Calici Sotto le Stelle (Selci)

A wine-filled evening in the heart of Lower Sabina

Calici Sotto le Stelle is the food and wine event that, every year between late May and the start of summer, brings the small village of Selci to life in the province of Rieti, Lazio. The format is the now-proven concept of the village wine walk: visitors are given a wine glass to carry throughout the evening, moving from stall to stall to discover wines from wineries in the Sabina region and neighboring territories. The event, which reached its seventh edition in 2025, was created to promote local wine and wineries, but over time it has successfully gathered the best of the area's gastronomic products, becoming a true celebration of Sabina's flavors.

How it works: the glass and the tasting stalls

The heart of the event is Piazza del Popolo, the main square of the village, where tasting stations are set up. After picking up your glass, you are free to wander between the winery stands, tasting different labels and speaking directly with the producers. A key feature has always defined the selection: the wines offered are all designated—DOC, DOCG, DOP, or IGT—guaranteeing the origin and quality of what ends up in your glass. The evening continues late into the night, with the village illuminated and the square transforming into an open-air lounge.

Wineries of Sabina and neighboring territories

The lineup of producers bridges Lazio and nearby Umbria, reflecting the border location of Lower Sabina. In the 2024 edition, for example, participants included Lazio-based producers like Fattoria Lucciano, Tenuta Santa Lucia, Cantine Capitani, and Lorenzoni, alongside Umbrian wineries such as Cantine Zanchi, Le Crete, Marchesi Ruffo della Scaletta, and Tenuta Pizzogallo. It is a rare opportunity to compare the whites and reds from both sides of the Tiber in a single evening, accompanied by local flavors.

More than just wine: flavors and exhibitions in the village

Calici Sotto le Stelle is also a celebration of Sabina's material culture. In past editions, the evening has been enriched by exhibitions spread throughout the historic center: a permanent display of ancient farming tools, painting exhibitions, and photography showcases by local artists set up at the medieval tower. At the food stalls, you can find the iconic products of the village and the Sabina region: Sabina DOP extra virgin olive oil, one of the oldest designated oils in Italy, the fallone (a typical flatbread stuffed with vegetables), and the porchetta selciana.

Selci, a stone village among olive trees and history

Selci—historically known as Selci Sabino—is a village of just over a thousand inhabitants nestled at an altitude of 204 meters in Lower Sabina, among centuries-old olive groves and hills sloping down toward the Tiber valley. The name derives from the flint (selce) that paved the ancient Roman road crossing the area. The historic center, enclosed by walls, preserves the Torre Rocca Castri, a quadrangular tower that dominates the town, the 17th-century church of SS. Salvatore, and the Fonte Leorga, a fountain fed by a spring dating back to the period after the year 1000. Wandering through these stone alleys with a glass in hand is an integral part of the experience.

A highly anticipated late spring event

In the calendar of Selci's festivals, Calici Sotto le Stelle holds the place of honor in late spring: the last editions took place on May 25-26, 2024, and May 24, 2025, with the patronage and involvement of the local community. It is the ideal occasion to discover the Rieti-Sabina area in a mild season, when the villages come alive and the hills are at their greenest: a small, authentic event, far from mass tourism circuits, that tells the story of the most genuine side of Lazio.