Atipico Festival

Wine, music, and vineyards: the soul of the Atipico Festival

The Atipico Festival was created to showcase Alta Irpinia in a unique way: not in a town square, but directly among the rows of a family-run winery. The event takes place in Castelfranci, a small village in the province of Avellino, Campania, on the grounds of the Cantina Antonio Molettieri in the Baiano district. The concept is simple: bring together local wine, live music, and a rolling hillside landscape for an evening that begins at sunset and continues late into the night. The organizers describe it as «much more than a festival: an invitation to experience wine, music, and the land in an authentic atmosphere».

The winery hosting the event

Cantina Antonio Molettieri is a family-run farm established in 2020 by brothers Sibaldo and Gerardo Molettieri, building on a century-old farming tradition in Castelfranci; the oldest Aglianico and Coda di Volpe vines were planted by their grandfather. With five hectares of vineyards, cellar operations managed by young oenologist Sabino Colucci, and a desire to turn the estate into a welcoming space for the public, the festival was born—now one of the best opportunities to visit the cellar and taste its wines.

The evening's format

Atipico is not a massive event with towering stages and barricades: it is a vineyard-scale festival where attendance is limited and the connection with the musicians is intimate. The key ingredients remain the same every year:

• Sunset concert among the vines, featuring national and international artists;
• Tasting of estate wines, from Aglianico to Irpinian whites;
• Food stalls serving simple, authentic local dishes;
• The chance to spread a blanket between the vines and listen to music while sitting on the grass;
• Free admission for children, making it a family-friendly evening.

From the first edition to today

The inaugural edition was born from a collaboration between Cantina Antonio Molettieri and Opera School Arts Event, combining the vineyard concert with an educational component: a musical improvisation masterclass led by masters Carmine Ioanna and Giovanni Montesano, open to instrumentalists and singers, followed by the «Tutto in una Notte» evening featuring Carmine Ioanna's «My Accordion Concept» project alongside Giampiero Franco and Giovanni Montesano. In subsequent seasons, the event solidified its reputation, becoming what local press calls a fixed date on the Irpinian summer calendar: by 2026, the festival reached its third edition.

Castelfranci and its wine country

Castelfranci is located in the upper Calore valley, in one of the most prestigious areas for viticulture in Campania. We are in the heart of the Irpinian Aglianico district, just a few kilometers from the Taurasi area, where the harvest arrives late due to the altitude and significant temperature fluctuations. Wine is central to the town's identity, which celebrates its flagship product with other summer and autumn events, most notably «Fiume di Vino». Visitors from outside the region will find a landscape of cultivated hills, forests, and small villages, a far cry from the coastal image of Campania.

Why it's worth attending

The Atipico Festival is perfect for those seeking an intimate event where music isn't just background noise and wine is enjoyed where it is grown. The backdrop of vines at sunset, the quality of the invited musicians, and the affordable entry fee make it one of the most characteristic evenings in the Avellino province, suitable for jazz enthusiasts and those simply looking to discover the Irpinian wine scene at a leisurely pace.