6:30 p.m. on a cold December day. A middle-aged American gentleman steps through the old wooden door of the wine shop. He finds the bar counter to his left and settles into a corner. There are seats available, but he prefers to stand. He asks for the wine list, saying he wants something mature. The place is buzzing, the wine flows constantly at the counter: glasses of Lugana, Soave, Valpolicella, sparkling Trento, but also Champagne and Burgundy. He casually selects three bottles from the list. A 1976 Latricières-Chambertin by Remy, a 1970 Haut-Brion, and a 1951 Lafite Rothschild. From behind the counter, given the number and quality of the bottles, he’s offered a table—but he’s having none of it: “No, I want to stay here, standing with you and taste the wines with you,” he says confidently. “Actually, call over those elderly gentlemen over there—let’s all taste together.”
The bottega where the regulars drink a glass for one euro
Those elderly gentlemen are people who have been coming to the Bottega for at least half a century, and the Bottega has a special line of wines created just for them. One euro per glass, but only for them. The gentlemen approach, begin sampling the selected bottles, sniffing, commenting—and soon, everyone follows suit. Literally everyone. Curiosity spreads throughout the place; those rare labels certainly don’t go unnoticed. In an instant, the Bottega becomes the scene of a party— a wonderful wine celebration. “Just think, from that day on, at least 15 people—true wine lovers, elderly patrons, and folks who just dropped in for a simple Recioto—can say they’ve tasted a rare 1951 Lafite that still danced on its toes,” says Simone Isoli, the sommelier and manager of the venue, who lived that moment and savoured every second.
The 1860 Marsala with which Garibaldi toasted with his Thousand
Welcome to the Antica Bottega del Vino, a true institution in Italy and the world (Verona – Vicolo Scudo di Francia, 3 – 045 800 4535 – bottegavini.it). Welcome to a historic place, bearing this name since 1890, although its foundation dates back to the Republic of Venice. Since 2010, following some changes in management, it has been run by the Amarone Families Association. There are 4,500 labels in the underground cellar, including several Cognacs from the early 1800s. The oldest wine is a Marsala Riserva from 1860 (probably the one with which Garibaldi toasted upon landing), bottled in a thousand examples by Marco De Bartoli in 1980. There’s also a 1928 Acinatico by Bertani, and countless head-spinning verticals of Recioto and Amarone.
The bottega where you understand that wine is celebration and togetherness
Yes, we know—episodes like the one described don’t happen every day, but similar moments do occur here from time to time. And this reveals what a true place of wine really is: not a stiff, overly technical space, but a microcosm full of energy and vitality. Wine is conviviality, glances, smiles, human connection… and if all this happens in the corner of a bar counter, we love it even more.
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