Italian digestivi and the perfect ending — dessert wines from Tuscany and Piedmont, plus a proper espresso to finish the meal.
In Italy, the meal is not over when the plates are cleared. The hour after dinner is its own ritual — a glass of Vin Santo to slow the conversation, a pour of Moscato d’Asti to lighten the palate, a small espresso to send you out into the night. At Capriciano, our digestivi e caffè program honors this tradition with a thoughtfully chosen list of Italian dessert wines and proper Italian-style coffee, served in the heart of Santa Rosa’s wine country.
What Makes Our Digestivi Special?
The Italian Art of the After-Dinner
No meal in Italy ends abruptly. The digestivo — literally “to aid digestion” — is the moment when conversation deepens, when last bites of cheese or dessert find their match, when the evening becomes its own reward. Our list draws from the great dessert wine regions of Italy: Tuscan Vin Santo from estates centuries old, Piedmont Moscato d’Asti with peach and jasmine, Umbrian Sagrantino Passito powerful and complex. Each one tells a different story of where in Italy the grapes came from and how they were dried, fermented, and aged for years before reaching your glass. And when the time comes, a proper Italian espresso — bold, hot, and exactly the right size — sends you out into the night.
Highlights From Our After-Dinner List
- Vin Santo Flight — Chianti Classico, Grignano, and Rufina, three Tuscan Vin Santi
- Moscato d'Asti — Vietti — Piedmont, lightly sparkling, peach, jasmine, apricot
- Vin Santo del Chianti Classico — Badia a Coltibuono — Tuscany, walnut, dried fig, caramel, oak-aged
- Recioto della Valpolicella — Roccolo Grassi — Valpolicella, cherry jam, chocolate, velvety sweetness
- Montefalco Sagrantino Passito — Antonelli — Umbria, rare indigenous variety, dark chocolate, dried cherry
- A proper Italian espresso to finish the meal — bold, hand-pulled, served the right way
Is the After-Dinner Worth Lingering For?
Our digestivi and espresso pair beautifully with:
- A bite of biscotti or a slice of cake
- A long, lingering Italian dinner
- Settling in after a special meal
- A quiet end to a celebration
- A few last bites of cheese or chocolate
- Sharing stories at the end of the table
- A short espresso for the road
- An unhurried farewell to the evening
Whether you are easing toward the end of a full Italian feast, savoring the last few bites with a glass of Moscato, or simply pausing for an espresso before heading out into the Santa Rosa evening, our after-dinner list is built for the slow finish. The meal is not over until you decide it is.
What to Expect at Your Table
Digestivi and caffè arrive at our Santa Rosa osteria the way they should — in the proper glass, at the proper temperature, after a moment of quiet at the end of the meal. Espresso is served small and strong, the way Italians take it; cappuccino is offered if you would like it, though Italians themselves would smile and tell you it belongs at breakfast. Tell us what kind of finish you want — sweet, intense, light, or simply a coffee for the road — and your server will find it for you.
Why Choose Our Digestivi & Caffè?
From the Great Italian Dessert Wine Regions
Our dessert wines come from Italy’s most respected regions for after-dinner drinking — Tuscany, Piedmont, Veneto, Umbria. Vin Santo aged for years in small oak barrels, Moscato d’Asti pressed gently from late-harvest grapes, Recioto built from grapes left to dry on the vine for months. Every glass is a piece of Italian winemaking history.
A Proper Way to End the Meal
In Italy, the espresso is not an afterthought — it is the right way to close a meal. Bold, hot, small, and never rushed. We serve ours the way it should be served: in a small cup, properly pulled, at exactly the right moment. Pair it with a digestivo for the full Italian experience.