Sylvester ‘Sly’ Inda’s wine career has come a long way since his Barefoot Moscato days. Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Inda and his family moved to the Bronx when he was just eight years old. His parents had a relatively conservative attitude towards alcohol, which was a big reason why he didn’t first taste wine until he was studying pre-law at college (insert said liter-sized bottle of Barefoot Moscato here). Upon graduating, Inda quickly realized he needed a job, and that law school was likely out due to the outrageous cost. “That’s when I walked into Keens Steakhouse to interview as a server, but the wine director and owner saw something greater in me,” he recalled. 

Enter John McClements, the wine director who took Inda under his wing as a cellar assistant—and who would inevitably change his career trajectory. “I believe their plan was to mentor me to eventually become either a wine director or someone in the industry who represented unbiased and unpretentious values in the world of wine,” Inda said. His simple curiosity about wine quickly morphed into a full-fledged passion under McClements’ leadership. “Realizing that wine is a part of our history as humans—through empires, religion and cultures—really sent me down the rabbit hole,” he explained. 

Inda’s hard work as a cellar rat eventually paid off, and he was offered the role of assistant wine director at Keens, a position he held until the COVID-19 pandemic. While restaurants remained closed, Inda stayed busy with retail stints at Verve Wine in New York and Coolvines in New Jersey, though his passion for service remained. Post-pandemic, he immediately jumped back into “more challenging floor roles,” namely at Daniel Boulud’s Le Pavillon and Danny Meyer’s Gramercy Tavern, where he would ultimately become the head sommelier. 

In November 2025, Inda was offered the prestigious wine director role at Ci Siamo, the Italian-focused outpost of Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG). While Gramercy Tavern has an expansive wine list representing regions around the world, according to Inda 90 percent of Ci Siamo’s selections hail from Italy. “The list is classic in its approach, representing traditional wines from Piedmont and Tuscany,” he said, “but it also promotes smaller, lesser-known regions like Lazio, Abruzzo, and Liguria.”

The restaurant also focuses on native Italian grape varieties, like Pelaverga in Piedmont, Teroldego in Trentino-Alto Adige, Verdicchio in Le Marche, and everything in between. But Inda said that Ci Siamo’s list is still accessible and should not be intimidating. “We’re especially proud of our value-driven wines”, he said, noting that 40 percent of the list is priced under $100 and a whopping 70 percent can be purchased for less than $200.

While Chef Hillary Sterling’s seasonal pastas and wood-fired dishes are unsurprisingly the main driver of the wine selection, Inda believes that staff input also plays an important role. “When it comes to picking a wine for the list, everyone on the team tastes and votes, almost like a wine jury,” he said. “Your team has to be just as excited about the wines as you are, so that the excitement can trickle down to the rest of the staff and, ultimately, to the guests.”

Below are few of Inda’s current favorites.

2014 Cascina Baricchi ‘Ca Va Sans Dire’ Vino Bianco Piemonte ($145)

One of the many whites that I am excited about is this Timorasso from Cascina Baricchi, which is crafted from vines planted in the 1950s on clay and limestone soils. People may know of Cascina Barrichi and their legendary Barbaresco (fruit that the legendary Bruno Giacosa used to purchase frequently), but this Timorasso is built for age—this one has more than 10 years on it! On the palate, the wine is vibrant and complex, with a rich nutty and salty texture, reminiscent of aged White Burgundy.

1994 Colli di Catone ‘Lazio Colle Gaio’ Vino Bianco ($295 on Ci Siamo list)

This white wine from Lazio, which is made from the Malvazia del Lazio variety, is also built to last. Now with 32 years of age on it, this wine is drinking beautifully, especially with the Guanciale and black pepper of our rigatoni. It’s full-bodied yet vibrant, with notes of hazelnuts, baked peaches, tangerines, oranges, and a hint of petrol. It’s got that touch of honey that comes with age, and is perfect for fans of back-vintage Alsatian Riesling. It’s a true rarity and a treat, as I’m sure not many bottles are left in the world. 

2023 Cantine Barbera 'Ammano #11’ Zibibbo Sicily  ($42)

Orange wine is a category that’s very misunderstood. Fruit for this wine is grown on the southwest coast of Menfi, and is the representation of the Sicilian coast in a glass. From winemaker Marilena Barbera, only 218 bottles of this special wine were produced in 2023. Robust and fresh, the wine shows flavors of apricots, tangerines, beeswax, and pineapple. It’s a very humble and pure project from a modest producer with high-quality results.

2024 Fratelli Alessandria 'Speziale' Verduno Pelaverga ($72)

On the Ci Siamo list, we have plenty of Barolo, Barbaresco, and Brunello. But what often stands out are other grapes of these famed regions that are made so well for immediate drinking. One of these bottles may be the best Pelaverga ever made: Fratelli Allesandria’s Speziale Pelaverga from Verduno. Fruit for this wine hails just a few hills over from La Morra. On the palate, the wine is light, juicy, and bright, yet still very complex. Notes of bing cherry, watermelon, and papaya make it easy to drink, coupled with vibrant acidity and soft tannins. The wine was first made in 1973 for family consumption, and is sold in very small commercial quantities today.

2020 Il Bio Selvatico Toscano Rosso ($60)

[Given that we have] an Italian wine list, we have to give some love to Sangiovese. The grape is often deemed the “wild cowboy” variety of Italian wines, mainly because it can be untamed, assertive, rustic in nature, and unapologetic in style. This expression is produced from just five hectares of land farmed using a holistic approach. Vinified with 100% whole clusters by way of good ole’ foot stomping, the resulting wine is one of the purest expressions of Sangiovese that I have ever tasted. Notes of earth, smoke, leather, flint, and sage dominate, making the wine powerful yet light on its feet. It unapologetically embodies the cowboy grape we call Sangiovese.