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I Tre Mercanti

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Wines, foods, and culinary gifts

I Tre Mercanti carries an extensive range of products, such as:

• More than 100 of Italy's best wines, liqueurs, grappas, and other drinks, including selected bottlings of Prosecco (the Veneto's answer to Champagne) and a private-labeled Bellini cocktail made with Prosecco and "first batch" peach juice.

• Olive oils, including flavored oils, that change with the season. (When we visited in November, the shop was about to receive a shipment of newly pressed oils from Puglia's fall harvest.)

• Preserved or dried vegetables, fruits, jams, mushrooms, and truffles.

• Pestati, pasta sauces, and packaged pastas.

• Balsamic vinegars (ask about the 50-year-old balsamic from Modena that comes in 60-ml bottles filled from an annual quota of just 1.2 liters).

• Cioccolati, including varietal chocolate bars made in Italy.

• Cheeses from artisanal makers (among them, a 60-month Parmegiano Reggiano).

• A small selection of implements for kitchens and wine cellars, such as designer coffeemakers, graters, and corkscrews.

Emanuele dal Carlo, one of the three founding partners, describes the shop as "a 'food temple,' a sanctuary for all of the foodies who are in love with genuine Italian food." Don't let the "temple" reference inspire fears of snobbery: I Tre Mercanti is ecumenical, and you needn't complete a culinary catechism to enjoy a friendly welcome from the manager and his knowledgeable staff.

Packing and shipping

I Tre Mercanti's staff will pack your breakables in bubble wrap for a safe trip home. (A plastic wine case that you can check as luggage is available for larger purchases.)

If you'd like to have wine shipped to you, I Tre Mercanti will send it by authorized courier with customs duty prepaid. (Wine shipped abroad is free of Italy's 22% VAT, so it's conceivable that your tax savings could exceed your shipping costs, depending on the value of the wine.)

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About the author:

Durant Imboden has written about Venice, Italy since 1996. He covered Venice and European travel at About.com for 4-1/2 years before launching Europe for Visitors (including Venice for Visitors) with Cheryl Imboden in 2001.

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