Piccola Italia
Cheap Pasta, Cheaper Wine, Same Ca'Brigiano
East Manchester · Manchester · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 19, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Piccola Italia is exactly what you'd expect from a neighborhood Italian spot that treats wine as an afterthought — a short, laminated-looking lineup where one producer does almost all the heavy lifting. Ca'Brigiano shows up in four different iterations, which tells you everything about how much thought went into building this list. It's not offensive, but it's not trying either.
Selection Deep Dive
The entire list clocks in at around 10 to 20 bottles, and the majority of that real estate belongs to Ca'Brigiano across Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet, and Merlot — a bulk Italian producer that retails for next to nothing. Corsi's Montepulciano and Chianti are the only wines here that gesture toward actual Italian regional character, and at least they're pointing in the right direction. There are no grower wines, no Brunello, no Barolo, no Vermentino, nothing that would make a wine-curious diner lean in. For a restaurant flying the Italian flag, this list doesn't make it past the airport.
By the Glass
Six pours by the glass at $6.75 each sounds friendly until you realize you're essentially choosing between four expressions of the same bulk producer. The Corsi Chianti and Corsi Montepulciano are the only real options worth considering at the glass level. Rotation appears nonexistent — this list looks like it hasn't changed since opening day.
Corsi Montepulciano — $6.75/glass
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is a reliably food-friendly red with enough dark fruit and rustic grip to hold up to a plate of pasta, and Corsi is a decent, honest producer. At $6.75 a glass in a casual neighborhood spot, it's the one pour on this list that earns its keep.
Corsi Chianti
Nobody comes to a casual Italian-American joint in East Manchester looking for Chianti, but the Corsi is the closest thing to a genuine Italian expression on this list. Most tables will default to Cabernet out of habit — skip that instinct and grab the Chianti instead.
Ca'Brigiano Cabernet
A bulk Italian Cabernet marked up nearly 3x retail is a hard pass. There's no reason to drink a generic Ca'Brigiano Cab when you could at least order something with regional identity. This bottle exists to fill a slot, not to be enjoyed.
Corsi Chianti + Chicken Parmigiana
Chianti's natural acidity cuts through the tomato sauce and the richness of the breaded chicken without fighting the dish. It's a classic Italian instinct — acid with acid, red with red sauce — and it's the one moment on this list where everything clicks.
❌ The Bottom Line
Piccola Italia is a fine neighborhood spot for a casual pasta night, but the wine list is an afterthought dressed up with an Italian accent. Order the Corsi Chianti, enjoy your chicken parm, and don't overthink it.
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