Where to drink natural wine in Bologna: Enoteca Faccioli
Walking in the historic city center of Bologna along its narrow medieval streets and charming towers , means stumbling upon its historical botteghe, which have always been a gathering place for locals and evidence of the city’s popular past. The Historical Wine Bar Faccioli is one of those places, where time seems to have stopped in the 1930s, when Olindo Faccioli decided to open a wine shop under the tower Azzoguidi in Via Altabella (previously the shop was located under to more famous tower Asinelli). People entered here to drink a good glass of wine, that often could be chosen only between a “white” and a “red” one, but absolutely of good quality. Like yesterday, Elisa and Stefano – the owners we took over from the Faccioli family in 2012 this fine wine shop – have created an elegant and welcoming environment where you can breathe the history and enthusiasm for good wine and local food. The unique feature of this winery is the presence of an extensive range of natural, organic and biodynamic wines (Italian and international), as well as champagne. And that’s one of the main reasons why Delicious Bologna has decided to include in its nightfall walking food tour Enoteca Faccioli and the tasting of two wines from the territory – Sangiovese and Pignoletto – both produced following the natural method.
What does natural wine mean?
The main difference between conventional wine and natural wine is that natural wine is made from grapes not sprayed with pesticides or herbicides and natural winemakers handpick their grapes instead of relying on machines to harvest them. It is different also from the organic process because while this production requires the absence of pesticides in the vineyard, other chemical agents can be used in the cellar. Natural wines instead do not have preservatives, but wines are fermented spontaneously with native yeast, i.e. produced in the cellar from the wine itself with a minimum amount of sulfites. In a market increasingly aimed at organic products with some doubts about its authenticity, due to the large distribution to which it continues to turn, at Enoteca Faccioli wine bottles are personally selected by Elisa who knows the wines and producers one by one, their quality and exclusivity to always comprehend what to offer the customer according to their tastes and desires.
But while natural wine is recently popular and trendy, it is definitely not new: it’s just the traditional way to make wine, and that’s why we offer you this opportunity!
What is Pignoletto wine?
As previously mentioned, the wine tasting during our nightfall walking food tour includes also a glass of Pignoletto wine. Italy is internationally well known for producing and exporting various type of wine – especially from the region of Tuscany and Piemonte – so that’s why the question “What is Pignoletto wine?” is often asked by our clients. Pignoletto is a white grape used to produce the wine of the same name in the sub-area of the Bologna hills. Here, the variations in landscape and perfumes, light and shade, heat and coolness exalt the organoleptic features of this fresh wine with a characteristic bitter aftertaste. Pignoletto vines have been present in the Bologna area for a very long time, in fact the first documents about it date back to mid XVI century.
So also Bologna can proudly say to have its local wine, which reflects a bit the attitude of its citizens, their love for good food and a chilled lifestyle. A city where the light-heartedness vitality of the University students it’s perfectly balanced with the tranquillity of its hidden corners and multicultural neighbourhoods. Definitely a place that will leave a mark in your memories.