Cantine Aperte (Antico Castello Winery)

A Sunday of wine in the heart of Irpinia

Cantine Aperte is the event that, since 1993, the Wine Tourism Movement has dedicated to fostering direct encounters between wine producers and wine lovers. On the last weekend of May, hundreds of wineries across Italy throw open their gates, courtyards, and tasting rooms: you can step inside the cellar, walk among the barrels, stroll through the rows of vines, and enjoy a glass. In San Mango sul Calore, a small village of just over a thousand inhabitants perched at 470 meters above sea level in the province of Avellino, Campania, the initiative is hosted by Antico Castello Winery, the town's only winery and a producer fully integrated into the Taurasi wine region.

Antico Castello, a family winery

The estate was founded in 2006 and is located in the Poppano district, just outside the town center, overlooking the hills that slope down toward the Calore River. Today, it is led by Chiara and Francesco Romano, who have renovated the facilities and cellar while focusing on a deliberately limited production: about ten hectares of vineyards and roughly 40,000 bottles per year. The vineyards feature the four grape varieties that best define this part of Campania: Aglianico, Fiano, Greco, and Falanghina.

• Taurasi DOCG and Taurasi Riserva, the house's flagship reds, made from Aglianico grapes
• Magis, Irpinia Aglianico DOP
• Orfeo, Irpinia Fiano DOP
• Demetra, Irpinia Falanghina DOP

The philosophy with which the Romanos open their doors for Cantine Aperte is clear: to strip away the formality of wine and restore its most authentic function—bringing people together. No ceremony, just plenty of time to talk and taste.

What to expect during the day

The format follows the typical Irpinian wine tourism style: simple and outdoors. You can visit the cellar accompanied by the producers, taste the estate's wines, walk through the vineyards, and sit down for a meal. For the 2026 edition, the winery hosted Fuoco alle Griglie da Antico Castello (Fire up the Grills at Antico Castello), a Sunday centered around a winery barbecue, featuring local Irpinian meats from Mario Laurino paired with the house wines. It is a direct, almost domestic way to share the story of the land.

• Guided tours of the cellar and vineyards
• Tastings of the estate's white and red wines
• Country-style cuisine and open-air grilling
• Direct sales of bottles
• A day suitable for families and groups of friends

Why Irpinia?

Irpinia is the inland province of Campania and represents its true winemaking heart. Here, three high-profile designations are concentrated—Taurasi DOCG, Fiano di Avellino DOCG, and Greco di Tufo DOCG—born from volcanic and clay soils at altitudes reaching and exceeding 500 meters. It is a landscape of narrow hills, chestnut forests, and tiny villages, very different from the coastal and Vesuvian areas of Campania. For the visiting traveler, Cantine Aperte is one of the most immediate ways to understand this region: you enter the estates, talk to those who work the vines, and taste the wine exactly where it is born.

A national event, on a deliberately small scale

In the 2026 edition, over 430 wineries across Italy participated, fifteen of which were in Campania, spread across the provinces of Avellino, Benevento, Naples, and Salerno. Antico Castello is among them, and its intimate scale is part of the charm: in San Mango sul Calore, you won't find the crowds of major events, but rather a peaceful day in the countryside with time to stop and chat. Those wishing to extend their visit can easily reach other towns in the area—Castelvetere sul Calore, Paternopoli, Taurasi, Montemarano—all just a few minutes' drive away.