The Attic

The balsamic ladder from Albinea's attic, and the oil that stands beside it.

"In wine, you go down to the cellar," Cristina Crotti says. "In our world, you climb to the attic." This box is what comes down from hers: the bright Yellow Label for dressing, the deep Red for finishing, and Andria's Coratina beside them, because oil and vinegar are the oldest pair on the table.

Between the three, a household is set for the year — salads, roasted vegetables out of the oven, cheese with a dark thread across it, tomatoes in winter.

Bottles like these get used for months and remembered longer, which is why this box leans toward weddings.