EDMONTON: Fine fine wine

I don’t know what it is about Edmonton, but in yet another non-descript strip mall is a fabulous Italian place.

The specialties at Piccolino’s include the Cannelloni Piccolino ($9), filled with veal and mozzarella, and the Cannelloni con Funghi ($10), filled with mushrooms. If you’re in the know, you can ask to combine both in one dish.

My boyfriend calls the aioli chicken pizza “that butter pizza” because he says it tastes like butter. I like to think of it as a luxurious melty feeling that washes over you when take a bite.

But it is the wine I’ll remember most. Piccolino’s has an extensive wine list and some very smart servers to help out.

My friend Katherine had arrived before us and ordered a bottle of 1998 Fabiano Amarone della Valpolicella Classico. It was $67.

Now, Katherine is what some people would affectionately call a wine snob. After she turned 30, she vowed to buy wines that were only 30 bucks or higher.

I thought she was crazy. But after tasting the Amarone, I think she’s definitely on to something.

They even brought out the fancy wine glasses for the red. So fancy, the server told us they only have a few of them and the owner would cry if one of them broke.

I don’t know anything about acidity, tannins or finish, but I can say the Amarone was goooood. That Katherine is one smart cookie.

Piccolino’s, 142 Street and 91 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, (780) 443-2110. Virtually impossible to get a table without a reservation.