🍷 Where to Buy Wine in Venice

Venice isn’t known for vineyards, but it is a city where wine culture runs deep. You have to avoid the overpriced tourist traps and drink where locals still do. Here’s how to find great bottles, refillable wine “sfusi,” and a few places that surprise even seasoned travellers.

🥂 1. For Bottles That Impress: Mascari

Located steps from the Rialto Market, Mascari is a historic gourmet shop with a refined wine selection. You’ll find everything from crisp Friulano to high-end Barolo. The staff is knowledgeable, and the atmosphere is quietly elegant—ideal for a gift bottle or something special for your evening in.

📍 San Polo 381 (near Campo San Giacomo di Rialto)

🍶 2. The Real Local Secret: Vino Sfuso (Wine by the Pump)

Forget labels. Venetians have been filling up reusable bottles with everyday table wine for generations—sfuso means “loose,” and it’s poured straight from the barrel. It’s cheap, sustainable, and often shockingly good.

Here are the best spots to fill up:

🍷 Vinoteca al Canton del Vin (Castello)

An old-school wine shop in a quiet corner near San Francesco della Vigna. Expect locals lining up with empty jugs and a rotating selection of house red and white.

📍 Salizada Santa Giustina 2907/A, Castello

🍇 Al Bacco Imbriaco (Canareggio)

A humble sfusi shop with friendly service, solid local wines, and prices that feel frozen in time. Bring your own bottle—or buy one there for a small fee.

📍 Calle del Fumo 5310, Canaraggio

🚢 Nave de Oro (Cannaregio & Castello)

A no-nonsense wine depot with locations in two sestieri. Look for the barrels topped with a tiny golden ship. They serve reds and whites from the tap at unbeatable prices.

📍 Castello 5786B & Cannaregio 1370

🛶 A la Virtù (Canaregio)

Tucked away on Canareggio, this shop sells wine by the liter in jars or refillable bottles. It’s a neighbourhood favourite, with friendly owners and a zero-waste approach.

📍 Fondamenta dei Ormesini, 2678, 30121 Venezia VE, Italy

🌱 Vino Vero (Cannaregio)

This is where natural wine lovers go. Not exactly a sfusi spot, but a curated selection of organic and biodynamic wines available by the glass—or to take away.

📍 Fondamenta della Misericordia 2497, Cannaregio

🌿 3. Bonus:

Al Prosecco (Santa Croce)

Set in a peaceful campo far from the crowds, Al Prosecco serves up natural and unfiltered wines, especially col fondo prosecco. No wine on tap here, but worth a visit if you're into clean farming and complex bottles.

📍 Campo San Giacomo dell’Orio, Santa Croce

✨ Cantina Do Mori (San Polo)

Not a wine shop, but Venice’s oldest bacaro (dating to 1462). Stop in for an ombra (small glass of wine) and cicchetti—then move on to the real wine hunting.

📍 Calle Do Mori, near Rialto

🍇 What to Try

Ask for:

• Raboso – A rustic red from Veneto

• Refosco – Deep, earthy red from Friuli

• Friulano – Dry, floral white

• Prosecco Col Fondo – Cloudy, natural, and far from the tourist fizz

Final Tip

Most sfusi shops will let you taste before buying. And don’t worry—no one cares if you're a sommelier. Just smile, ask for “un litro di rosso” or “bianco secco,” and join the local rhythm.