Wine Bars in San Daniele del Friuli

Let’s start with a premise: in San Daniele there’s the famous prosciutto and this is more than sufficient reason to go there. Moreover, being a product that only needs a Berkel slicer to be enjoyed, every establishment offers it. It’s a bit like fighting in the ring with iron gloves: you’re sure to win.

But man does not live on cold cuts alone: wine is also needed. And here things go badly for this otherwise pleasant Friulian village. For a couple of years, with my wife and daughter, we go to San Daniele around Christmas and every time I’m disappointed by the state of the city’s wine bars. This doesn’t discourage visits and tastings, but it certainly makes them less attractive. Here’s an overview of the two main establishments for wine enthusiasts in San Daniele, plus a bonus mention, which is also the most interesting.

La Trappola in San Daniele – Review

La Trappola is an established wine bar, located in an alley near the square. The wines they offer are correctly priced, but it’s a modest proposal: almost all local wineries (hooray!), but represented only by their simplest wines. In terms of variety, you can find everything, from sparkling to reds, passing through whites. The wines presented on the blackboard don’t change often, the wineries are always the same and it seems the menu is based on safe choices, with a brief foray into basic Ferrari during the holidays.

The wines are served correctly, nothing exceptional, but the temperatures are right and the glasses are okay. No water or bread is offered with the glass, but it’s senseless to think that a customer at La Trappola wouldn’t also order prosciutto, and bread and breadsticks will arrive accordingly. Obviously there’s no half glass and the staff didn’t seem particularly friendly to me, but not unpleasant either.

The great pro of this establishment is its character: it’s really a trap – as the name suggests – set in a street otherwise little frequented. The interiors are slightly underground and give a buccaneer impression. Totally in line with my taste are the dark wood furnishings. The outdoor tables are there all year round and there’s always a festive atmosphere.

In short, when in San Daniele, La Trappola can be a stop, especially if you buy by the bottle and not by the glass, because the fridges have more interesting wines. Don’t expect much, except the pleasure of a fascinating place and the always precious local specialty. The prices are correct and this can only make us like the establishment.

Wines Recently Tasted at La Trappola

• Venezia Giulia Chardonnay – Lis Neris
  From the nose, you could expect more: bruised apple, butter and an elegant herbaceous nuance. The mouth is unripe. Rectangular acidity that guides the sip. Palate with apple notes, but it doesn’t seem ready to be drunk.
• Maximum Brut N.V. – Ferrari
  Fantastic! Beautiful caramel color and smoked caramel also on the nose, with glazed toasted almonds. The acidity pushes the sip forward and the bubbles are lively and intense. It closes elegantly. Extremely satisfying.

Enoteca Prosciutteria La Corte di Bacco – Review

This is in my opinion the real disappointment among San Daniele’s wine bars. It’s an establishment excellently positioned next to the church, easily accessible and potentially very charming. The wines aren’t great, but above all it doesn’t seem that the managers are particularly interested in what they offer. The blackboard reads grape names (Merlot, Sauvignon, Friulano, etc.) instead of bottle names, a sloppiness that irritates me. There are some “special proposals,” usually Borgo San Daniele (a winery I don’t love, but at least you can read the producer’s name), but for the rest there seems to be little love for the glasses.

I’m unable to say how often the offer changes, I don’t remember often encountering the same wines, and this is a good thing. There are bubbles, whites and reds and here too the wines are proposed correctly, both in terms of temperature and glass. Again there’s no bread or crackers or water, but what was said for La Trappola applies.

There are no half glasses, but the staff is pleasant and the establishment is beautiful: here too wood furnishings and a small external courtyard, which looks onto the square. However, there’s a certain underlying sadness, perhaps due to the poor turnout or the unwelcoming arrangement of counter and tables, but the sensation was of a lifeless place. I gladly avoid this establishment and recommend it only if the others are closed.

Wines Recently Tasted at Enoteca Prosciutteria La Corte di Bacco

• Etichetta Nera Merlot Friuli Colli Orientali – Perusini
  Dark cherry, ripe blackberry and pure chocolate. Pleasant acidity and good tannin grip, but here the success lies in having balanced wood and freshness. Long and chocolatey finish, with nuances of sweet spices and leather.
• Collio Friulano – Ronco Blanchis
  Gasoline, balsamic and herbaceous notes. Initially pleasant also thanks to a dense body, but then becomes wild and almost rotten on the palate. The finish has a hint of almond. I didn’t finish it.
• Blanc de Blancs – Perusini
  Crisp. Apple, smoke, flint, pure pear. Powerful and fine perlage, which expresses itself in a strong first burst. Cleans and refreshes the mouth.

Meister Caffè Letterario – Review

The best wine bar in San Daniele is not a wine bar. This literary café (where there are actually books) is located two minutes’ walk from both La Trappola and Corte di Bacco (the three establishments form a triangle with tiny sides) and has a more modern air. The first time I went there, I expected nothing or almost nothing.

However, the wines proposed, while being few, have some quality peaks that are not trivial. There’s a basic offer (which also includes Colterenzio) that’s acceptable, and some inspired touches that I found very interesting. Bubbles, whites and reds are there, even if not in large quantities. The wines (not written on any blackboard) change relatively often, especially those not in the lowest tier. Nothing transcendental, but at least they’re not always the same bottles.

Here too, wines proposed correctly and better if paired with prosciutto. The staff is pleasant, there’s no half glass and the environment has a modern touch that doesn’t satisfy me, instead of inside it’s better to stay at the tables in the square. The establishment is also and above all a bar, I imagine they also have a decent flow of tourists who come to taste the local specialty, but, having the best glasses in San Daniele, it counts not only as a wine bar, but also as a wine bar where you should definitely stop.

Wines Recently Tasted at Meister Caffè Letterario

• Schioppettino – Myò
  Delicious. Deep notes of undergrowth and blackcurrant, with only a hint of black pepper and the oak perfectly integrated. The palate is soft and round, but maintains the depth of the nose. The tannins and acidity are tamed and the finish shows the unripe and undisciplined character of juniper berries, completing the sip with finesse and austerity.
• Terre del Faet – Rosso
  Soft, round, with blueberries and raspberries both on the nose and palate, where it’s full and enveloping. A red wine with all the character of Collio and a finish of aged meat that gives it balance.

That said, don’t let yourself be discouraged by the state of the city’s wine bars. Or even yes, let the bitter taste come too, the sweet prosciutto of San Daniele will take care of sweetening the palate.

To discover the best wine bars of Vienna, click here — and here for those in Pordenone.