Okay, I have a confession to make. I am officially a wine bar tramp. I was in love with ‘inotecca, fully and completely committed to its charming and super-knowledgeable bartender Jason Crume, not to mention its affordable and expansive wine list and yummy selection of Italian snacks. But this week, it’s official, I am definitely cheating. My apologies to Jason the bartender and owners/brothers Jason and Joe Denton. You guys know I love you, but my heart, and tummy, are straying to In Vino, a cozy Italian wine bar that the guys who own Max opened a couple of weeks ago on a sleepy block of East 4th Street between A and B. Would it be too much for me to suggest that you go right now? Who cares if you are reading this in the morning, at least make a plan to go tonight (it is open seven days a week.) This is one of those places, like ‘inotecca, that you enter knowing instantly that you want more. It’s sort of like that spark on a first date when you know this is someone you are going to want to spend lots more time with.

First, the vibe is earthy, wine cave chic. High curved ceilings seem molded from alabaster clay, making you feel like you are eating inside room carved from the inside of a limestone mountain. The tables are of the sturdy farmhouse variety, and the bar is long and inviting, lit with candles and filled with local vintage-clad hotties in Pumas and Prada.

The wine list contains 350 bottles, all Italian, and not a one is from Tuscany. You wont find a Barolo, Barbera, Barbaresco or Chianti on this list. This place is all about Italy’s other regions, and this means you are in for some Christopher Columbus typed discoveries. There are wines from Sardinia, Corsica, Puglia, Calabria, Umbria, and Campania. And the waitstaff is great at guiding you though the heavy leather-bound list, that I am certain weighs about five pounds. Our charming and wine-savvy waiter Roberto worked at Max for two years and is from Capri and has a great grasp of the unique wines on the list. He poured us three awesome glasses of red—the first a Cannonau from Costera Argiolas (2001) Sardinia $8, then a Copertino Reservva Messapicus (1999) from Puglia ($8), and then an amazing glass called La Segrate Rosso, from Planeta (2002, $9). All wines are priced between $7 and $9 per glass, a nice change from the usual $10-$15 price point.

Once you order some vino, dig into the delicious Italian fare. The food in simple, honest, tasty, and fun to eat, and like most wine bar eats, it is portioned to share with a big group, or just to feast among two. The menu is unique, going well beyond the standard cheese and cold cut plates, offering Crostini in Bagnacauda ($5)– crusty, fresh baked bread accompanied by a clay pot heated by a tea-light filled with savory spreads like tomato and truffle, olive, mushroom, or artichoke, each one cooked down to a thick, flavorful dip, perfect for slathering over the platform of warm carbs. The menu also offers Gratinati in Terrina ($7), oven-baked casseroles that are big enough for three or four people. We had a heavenly gratin made from layers of thinly sliced fried eggplant, smoky proscuitto, and luscious melting Mozzarella. This dish should be considered mandatory, with prison term imposed for those who fail to finish it. Another treat on the menu is the Antipasti (3 for $13), served in a trio of wide, shallow terra cotta bowls fitted into a wooden tray. Choices include stellar meatballs, light almost feathery in texture, served in a thick, hearty tomato ragu. There are about a dozen choices including a gorgeous dish of caramelized baby white onions that shine in their utter simplicity, as well as marinated fried zucchini with garlic and mint, polenta topped with sweet Italian sausages, and slow-cooked baby artichokes. Expect serious eating bliss.

In Vino is not only seductive but also fun to be seduced by. In relationships, fidelity is paramount. In the world of the wine bar, it’s nice to share the love. I am still enamored with and devoted to ‘inotecca, but I am now also happily having an affair with In Vino. I encourage you to do the same.

In Vino, 215 East 4th Street, between Avenue A and B, 212-539-1011.

Andrea Strong