The Rome Index
Wine shops in Rome
Where to buy a bottle to drink in the park, or a case to ship home.
The enotecas worth knowing
Trimani near Termini is Rome's oldest wine shop, founded in 1821 — a serious selection of Italian and international wines with knowledgeable staff and a wine bar attached. Buccone near Piazza del Popolo specialises in Italian regional wines and has been operating since 1900.
Neighbourhood shops
Monti and Pigneto both have small wine shops where the selection is curated rather than comprehensive — useful if you want a recommendation rather than a wall of bottles. Ask specifically for Lazio wines: Cesanese del Piglio, Frascati Superiore and the increasingly respected whites from the Colli Albani.
Buying to take home
Wine travels better than you'd expect in checked luggage inside a wine travel bag or wrapped in clothes. The challenge is weight rather than fragility — two bottles per person is manageable; eight is ambitious.
Shipping wine home
Several established Roman wine shops offer international shipping for larger purchases, avoiding the need to personally transport bottles in luggage — worth asking about specifically if you're considering buying a case rather than one or two bottles.
Vintage and cellar-aged options
Beyond current-release wines, some specialist shops maintain a small cellar of older vintages for serious collectors — generally not displayed on open shelves, so asking staff directly about aged or cellar stock can reveal options not immediately visible.
