Monticelli Wine Festival

A wine festival in the heart of the Monti Aurunci

The Monticelli Wine Festival is one of the most beloved food and wine events of the summer in the province of Frosinone. Every year in August, the small village of Monticelli, a hamlet of Esperia, transforms into a journey of taste and conviviality among its stone-paved alleys. The village is located within the Monti Aurunci Natural Park, one of the most picturesque corners of southern Lazio, where winemaking traditions run deep.

History of the event

The festival was founded in 1989 by the Circolo Culturale Monticelli with the aim of promoting and showcasing local wines. Since then, the event has been held annually, gathering a loyal audience of residents, curious visitors, and enthusiasts who climb up to the village to rediscover the flavors and crafts of the past. In 2025, the event reached its 35th edition, confirming its status as one of the historic festivals of the Aurunci area.

The star wines

The heart of the festival lies in its local wines, offered for free tasting: primarily the Reale Bianco and the Olivello Rosso, a red wine with ancient origins that tradition links to the legendary Cecubo, the wine celebrated by the Latin poet Horace and once produced in this part of the Ciociaria region. Alongside the glasses, food stalls offer typical local specialties, ranging from rustic peasant dishes to zero-kilometer products, in a pairing designed to showcase the gastronomic identity of Esperia and the Monti Aurunci.

Crafts and traditional trades

The Wine Festival is about more than just food and wine. The Artigianarte exhibition comes to life in the historic center, featuring works on canvas, wood, and copper, alongside the re-enactment of ancient trades: from barrel-making to blacksmithing and traditional embroidery techniques. It is a journey that restores the artisan soul of the village and engages both adults and children.

Music and live evenings

The evenings are accompanied by live music in the village squares: from classic Italian rock concerts to contemporary folk sounds, the atmosphere remains that of an authentic popular feast, where people gather until late at night with a glass in hand under the Monti Aurunci sky.

Why attend

• Free tastings of typical Monticelli wines
• Gastronomic specialties of the Aurunci cuisine
• Artigianarte craft exhibition and ancient trades
• Live music in the historic center's alleys
• An authentic village in the Monti Aurunci Natural Park

An evening at the Monticelli Wine Festival is the ideal opportunity to discover a lesser-known corner of southern Lazio, amidst good wine, genuine flavors, and the hospitality of a community that has kept this tradition alive for over thirty years.