Pouring a coppery glass of Roccafiore Rosato, made from Sangiovese, Conti peers through his fashiony, thick-framed Euro glasses. He’s wearing an apron with a faded Death Angel logo on it. (The thrash-metal band from Daly City — fans of La Ciccia — had it made for him.) Meanwhile, Degan, who always seems to be smiling and running, is zipping around, making sure guests have their charcuterie plates, piled high with ribbons of thinly sliced Italian salumi, refills of bread and a chance to order another glass of cold, sparkling Chiarli Lambrusco.
The wine list is all Italian, focusing on wineries that value sustainability. The bar also sells bottles to take home, so it runs in part like a wine shop. Any bottle from the by-the-glass list (there are 20) can be purchased for 50% off; selections from the by-the-bottle list are discounted by 30%. “We have about 100 bottles to choose from,” Conti says, his tongue rolling through the “r” in “one hundred” like butter.