Valvona & Crolla

We wax lyrical about the Italian food that you find at Mary and Philip Contini's Edinburgh based deli but it is high time that we talked about the wine they sell. Not only can you order the best Parma ham online but you can have access to some of Italy's finest wines from their excellent wine list.


Valvona & Crolla boasts that it is Scotland's oldest deli and Italian wine shop, founded in 1934. Committed to providing a personal service to its lucky Scottish customers, the website goes a long way to meet the needs of its internet clientele and it succeeds. Their enthusiasm for what they do bubbles over on the site and makes us Sassenachs wish that we too could live in Edinburgh. We do miss out on their well organised wine tastings, some of which are complimentary instore events or otherwise, they are ticketed. However, we gain on their broad knowledge of Italian wines and with the wonder of the web, are able to sample some delicious wines, which are not only from Italy but France, Europe and the New World. Awarded Scottish Wine Merchant of the Year, it would seem churlish not to follow Our Wine Buyer's Recommendations. Follow the concise tasting notes and you will be more than happy. One wine which particularly grabbed our attention was the Pinot Nero, produced by Franz Haas, with the note that 'anthing the French do, the Italians can do better.'


As you would expect, you can also buy whisky, liqueurs and spirits online.