L’AQUILA – It starts on Thursday 16 May, at 5pm, with the cutting of the official ribbon, in the presence of representatives of the Abruzzo Region, the Municipality, the Gran Sasso Chamber of Commerce and the participating trade associations, Vinaria, the wine and cheese festival organized by Blunel. The first edition will take place until Sunday 19 May in Piazza Duomo in L’Aquila and a second will follow in October in Pescara.
There are 34 wine producers from all over the region and seven cheesemakers who will bring their products to be tasted in the square during the spring weekend, in a mega counter of the taste and flavors of Abruzzo.
The event, which is the largest business to consumer event of its kind in Abruzzo, enjoys the patronage of the Consorzio Tutela Vini Abruzzo, Movimento Turismo Vino Italia, Città del Vino Italia, Chamber of Commerce Chieti-Pescara, Chamber of Commerce of Gran Sasso, Confartigianato Abruzzo, Abruzzo Region, Municipality of L’Aquila and Ais Abruzzo.
“The demonstration in L’Aquila was born to bring, for the first time, wine producers to a large square in an Abruzzo city. We are certain that the newly restored Piazza Duomo and the very recent proclamation of the Abruzzo capital as Capital of Culture 2026 will attract a large audience on spring weekends”, announces the organizer, Barbara Lunelli. “The world of wine worldwide is going through a moment of great reflection and contradictions, which are convincing many operators and producers to change their skin. The need to return to contact with the final consumer is clearly emerging. The world made up of only experts, enthusiasts, producers, specialized press, buyers, scholars and sommeliers is no longer sufficient to guarantee the expansion of the old and the opening of the new markets. Today every effort becomes unproductive and fragmented if new consumers are not directly involved, and this is precisely the intention of “Vinaria”, a large event open to all in which visitors will be able to taste the labels proposed, but will have also the opportunity to be protagonists through the many organized activities: guided tastings, mini courses to introduce you to the world of wine, academic tables, conferences, training and information meetings”.
In addition to the exhibition part, Vinaria will have a conference area where every day, from 6pm to 10.30pm, there will be conferences, tastings, lessons on pairing wine and cheese, and masterclasses by esteemed speakers from the specialized press, the oenology, and sommelier.
The conferences will begin on Thursday from 6pm to 7pm, with the illustration of the results of the national observatory on wine tourism trends. Speakers will be Angelo Radicapresident of the Città del Vino Italia association, ed Elisa Colella, AIS Sulmona delegate and restaurateur. The food and wine journalist moderates Franco Santini. From 7.30pm to 8.30pm, Massimo Iafrate speaker Ais Abruzzo will lead a tasting of wines and cheeses entitled “Better a day as a sheep… than a teetotal cow! Don’t make it that easy! Cow’s milk full of surprises…”. Afterwards, from 8.30pm to 9.30pm and then from 9.30pm to 10.30pm Franco Santini will lead two masterclasses: the first on the facets of Trebbiano and the second on “Pecorino, the identity of an evolving wine”.
On Friday the conferences start again at 6.00 pm with the regional president Ais Abruzzo, Angela Di Lello who will talk about wine as emotion, experience and sharing, and then present the course for aspiring Ais sommeliers.
From 7.30pm to 8.30pm Massimo Iafrate will lead another tasting to pair wine with sheep’s cheeses. For the Sorsi d’Abruzzo series, Franco Santini’s masterclass, at 8.30 pm Cerasuolo will be the protagonist, and at 9.30 pm “White people, children of a minor god?”.
On Saturday the conference session will open at 6.00 pm, with “Wine and Health” curated by Angelo Radica. Speaker Mauro Maccarrone, full professor of Biochemistry and AIS sommelier. From 7.30pm to 8.30pm Guerino Pescara oenologist and speaker Ais Abruzzo will talk about “Sparkling wines from Abruzzo: characteristics and potential of effervescent wines from Abruzzo between the classic method and the Italian method”. Santini’s masterclasses start again from 8.30pm. Both will be dedicated to Montepulciano, the first entitled “Montepulciano, the charm of longevity” and followed by “Montepulciano to the challenge of changing taste”.
On Sunday, the conferences begin with Guerino Pescara who at 6.00 pm will talk about tradition and trends in the Abruzzo rosé wine market. From 7.30pm to 8.30pm Tonino Scardone speaker Ais Abruzzo will lead a tasting combined between wine and cheese. Finally, Santini’s Sorsi d’Abruzzo series closes with “Organic, natural, sustainable… but are they always good?”, at 8.30pm and 9.30pm “Foreign vines ask for hospitality”.
Access to the event will be free. By purchasing a booklet worth 10 euros you will be able to have 4 tastings of your choice from the cellars on display. There will be seven cheesemakers who will bring their special cheeses and anyone who wants will be able to purchase aperitifs, tastings, but also cheeses to enjoy at home directly from them.
The conferences are all free. However, as regards the masterclasses and tastings organized by Ais, reservations are required directly at the association’s stand. The festival is open every day from 5pm to midnight.
All participating wineries
Cantina Wilma, Collefrisio, Pasetti, Pescara Vini, Rosarubra, Trium, Torre de’ Bianchi, Vin.Co, Bosco Nestore, Cantina del Fucino, Feudo Antico, Castelsimoni, Cantinarte, Azienda Agricola Marco Rossi, Barone di Bolaro, Pietrantonj, Paride D ‘Angelo, Colonnella, Cioti, Cantina Casale, San Lorenzo, Enoteca Città del Vino, Tenuta Ulisse, Cantina Lampato, Terre di Masciulli, Rabottini, Cantina Centorame, Valle Martello, Palazzo Battaglini, Cascina del Colle, Torre Zambra, Cantina Villamagna, Cellar Piandimare, Campoli Liqueurs – Unfiltered Liqueurs.
The participating dairies
La Mascionara, Campo Felice, Valle Magica, Gregorio Rotolo, Fracassa, Oro nella Terra, Caciocavallo Impiccato.
