On the occasion of the Franciacorta Festival, Castello Bonomi celebrates its fortieth anniversary with a special program dedicated to the history of the estate.

It was 1985 when Engineer Marino Bonomi reclaimed his family’s historic vineyard in Coccaglio, restoring the spaces of an ancient arsenal nestled into the side of Mount Orfano. Thus, at the foot of Franciacorta’s only château, the Castello Bonomi estate was born. In 2008, the winery became part of the Casa Paladin wine group, under the guidance of the eponymous family, and this year celebrates its first 40 years of history .

The Franciacorta Festival, scheduled for September 19th to 21st, will be the perfect stage to celebrate this important milestone with a packed program of events.

“40 steps for 40 harvests” is the new traveling tasting that will be held on Saturday, September 20th and Sunday, September 21st , at 10:30 am and 4:30 pm, designed and led by the longtime Chef de Cave, Luigi Bersini , to lead guests to the winery’s iconic locations . The four stops will take participants on an experiential journey to the heart of Castello Bonomi: a visit to the CruPerdu vineyard , discovered by Bersini in 1986 while walking in the woods, and which quickly became one of Castello Bonomi’s most iconic Franciacortas. The stop at Villino, cradle of the native Erbamat , an ancient yet avant-garde grape variety, on which the winery was among the first to collaborate with the Consortium in its research, thus producing the first Franciacorta to contain the maximum percentage of 10%. The winemaking area, where the mastery of the winemakers has been handed down over the years, up to the famous “Stanza delle Lucrezie” , where the precious Lucrezia Reserves are kept: sophisticated Franciacortas, capable of defying time, which age on the lees for up to 220 months.

Each stage is punctuated by the tasting of some of CruPerdu’s best vintages, which will make up an exceptional vertical tasting: 2020, 2016, 2007 and 2004 .

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary, an exhibition wall dedicated to historic vintages will also be inaugurated in the Stanza delle Lucrezie: a selection of 40 bottles , one for each harvest, exhibited to the public for the first time ever .

Finally, during the Festival, Castello Bonomi will offer various tasting packages, a gourmet aperitif (Friday 19th) and lunches served on the elegant loggia.

For information and reservations: 030 7721015 – info@castellobonomi.it

Full program: https://www.castellobonomi.it/festival-franciacorta-2025-castello-bonomi/

On August 3rd and 4th, in Uggiano Montefusco, there will be traditional products, workshops, exhibitions, and concerts.

A culinary journey through typical local products and dishes passed down through generations, guided wine and olive oil tastings, and scenic displays to enhance the alleys, squares, and courtyards. Plus: books and exhibitions, concerts and pizzica dance classes, workshops, special openings of sites of great historical and artistic value, and a sensory walk to discover aromatic herbs. In Uggiano Montefusco, a small hamlet of Manduria in the province of Taranto , roots have the flavor of an event celebrating wheat, its products, and the traditions associated with it. Indeed, the town’s coat of arms features three ears of wheat. All this and more is on display at the ” Sagra di San Domenico – Panèmediterraneo ,” now in its 17th edition, scheduled for August 3rd and 4th .

A village of just 1,500 inhabitants, this year is preparing to welcome tourists and visitors seeking authenticity, entertainment, and the flavors of yesteryear. Food stands will offer homemade pasta and meatballs, pettole, fava beans, and stuffed eggplant, but with a twist: at each station, a QR code will allow visitors to listen to a description of the recipe, along with related trivia. “This,” says the Aracne cultural group , the initiative’s promoter, “is not your typical festival. Here, food is culture. A rural culture that has left its mark in enduring traditions, rituals, and customs. In Uggiano, food is presented in an engaging way through the fusion of different art forms: music, painting, photography, and even multimedia.”

The initiative, sponsored by the Puglia Region—Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Environment—and the Municipality of Manduria, involves the collaboration of other organizations, companies, and associations.

THE PROGRAM

The event kicks off Sunday at 8:00 PM in Piazza Castello with a bread-making ritual with cake designer Andrea Pizzaleo. This will be followed by a guided tasting of Primitivo di Manduria wine, hosted by the Primitivo di Manduria Consortium, with sommelier Leonardo Spina and AIC (Italian Celiac Association) nutritionist Antonella Spedicato. Francesco Cazzolla will lead the tasting of olive oils by Bosco. The tastings cost €5, and seating is limited (reservations: 329.3757972). At 9:30 PM, there will be a pizzica dance class with Floriana Guida (€10, reservations: 320.3844429), and at 10:00 PM, a concert by Viaggio Popolare featuring Davide Donno (vocals and drums), Giuseppe Anglano (vocals, accordion, and accordion), and Gianvito Carlino on violin. Accompanied by the dance of Floriana Guida, they will offer a tribute to the captivating pizzica music from all over Salento, as well as to the songs and tales of love, work, and protest.

On Monday the 4th, again in the square, at 8 pm, there will be a presentation of the book “Dizionario delle parole perdute” by Leonardo Di Maggio, curated by Francesca Nardelli. This will be followed by a sensory walk to discover aromatic herbs led by Ileana Tedesco, an Aigae environmental hiking guide. At 10 pm, world music with Nadia Martina and the Namar project.

Also not to be missed during the two-day event are the art exhibition by Maria Rosaria Dinoi, the photography exhibition by Letizia Cucci, the display of artistic crafts, and the delicacies of agri-food companies. The ancient wood-fired community oven will host the original multimedia exhibition “PRIMITIVE” created by Gal Terre del Primitivo. Finally, pasta-making workshops for adults and children will be held, where they can learn how to make “pizzarieddi,” the traditional fresh pasta.

Cocco’s Lounge…Wine on Friday, September 5th, during the preview day, an invitation to the table with the cuisine of the Cannon d’Oro Restaurant.

FRIDAY 5 SEPTEMBER Preview SATURDAY 6 SEPTEMBER and SUNDAY 7 SEPTEMBER 2025 (with new time) Reservations for the Salotto are open, online ticket sales for Cocco…Wine continue.

The 2025 edition of Cocco… Wine will take place in Cocconato, Saturday, September 6th and Sunday, September 7th!

One of the most delicious and popular food and wine events in Piedmont has reached its 24th edition this year.

The Go Wine association promotes and organizes the event in agreement with the Municipality of Cocconato and the Cocconato Riviera del Monferrato Consortium .

A successful formula that evolves with each edition and promotes multiple factors: the promotion of the locations (the landscape of Cocconato, the walkable historic center), the gastronomic tradition (typical products such as Cocconato Robiola, the many gourmet restaurants in and around town), and wine, with a lineup of wineries that team up in the local Consortium and open their doors to other Piedmontese wineries. Cocconato will thus be transformed into a virtual wine trail, alternating wine tastings with typical local products, filling the historic center of the town, hosting wineries from Cocconato and Monferrato.

NEW: the event extends its Sunday hours, which will start at 11:00 am .

The start on Saturday is scheduled for 4:00 PM.

Preview evening on Friday, September 5th:

Cocconato’s Lounge…Wine and a Focus on Cocconato’s 2023 Barbera d’Asti Superiore

The preview evening will feature the wineries of the Municipality of Cocconato, now united in the Consortium.

There are two events to mark in your diary:

at 6.30 pm there will be an in-depth guided tasting en primeur on the 2023 vintage of Barbera d’Asti Superiore di Cocconato, reserved for the press and professional operators (for those who wish to receive information, write to stampa.eventi@gowinet.it) From 8.00 pm the ” Salotto di Cocco…Wine” will take place: it will be hosted by the Cannon d’Oro restaurant in Cocconato (Piazza Cavour, 21), restaurant-hotel run by the Tortia family for over 50 years.

The Lounge represents a moment dedicated to the table with the flavours and wines of the Cocconato cellars.

Each Cocconato winery will present its Barbera d’Asti and a favorite wine in a special wine shop. The wines can be paired with dishes specially created for the occasion, showcasing the flavors of the region.

The evening will take place in a single session starting at 8 pm.

Here is the menu of dishes:

Fassone’s beat

with marinated egg yolk and Parmesan cream

Green agnolotti with seirass and Castelmagno cheese

with confit cherry tomatoes and basil sauce

Veal stew with grapes

with side dish

Below is the form to fill out for booking.

The public can choose between different formulas, namely:

– one dish of your choice 2 glasses of wine €15.00 – two dishes of your choice 3 glasses of wine €25.00 – three dishes (full menu) 4 glasses of wine €30.00

SUNDAY 7 SEPTEMBER (11am to 7pm) NEW HOURS

Opening of the “Cocco Wine” tasting counter featuring:

– the cellars of Cocconato and Monferrato;

– the themed Wine Islands (the Alta Langa appellation and Sardinia); – Heroic viticulture in the upper part of the village and, on Sunday only, the Moscato Wine Festival.

Food stands selling typical products.

On Sunday, a guided tasting will offer an in-depth look at Barbera in Cocconato, Italy, and around the world (open to the public).

How to taste and buy tickets

Wine Tasting

The cost of the tasting for the days of September 6th and 7th is €16.00 (with a reduction to €14.00 by purchasing the ticket online on the website : www.gowinet.it by September 4, 2025); €12.00 Reduction for Go Wine Members and Industry Associations.

At the registration desk, visitors will receive, in addition to the glass, pouch, and bracelet, a booklet containing 8 tasting vouchers, 2 of which are reserved for the Wine Islands. Each voucher entitles you to a wine tasting and must be presented to the tasting table manager. If you wish to taste additional wines, you can purchase another tasting booklet directly at the event (at the ticket office) at the promotional price of €10.00 each.

Sunset tastings, vineyard picnics, a new bistro, and the rediscovery of the Kaolin Caves: the Estate kicks off the season with an immersive and sustainable offering in the heart of the Aeolian Islands.

Experiences, tastings, the offerings of Castellaro Bistrot, visits to the Kaolin Caves, and the opportunity to enjoy the Wine Resort: set against an unparalleled backdrop, Tenuta di Castellaro is a unique place, offering visitors the opportunity to enjoy the rolling hills overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and the age-old atmosphere of the volcanic soil. The new wine tourism season boasts an even richer and more diverse offering. A journey through distinctive wines, pristine nature, contemporary cuisine, and geology, designed for those seeking an authentic, immersive experience in the Aeolian Islands.

The Estate’s philosophy is rooted in a profound and conscious vision of the land, which is expressed through the many experiences offered to visitors. Everything begins with the land: organically farmed vineyards, following the principles of heroic and sustainable viticulture, express the soul of the island through wines that express its purity.

“Ours is a cultural challenge ,” say Massimo Lentsch and Barbara Manzotti of Tenuta di Castellaro. ” We believe that wine should be the living story of a place and the people who inhabit it. For this reason, each of our projects is born with the aim of enhancing the extraordinary landscape, geology, and human richness of the Aeolian Islands. Offering an authentic experience that combines beauty and awareness is the meaning of our work.”

Tastings, available daily by reservation, take place in a breathtaking landscape, suspended between vineyards, sea, and sky. Among the most popular options is the Vineyard Picnic , a relaxed and evocative experience culminating in a basket filled with typical products to enjoy outdoors after a stroll through the vineyards. When the sun begins to set and the horizon turns pink and gold, the Sunset Picnic becomes a moment of pure poetry, made even more magical by the view of Alicudi, Filicudi, and Salina.

For those who want a more structured formula, “ Brindisi al sole ” combines a guided tour of the cellar with a tasting at sunset: four selected wines, served with gastronomic specialities, including crostini with organic caper pâté from the Estate, designed to enhance their aromas and nuances, in the warm and enveloping light of the Aeolian twilight, ending on a sweet note with Malvasia delle Lipari DOC passita and typical sesame biscuits.

The tasting experiences offered vary in structure and content. ” L’Isola nel Bicchiere ” (The Island in a Glass) is the ideal experience for those new to local production: an introductory tasting of three iconic labels—Bianco Porticello, Rosa Caolino, and Ypsilon Rosso IGT—accompanied by local products. ” I Classici” (The Classics ) offers a journey through the company’s historic wines, such as Bianco Pomice, Nero Ossidiana, and Malvasia delle Lipari Passita DOC, paired with select appetizers from the Bistrot. Finally, ” Gli Autoctoni ” (The Natives) is designed for the more curious palates who want to discover Malvasia and Corinto Nero, varieties closely tied to the island’s agricultural identity.

Further enhancing the 2025 offering is the launch of the Castellaro Bistrot , a culinary project designed by Giacomo Caravello , a Sicilian chef with extensive experience in Michelin-starred restaurants and a gastronomic vision rooted in the region. The Bistrot, open for both lunch and dinner, offers a menu that combines Mediterranean simplicity with contemporary techniques. At lunchtime, a light lunch features key ingredients such as capers, tomatoes, blue fish, and seasonal vegetables, while in the evening the menu expands to include more varied options, inspired by the biodiversity of the Aeolian Islands and the elegance of its wines. All this takes place in a simple architectural setting that blends seamlessly with the landscape, the result of the work of Dalpiaz Giannetti Architekten and Luigi Radici , who have successfully translated Lipari’s volcanic identity into contemporary forms.

The commitment to enhancing the area is also evident on the environmental and cultural fronts. Just minutes from the winery are the fascinating Caolino Caves , a former quarry site transformed into a geological park and museum thanks to a redevelopment project supported by the company itself . Here, you can embark on a three-hour trek through a lunar landscape, past inactive craters, ancient fumaroles, pyroclastic flows, and geological stratifications that reveal over 125,000 years of volcanic and mining history. The quarries are open to the public and offer a unique opportunity to connect with the island’s profound history, thanks in part to the signage and themed itineraries provided by Tenuta di Castellaro.

Each experience is available by reservation, writing to booking@tenutadicastellaro.it or calling 39 345 4342755 .

Completing the sensory and immersive experience is the Castellaro Wine Resort : an exclusive place dedicated to hospitality, designed to welcome guests in an environment poised between understated elegance, contemporary comfort, and volcanic nature. The suites, nestled in the vineyard landscape and designed in harmony with the underground architecture of the winery, offer a unique stay in the heart of the island, overlooking the sea and the vineyards.

With this integrated, multisensory experience, spanning from the glass to the volcano, from the tasting to the landscape, Tenuta di Castellaro confirms its position as one of the most dynamic and refined reference points for Italian food and wine tourism, and one of the most authentic voices of the new wine culture in the Mediterranean.