If you’re interested in vino sfuso in Genoa, you’ve tapped into one of Italy’s most authentic wine traditions—buying quality local wine by the liter at neighborhood bulk wine shops. Known as vini sfusi, these shops offer an affordable and eco-friendly way to enjoy regional wines, just like the locals.

Before you go, it’s helpful to understand a few basics about the local wines and the refill process. We visited many vini sfusi during our stay in Genoa. We’ve included a summary below to help you get started.

Most shops will sell you a liter bottle on your first visit, which you can bring back for refills. It’s a simple and sustainable way to enjoy local wines while saving money and reducing environmental waste.

We frequented Rosso Rubino Cantina numerous times during our stay in Genoa. It has a large selection of bulk wines, including wines from the local Liguria and nearby Piedmont regions.

Address: Via dei Macelli di Soziglia, 56, 16123 Genova GE, Italy

aka the Andrea Bruzzone Vini is a wine shop, vini sfusi, and a small wine museum!

Address: Piazza di S. Donato, 51r, 16123 Genova GE, Italy

Like other bulk wine shops, Rosso Rubino Cantina primarily sells to locals, so it helps to know what you’re looking for when you go in. Don’t get me wrong, you don’t need to speak Italian, and you don’t need to be a sommelier, but you increase your chances of success with a bit of information.

Rosso Rubino Cantina has a wide variety of wines. Some are local wines from Liguria. However, most are from the nearby Piedmont and Tuscany regions. Importantly, bulk wines are often identified by the grape variety rather than the wine varietal. Consequently, it helps to know what grapes are used to produce the common wines.

• • Vermentino
  • Pigato
  • Bosco

• • Rossese
  • Ciliegiolo
  • Ormeasco

Check out the Liguria Wine page for more information about these grape varieties.

Shopping at the local Italian bulk wine shop is not a tourist activity but a local activity. Our experience with the local bulk wine shop owners is that they sometimes speak limited English. Although we speak limited Italian, we have always been successful and left the shop carrying the type of wine we wanted.

Our experience has been universally positive, with everyone being extremely kind and patient. But, there are a few Italian words that will make it much easier:

• • Red Wine – Vino Rosso
  • White Wine – Vino Bianco
  • Semi-Sparking Wine – Frizzante
  • Dry – Secco
  • Sweet – Dolce
  • One liter – Uno litro
  • Two liters – Due litri
  • Bottle – bottiglia
  • Please – Per favore
  • Thank you very much – Grazie mille!

Our recommended bulk wine shop in Genoa, Rosso Rubino Cantina, is in the heart of the Old Town.