AN ITALIAN restaurant in Dorchester will encourage diners to try something new with its Wine Explorers collection.

Carluccio’s, which has a restaurant in Brewery Square, will be sharing its passion for some of the very best lesser-known Italian wines and offering them for £10 a bottle from now until October 1.

Each bottle has been chosen by Carluccio’s wine experts for its unique properties and for being best in class.

On offer are:

Villa Dei Fiori Pecorino, Abruzzo

Not a cheese, but a white grape native to the Marche region, so named because the sheep of the region snack on the grapes. Once virtually extinct, this grape was rediscovered by a farmer and vintner and is now produced in Abruzzo. Billed as the grape to watch, Pecorino is a versatile wine that’s great with food or on its own. This sustainably produced wine is deliciously dry with the fresh fruity flavours of green apple and pear.

Enjoy with Carluccio’s seafood linguine - white crab meat, prawns, mussels and clams tossed in a rich and spicy tomato & chilli sauce with baby plum tomatoes and fresh basil, sprinkled with bottarga.

La Segreta Il Bianco, Sicilia Doc

This multi-award-winning wine is from the renowned Planeta family and takes its name from the woodland that surrounds their vineyard in Sicily. A blend of Grecanico, Chardonnay, Viognier and Fiano grapes, this beautifully balanced wine has notes of peach, papaya and chamomile.

Enjoy with Carluccio’s Penne Giardiniera - giant Pugliese penne with courgette, chilli and garlic, served with fried spinach balls.

Lambrusco Vecchia Modena, Chiarli, Emilia Romagna

The hitherto unfashionable Lambrusco is making a comeback. Forget the over sugary concoctions, recently described by Antonio Carluccio as the ‘Coca Cola of Lambrusco’, Vecchia Modena is a ‘real’ Lambrusco made the traditional way in Emilia Romagna – a dry, sparkling red that’s traditionally served chilled.

Enjoy with Carluccio’s Salumi Board - mortadella, 14-month aged prosciutto Gran Sasso, salami Ventricina Abruzzese, soppressa al finocchio, prosciutto cotto, salami Aquila, mixed Italian olives and caper berries.

Frappato, Caruso & Minini, Sicily

A brilliant red, this little heard of grape, but dubbed the ‘Pinot Noir’ of Sicily is seeing a surge in popularity. Despite being deep ruby-purple in colour, this single variety red is light in body, meaning that whilst it complements richer meat, pasta and risotto dishes, it can also be enjoyed with seafood and fish.

Enjoy with Fettucce di Funghi e Tartufi - fettucce pasta served with mixed mushrooms in a butter and truffle sauce and other seasonal mushroom specials this autumn.

See carluccios.com/wine-explorers for more information.