New Wine Shop Opens in Turin's Medieval Village

On Friday in Turin's Valentino Park, known for its Medieval Village, gardens, and as seat of the Architecture faculty of Turin's Polytechnic University, the "Cantina del Borgo" opened its doors to eager wine tasters visiting the city and this northern Piemontese region. The opening of the Cantina is a joint effort by the Medieval Village and the Regional Enoteca della Serra, the wine shop of Biella.

The first day of the city's newest Village Wine Shop coincided with another big event in the city also being held in the Park, the World Masters Games, or the Olympics for athletes over 35. Perhaps the huge sporting event will bring in some international tourists within days or even hours of the wine shop's grand opening; many participants were, in fact, wandering through the Medieval Village where the new Cantina is based.

The shop does hope to lure in tourists as a purchase point for wines from the Torinese zone. More specifically, the wines represent wineries and producers along the Royal Wine Road, which travels through the Susa Valley, the Pinerolo area, the Turin hills, and the Canavese area. The wines are native varieties, and nearly all are DOC or DOCG, such as Erbaluce di Caluso and Passito di Caluso.

The provincial Assessor of Agriculture and Tourism, Marco Balagna, says that, "The interest raised by the Bottega del Paniere, which has just recently opened in the Medieval Village, confirms the importance of opening our doors and selling our typical products in a complex that is visited annually by about 500,000 people. The possibility to purchase and taste traditional foods and wines of the region while visiting one of Turin's most fascinating places will help the producers of the Paniere and all of those along the Royal Wine Road to overcome these difficult economic times. I'm convinced that, if tourists and consumers get used to recognizing and seeking out these wonderful traditional specialties, their purchases will continually direct them towards ever-higher quality in the future."

It's a small shop nestled in the enchanting heart of the Medieval Village that was constructed in the 19th century as an educational example of what the Medieval ages were like. Historically accurate and very charming, it's still an invaluable and instructive point for visitors and tourists in the well-tended Valentino Park. The walls and roof of the wine shop are patterned in floral designs and the room, which was once a tavern years ago, is lined with dark wooden shelves displaying the wines. Just 30 producers and 60 labels are currently represented, as the space is but one single room.

Davide Caneparo, also employed at the Regional Enoteca La Serra, a wine shop located in the rooms of an ancient castle in the province of Biella, says there will also be a small space for wine tasting. The shop will be open on the weekends and holidays.