About

After years in the Italian restaurant business and traveling to various Italian eateries across the U.S., I realize there is one thing I truly miss: the wicker Chianti bottle that was prominently displayed in the center of every Italian restaurant from the 1960s through the 1990s. This wicker Chianti bottle symbolized a good red table wine that complemented red sauce and delicious Italian food. Along with the red-checkered tablecloth, it represented the essence of American Italian dining, and I long for that experience.

As the California wine industry evolved and American palates became more sophisticated, dissatisfaction grew with the low-quality wine being shipped to the U.S. in wicker bottles. As a result, Americans began to favor more refined wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Zinfandel.

Simultaneously, the Italian wine industry began producing more dynamic wines from the Sangiovese grape, naming them Chianti Classico and Super Tuscans, which include Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. These wines are typically bottled in standard 750 ml bottles.

We believe it’s time for the wicker bottle to make a comeback and reclaim its place at the center of the table in Italian and pizza restaurants across the U.S., and we intend to make that happen.

The decline of the wicker Chianti can be attributed to the quality of wine sold in those iconic bottles. While Italians produce excellent wine, they tend to keep the best for themselves or export it to the US as super premium at a high price.

Through extensive research and interviews, we found that the wicker bottle still holds nostalgic value and popularity in the US today. Our goal was to find the right fiasco wicker bottles and the perfect wine to fill them, all at a price point that we believe American consumers would accept—between $25 and $30 for retail.

We identified a bottle manufacturer in Italy and traveled there to witness the production process, which includes how the bottles are made, wrapped in wicker, and filled with Italian wine. By developing a relationship with the wicker bottle makers, we gained insight into their bottling system and the necessary equipment used.

We recently visited the Suisun Valley in California, where we met with growers of Sangiovese grapes and producers of Sangiovese wine. While the quality was excellent, we found that the prices might be too high to allow for blending and profitability. As a result, we are now seeking other Sangiovese winemakers in California, Washington State, and even Texas, where exceptional Sangiovese grapes are also cultivated.

This is a long-term project for us; it’s not something we want to pursue immediately. Instead, we have decided to focus on premium products from experienced winemakers in Italy, ensuring that the quality of traditional wicker Chianti wines is not seen as substandard in any way.

In recent years, several iconic beer brands have made a comeback, regaining popularity among hipsters and long-time drinkers who are nostalgic for the past. Brands like Schlitz and Pabst have successfully reemerged, demonstrating that quality beverages still hold a valued place in today’s society. Similarly, the reintroduction of Chuck Taylor sneakers and the VW Beetle showcases how iconic brands can be successfully revived.

Marketing will be a critical factor in the success of DiCapo’s Chianti wine. Our primary focus will be on promoting the wine to on-premise restaurants, as that is where the iconic wicker baskets have historically been most prominently displayed. We anticipate that Italian chain restaurants such as Olive Garden, Carrabba’s, Bertucci’s, Maggiano’s, Brio’s, and Buca di Beppo, among others, may express interest in selling our premium Italian wine in wicker bottles.

We plan to showcase our product at several trade shows, including the International Pizza Convention. This event attracts notable pizza chains, including Pizzeria Uno, Lou Malnati’s, Gino’s, Giordano’s, and many others, all of which aim to enhance their wine offerings and increase alcohol sales. What better way to do this than by featuring the iconic wicker Chianti bottle at the center of their checkered tablecloths?

The resurgence of classic Italian products in America has gained significant momentum. Just look at the soaring prices of vintage Ferraris! We believe we can tap into this trend, and with the right marketing, advertising, and social media exposure, we can successfully reintroduce the wicker fiasco to American consumers.

Our experience includes developing food items for major retailers such as Walmart, Sam’s Club, Hy-Vee, and AWG, in addition to distributing through US Foods and Sysco. This background has provided us with valuable insights into sales and marketing systems.

We have innovative strategies to encourage restaurants to try our wine, and we are confident that once they do, the market demand will continue to grow.

John DiCapo

DiCapo Wines