Wine & Spirits

1. Possu vede a carta di i vini?

   May I see the wine list?

   Usage

   Ask a restaurant or wine bar to show you the list of wines

   Grammar Note

   Carta is a feminine noun used for paper, maps and menus. Di + i gives "of the wines"; the plural of vinu is vini. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

2. Mi pudete ricumandà un vinu nustrale?

   Can you recommend a local wine?

   Usage

   Ask staff for a wine made on the island when you want to try something local

   Grammar Note

   Vinu nustrale means a wine of the local land; nustrale means "of our place". Ricumandà is also spelled ricomandà. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

3. Vogliu un vinu rossu / biancu / rosiu / spumante

   I would like a red / white / rosé / sparkling wine

   Usage

   When ordering, say the colour or style you want; just pick one of the four words

   Grammar Note

   The adjectives agree with masculine vinu. Rossu is also written russu and rosiu also roseu. There is no settled spelling for rosé, so compare with the wine list. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

4. Un bichjeru / Una buttiglia, pè piacè

   A glass / A bottle, please

   Usage

   Say how much wine you want, by the glass or by the bottle; choose one

   Grammar Note

   Bichjeru is masculine and buttiglia feminine, so the indefinite article changes (un / una). Bichjeru is also written bicchieru. Pè piacè is the common northern form

5. Quale vinu s'accorda bè cù stu piattu?

   Which wine goes well with this dish?

   Usage

   After choosing a dish, ask staff which wine to pair with it

   Grammar Note

   S'accorda is the third person of accurdassi ("to agree, to match") with the reflexive s'. Using it for wine and food is a natural extension, but this sentence is assembled from known words, so native review is recommended

6. Stu vinu hè seccu

   This wine is dry

   Usage

   Describe or confirm a wine that is not sweet while tasting or reading the list

   Grammar Note

   Seccu is also written siccu. To make it a question keep the word order and raise your voice: Stu vinu hè seccu? "Sweet" is dolce. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

7. Micca troppu dolce, pè piacè

   Not too sweet, please

   Usage

   Tell staff you prefer a wine that is not very sweet

   Grammar Note

   Micca + adjective is a short way to say you want to avoid a quality. Dolce is the same for masculine and feminine and is also written dolcu. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

8. Vogliu fà un assaghju di vini

   I would like to do a wine tasting

   Usage

   At a winery or wine shop, ask to taste several wines in a row

   Grammar Note

   Assaghju is a noun meaning "tasting, trial", from the same stem as the verb assaghjà (to taste). It is also spelled assaghiu. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

9. Quale hè u vinu di a casa?

   What is the house wine?

   Usage

   Ask which wine the restaurant serves as its standard, usually reasonably priced

   Grammar Note

   Di + a gives "of the house"; casa is feminine. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

10. Da quale regione vene stu vinu?

    Which region does this wine come from?

    Usage

    Ask for the origin or appellation of a wine

    Grammar Note

    Vene is the third person of venì (to come). Regione is also spelled reghjone. For island wines, listen for the place name in the answer. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

11. Salute!

    Cheers!

    Usage

    The toast you say as glasses are raised

    Grammar Note

    Salute means "health" and works directly as a toast. The same form exists in Italian, but it is also a normal Corsican word for health. The form saluta also appears

12. Possu visità a cantina?

    Can I visit the cellar?

    Usage

    At a winery, ask to see the cellar or storage rooms

    Grammar Note

    Cantina is a feminine noun that can also mean storeroom or canteen; at a winery it is the wine cellar. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

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