Wine Window

Ring for service.

While strolling through the streets of Florence, it is important to keep your eyes peeled. The most exciting discoveries nearly always reside in the details. One of my findings was a small opening in a towering stone wall, with a golden bell inside. It had a small note below it in Italian. With a little help from Google Translate, I found it read ‘ring for service.’

My curiosity quickly got the best of me. I rang the bell and within moments, a woman peered out from behind the small opening. She handed me a compact menu, complete with four different types of wine. I stumbled upon a Wine Window.

These wine windows, or buchette del vino, have an important history in Florence. Their existence dates back to 1559, when the Grand Duke of Tuscany first allowed people to sell wine directly out of their homes. These windows were constructed to be just large enough to pass a bottle of wine through, and they allowed wealthy families to sell wine to common people while avoiding taxation.

These wine windows became even more beneficial during the bubonic plague, which wreaked havoc across Europe. This limited contact allowed people to more safely access goods they desired, as well as allowing businesses to continue making a profit.

More recently, wine windows increased in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. These historic locations were given a new life, and once again allowed citizens safer access to wine. Some businesses got even more creative by adding Aperol Spritz or gelato to their menus.

While I only visited one, many tourists search for these throughout the city, making it a historical scavenger hunt. This unique exchange was completely unexpected, but gave me the opportunity to learn a bit more about the city’s story, and enjoy a glass of wine in the process.