How Do Locals Buy Wine in Siena?
If you’re interested in vino sfuso Siena, congratulations! You’ve discovered the secret to buying wine like a local in Siena, Italy. The vino sfuso or vini sfusi are bulk wine shops that sell quality wines by the liter at discount prices.
But, before you go, you need to know a couple of basic things about the local wines. We spent some time researching the local wines ahead of time. We’ve included a summary below.
Also, if you really want to do it like a local, you should take a bottle with you to get filled. An empty 1-liter water bottle is perfect. But don’t worry, if you don’t have a bottle, you can buy one at the wine shop.
When you return for more, just bring your rinsed bottle, and they will refill it. It’s a great way to reduce your environmental impact.
Vino Sfuso Siena
We frequented La Bottega del Vino numerous times during our stay in Siena. It has a large selection of bulk wines, including many local wines from Tuscany. We paired them with local cured meats and cheeses for a wonderful meal.
La Bottega del Vino
La Bottega del Vino was our “go-to” source for wine in Siena. They have a large selection of high-quality bulk wines at reasonable prices. Don’t forget your bottles!
Address: Viale Trieste, 20, 53100 Siena SI, Italy
Il Vinaio di Furio
Address: Via G. Mazzini, 20, 53100 Siena SI, Italy
Check out the Siena Wine page for more information about wine shops in Siena.
Useful Information About Wines in Tuscany
The bulk wine shops are primarily selling to locals. Because they are not part of the traditional tourist industry, the owners and employees do not always speak English. For this reason, 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.
The bulk wine shops have a wide variety of wines. Most are local wines from Tuscany. 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.
Red Grapes
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- Sangiovese
- Canaiolo
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot
White Grapes
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- Trebbiano Toscana
- Vernaccia
- Vermentino
If you get lucky, you might find bulk wines identified by the wine varietal (which may indicate the wine is of higher quality). Here’s a list of the most common.
Red Wines
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- Rosso di Montalcino
- Carmignano
- Chianti
- Rosso di Montepulciano
- Bolgheri
White Wines
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- Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Check out the Tuscany Wine page for more information about these grapes varieties and wine varietals.
Useful Italian words for Vini Sfusi Shopping
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:
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- Red Wine – Vino Rosso
- White Wine – Vino Bianco
- Semi-Sparking Wine – Frizzante
- Dry – Secco
- Sweet – Dolce
- One liter – Un litro
- Two liters – Due litri
- Bottle – bottiglia
- Please – Per favore
- Thank you very much – Grazie mille!
Map of Bulk Wine Shops in Siena
Our recommended bulk wine shops in Siena are La Bottega del Vino and Il Vinaio di Furio. They are located just outside the gates of Old Town.
