A Fresh Taste

by Rob Wallace
on Friday, August 26, 2011 12:00 AM

Marco Bettio and Mattia Visconti are widely known for organizing the salacious Pervert Parties and for running the former "Studio 54 of Shanghai", MAO. However, this duo's latest project - a wine bar entitled DVino - allows them to show off their charming side and share with Shanghai the kind of quality products that true Italians know and love.

Boasting a façade composed entirely of windows and a convenient location not far from Jing'an Temple, DVino invites all who pass by to inquire within. As Shanghai's first Italian wine bar, it offers up to 80 different kinds of wine, the vast majority coming straight from the Roman peninsula. Furthermore, the grey brick walls and wooden
furniture give DVino the comfortable feel of a rustic house found in the hills of Tuscany.

If you have been fortunate enough to travel to Marco and Mattia's motherland, you will know that Italians emphasize the quality of their food and drink above almost everything else. That is why this duo has vowed to run the only bar in Shanghai offering some of Italy's finest wines, cheeses and snacks. The soft bread is baked to order and Italy's famous (and almost impossible to find) Burrata cheese is available for an appropriate RMB120. The perfect compliment to a dry glass of wine is DVino's Gnocco Fritto, which consists of buttery, fried dough topped with a rich piece of Italian ham.

While the high end products will undoubtedly entice patrons to investigate DVino, it is Manager Marco Bettio's welcoming attitude that will keep them coming back. Growing up amongst the vines in Tuscany means that wine is more than just a drink to Marco; it is his life. Marco thus finds absolute pleasure helping guests make the proper selection, conducting impromptu wine tastings, and even leading discussions on the history of his favorite blood-red libation.

As the crowds return to Shanghai this fall, you will undoubtedly need a reservation if you want a table at this friendly yet classy wine bar.