Buchette per il vino

What is a buchette per il vino?

During a recent walking tour in Florence, we learned about something that had mystified us since we arrived in Florence a year ago.

In many of the old buildings of Florence are small portals next to the main entrance.  Each portal looks like a tiny doorway and is about 10 inches tall and 3 feet above the ground.  Here is a photo of one of the mystery portals.   

Our expert guide Lucia, an extremely knowledgeable Florentine, solved the mystery for us.  

The small openings once served two purposes.  One purpose was to allow the homeowner to eyeball a visitor to make sure allowing entry was a good idea--like the little window in the door of a 1920's Chicago speakeasy. 

Another purpose was to allow a visitor to sample a glass of the family's wine to decide whether he wanted to purchase some.  Many wealthy Florentine families had vineyards near Florence and would sell wine from their home in the city.  Some even operated a cantina on the ground floor where a traveler could drink and also eat. 

Appropriately, the small door for serving wine is known as a buchette per il vino. 

Expert guide Lucia and Susan hoping for  glass of wine from a buchette per il vino

Below is another buchette per il vino.  This buchette is located next to the entrance of a former cantina that would admit visitors from 9 to 3.  Today, the cantina is a gelateria that serves excellent artisanal gelato.  The buchette door has been replaced with a Blub.

Another buchette appears below.  This one is located at the studio of street atist Clet Abraham.  Instead of a door, a glass panel allows passersby to view samples of Clet's art work.  A modern twist on an old tradition. 

Mystery solved.