One of the most fun things to do in Venice is to wander the back streets and alleys away from the touristy areas. This was how Maureen found the Vino e Vini enoteca in the Castello district. This friendly enoteca offered tastings of eight Veneto wines that it sells to neighborhood customers as 'vino sfuso da tavola,' or 'open wine' meant for immediate consumption. The wine is siphoned directly from large damagiane, which are 54-litre cane-covered containers, into 2-litre plastic water bottles. The wines included:
WHITES
REDS
These wines are also sold in corked bottles. In addition, the enoteca has a wide selection of DOC and DOCG wines from all across Italy, as well as a good selection of imported and Italian beers.
VINO E... VINI ENOTECA, AL NO. 3301 DI CASTELLO, FONDAMENTA DEI FURLANI
There are dozens of excellent seafood restaurants to choose from in Venice, but one we enjoyed is Corte Sconta in the Castello district. This intimate trattoria specializes in traditional Venetian seafood dishes. Our meal was accompanied by one of the Veneto region's best white wines, a light dry Prosecco.
TRATTORIA CORTE SCONTA, CALLE DEL PESTRIN, 3886
Closed Sundays and Mondays, reservations recommended.
Thanks to great recommendations from my cousin Mary Beth Kilkelly and her husband, Ed Schmidt, who honeymooned in Italy in 1995, we dined at Corte Sconta and stayed at a wonderful pensione nearby in the Castello district, Hotel Pensione Bucintoro. It is located on the waterfront next to the Naval Museum, just a short walk from the Arsenale stop of the vaparetto. Every room in Pensione Bucintoro has a view overlooking the lagoon. Rates are reasonable considering the waterfront spot and breakfast is included.
HOTEL PENSIONE BUCINTORO, RIVA SCHIAVONI, 2135
Reservations can be made by fax
