Mi Scusi! Free Wine Fountain in Italy?

Where in Italy will you find this offer?

Are you a wine lover? If so, you need to visit Italy because there is a wine fountain. To make it more interesting, it is free of charge. The Dora Sarchese Vineyard built the first free wine fountain in Italy. It is called the Dora Sarchese wine fountain. There are other wine fountains around the globe, but this particular one is a free wine fountain. You will find this Italian fountain within Caldari di Ortona in Abruzzo.

How did this concept come about?

Dora Sarchese owner, Nicola D’Auria, together with his architect came up with the concept. The idea came about when the Montepulciano Nitae grapes were harvested, crushed, and fermented. The location of this fountain was picked strategically. 

It is situated on a pathway called St. Thomas, the Cammino di San Tommaso. The trail connects Rome to Ortona, where St. Thomas was buried. Many spiritual-minded people use the path, and it was a good idea to have a wine fountain for free wine. Those on pilgrimage could stop and have a glass of wine from the wine fountain.

A Brief History of where and why the first Free Wine Fountain came into existence.

This free wine fountain is called Fontana del vino. Many tourists and pilgrims travel from Rome to Ortona to tour the city’s cathedral, where the remains of Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples, are kept. The new fountain is a project of both the vineyard and non-profit organization that maintains and promotes the pilgrimage route.

After inspiration from a similar red wine fountain along the Spanish pilgrimage route called the Camino de Santiago, the free wine fountain came into existence. It is not the first fountain in Italy, but those who created it describes it as a ‘proper’ wine fountain since the wine can be accessed daily.

A list of Italian Wine terms you have to know

Wine in Italy has got a lot of terminologies that many people find hard to understand. Here are some of the terms that are commonly used:

Doc- Denominazione Di Origine Conrollata

Wines are classified into DOCG, DOC categories. DOCs come from delimited areas that are larger than DOCGs. You can begin exploring the DOC category.

IGT- Indicazione Geografica Tipica

This is a category that represents the center of the Italian wine quality pyramid. In Italy, wine is defined by where it comes from; that is, geographical areas. You will find winemakers sourcing from wider geographical places. Some of the most expensive wines fall under this classification.

DOCG- Denominazione Di Originae Controllata E Garantita

The top Italian wines fall under this category. To be in this category, wines must have been produced in relation to specific criteria. Famous Italian wines like Barbaresco, Brunello, and Chianti Classico are examples of wines under this category.

Vino Da Tavola

Vino Da Tavola means ‘table wine.’ The wines under this category are produced from grapes that are grown outside the appellation boundaries. They are a blend of many appellations. The producers of the wine will let you know whether the wine is rose, red or white.

Super Tuscan

This is a category of  Tuscan wine that came to be known in the 1980s. It was used to bring out the difference between wines that used grapes from other places and not Italy. You will find red wines that incorporated blends such as  Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Vigna

Vigna means a single vineyard. Wines from this category follow strict criteria for production. They come from grapes from one vineyard, and most of the time, they are costly compared to wines from different vineyards.

Produttore

Produttore means’ producer’. You will know where the wine was made. 

Rosso/Bianco/Rosato

This is an Italian term that shows the color of the wine you are taking. It could be red, rose, or white.

Vino Spumante

These are sparkling wines examples include Trentodoc, Prosecco, and Franciacorta. They are similar to champagne.

Vino Frizzante

The wines under this category are semi-sparkling. Examples include Lambrusco, Some proseccos, and Moscato d’Asti. The effervescence level is lower than those of the spumante level.

Vinno Dolce

Vinno Dolce means sweet wine. Examples of Italy’s sweet wines include Recioto di Soave, Passito di Pantelleria and Vin Santo.

Vinno Secco

Vinno Secco means dry wine. The term will keep you in the know about the grapes having been fermented into alcohol and making the wine taste dry. The word ‘Brut’ in sparkling wines means dry.

Liquoroso

This term means wine that has been fortified. Examples are Barolo Chinato and Marsala. Grape spirits are always added, and you will always spot some sweetness on the residues. As more alcohol is added, fermentation stops.

Metodo Classico

This term means sparkling wine that has been made using the traditional method, the same method used in producing champagne.

Annata

Annata is the year that the grapes were grown. It is also known as ‘vintage.’ Many labels always state a vintage.

Riserva

When you see this word, know that the wine has undergone a period of aging before it is released.

Classico

The term ‘classico’ means that the wine was produced within the historic wine-growing area. This is the area that is hilly in comparison to others.

Superiore

The superiore means a wine with a higher minimum alcohol content.

Vino Sfuso

It means ‘loose wine,’ which is unpackaged wine and is generally found on tap or from a cask.

Enoteca

It means ‘a wine library.’ It is more of a wine shop or bar and is a place you can stop at and grab a glass of wine.

Summary

In short, if you don’t have a place to enjoy your upcoming vacation as yet, choose Italy and have time to enjoy free wine from the free wine fountain. You don’t want to miss this!