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Italian Wine Bars
Saving your waistline and pocket book in Italy

By Judy Witts Francini, Divina Cucina

When I first arrived in Italy in 1984, most menus in restaurants there had handwritten signs that sais, “We only serve full meals.” A full meal to an Italian is a primi, first course of pasta rice or soup; a secondo, a main course of meat or fish; and a contorno, a vegetable. Most places would offer a reasonably priced tourist menu that included all of these. However, after a few days of lunch and dinner out, it became clear that there must be another way to eat! After all, there is also gelato to consider!

So, in recent years, tourists have found out what Italians have kept as a fabulous secret: When they want just a little bite, they belly up to the bar – a wine bar. It is common sense for the locals that one never drinks wine without a little something to eat. That custom turned out to be just what we were looking for when we first arrived. At a bar you’ll find delicious crostini, small slices of bread spread with chicken liver pates, olive paste and perhaps even white truffles and butter, as well as bruschette with fresh tomatoes and basil. For those wine bars with tables, plates of local cheeses and salami are usually available, as well as hot pasta or a piatto del giorno, the special of the day.

In Florence and Rome the wine bars are called vinaio, or enoteca or fiaschetteria. In Venice they’re called bacari.  The first wine bars in Rome were open all day and night as place to congregate and were called taverna. They evolved into osteria where the oste ( host) would tell you what the day’s specials were to today’s trattorias with printed menus.  They’re great places to taste local specialties as well.

Wine tasting at Italian wineries isn’t as we know it in the States. For most wineries, you must reserve a tour and the tasting is included in the price. Driving through the countryside you will often see a sign for degustazione, that is, a local producer offering tastings. Of course you may find a cute little old caretaker that doesn’t speak English or know anything about the wine he is pouring; but that’s the beauty of Italy.

The wine bars in town also offer a chance to sample some of the locals wines from various producers all in once place. They do not pour “tastings” but full glasses instead. Some have bottles open on the counter in the smaller wine bars, but the larger newer wine bars will have a list of wines by the bottle or by the glass. All the wine producing areas will have an Enoteca Regionale, showcasing a region’s wines (Italy is the only country in the world that each of its regions produces wine).

This can lead to a lot of tasting, so take my advice and enjoy Italy in small sips!