variety of local cheeses which were served with chestnut honey.

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Assortment of meat – including mortadella, coppa and prosciutto

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Olive paste and zucchini Bruschetta

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Fresh Bufala Mozzarella with olive oil and herbs

I asked Massimo for two wines made from the Cesanese grape that comes from the hilly region south of Rome.  This grape variety comes in two distinct types, the large-berried Cesanese Comun, and the less widespread Cesanese di Affile. The two are united in both Cesanese del Piglio DOCG wines and Cesanese di Olevano Romano DOC wines.  Cesanese di Affile, which is considered the superior of the two, has its own Cesanese di Affile DOC.  Massimo chose two wines which were different in style.


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Cesanese Olevano Romano Càlitro 2016. Piero Riccardo Lorrella Reale made from 100% Cesanese di Affile. The soil is sandstone from the cretaceous period. The wine is aged for 34 months in wood and another 24 months in bottle before release. This is a medium bodied wine with hints of cherry,  pomegranate, red plum and cranberry. Very enjoyable.

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Casale Della Ioria Torre Del Piano 2018 made from 100% Cesanese Piglio Superiore Riserva. This dry red wine comes from a vineyard with volcanic soil at the beginning of the Ernici mountains. The training system is guyot, there are 3,500 vines per hectare and the vineyard was planted in 1986.  Maceration on the skins takes place, then fermentation in  stainless steel for 15 days. Malolactic fermentation is in steel. The wine then ages in barriques for 8 months. This is a full bodied wine with hints of sweet red plum, sweet pomegranate and vanilla.

IMG_6194Ossobuco

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Zucchini Torta

L’Angolo Divino Via dei Balestrari n.12/14 angolo con Vicolo del Giglio n.6 Roma 39 06 6864413

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Filed under Calitro Cesanese, Casale Certosa Cosmico, Casale Della Ioria, Cesanese, Italian Red Wine, L'Angolo Divino, Lazio, Sparkling wine