Gessi diVini

Gessi diVini: Wine and Identity in the Village of Pretalucente

Gessi diVini is a food and wine festival that, at the end of summer, transforms the medieval village of Pretalucente in the municipality of Gessopalena (Chieti province, Abruzzo) into a vast open-air tasting experience. Amidst alleys and stone houses carved into gypsum rock, overlooking the Maiella mountain range, visitors follow a path that weaves together wine, culture, and landscape, rediscovering the authentic soul of one of the most evocative villages in the Abruzzo hinterland.

Native Grape Varieties Take Center Stage

The heart of the event lies in the native grape varieties recovered and promoted within the Gessopalena territory. The tasting itinerary revolves around Nero Antico di Pretalucente, available in both still and sparkling versions, and Vedovella Nera di Pretalucente, a rare variety tied to the valley's agricultural history. Alongside the wine, visitors can enjoy local products in a thematic area dedicated to the valley's biodiversity, where cheeses, cured meats, oils, and other delicacies showcase the Abruzzese farming tradition.

Music, Street Art, and Conviviality

Beyond the tastings, Gessi diVini offers a program of entertainment spread throughout the village ruins: live concerts featuring bands and orchestras playing pop, jazz, and the repertoire of great Italian singer-songwriters, as well as street performers, stilt walkers, and light installations that bring the evenings to life. The intimate atmosphere of the village, illuminated for the occasion, provides a perfect backdrop for a stroll filled with sounds, flavors, and panoramic mountain views.

Seminars and Local Culture

The event is more than just a party: it has always reserved space for seminars and round tables with producers, cultural operators, journalists, scholars, and local administrators. The debate focuses on sustainable viticulture, the promotion of native grape varieties, and experiential tourism as a development lever for the small villages of the Abruzzo Apennines.

A Village to Rediscover

Gessopalena, with its ancient Pretalucente settlement scarred by the bombings of the last war and now restored as a place of memory, offers a unique stage for Gessi diVini. Promoted by the Municipality of Gessopalena, the festival has become a signature late-August event over the years, capable of attracting visitors from all over Abruzzo and telling the story and landscape of this corner of the Chieti province through wine.