New Oil and Novello Wine Festival

A quarter-century of flavors in Tuscia

Every November, the New Oil and Novello Wine Festival brings the historic center of Vignanello to life, a village in the province of Viterbo nestled among the Cimini Hills. Organized by Pro Loco Vignanello in collaboration with the Compagnia del Novello and supported by the Municipality of Vignanello, the event celebrated its 25th edition in 2025: a quarter-century dedicated to the two products that have always defined the town's agricultural identity, freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil and Novello wine.

Taste trails: mills and tuff-carved cellars

The heart of the festival lies in the food and wine trails led by experts, guiding visitors through active olive mills and historic cellars carved into the tuff, where one can taste, purchase, and discover the production process of oil and Novello wine firsthand. The guided tastings, "Learning about Wine" and "Learning about Oil," teach participants to recognize the aromas and characteristics of local products, featuring protagonists such as the Viticoltori dei Colli Cimini—a cooperative uniting over two hundred small producers of DOC and IGT wines—and local mills, including the historic Frantoio Cioccolini.

The taverns and Nonna Angelina's cuisine

Five taverns open in the historic center, offering dishes from the ancient local cookbook of Nonna Angelina: handmade gnocchi, stew with olives, "crucchi," and pamparito, the anise-scented bread typical of Vignanello. Local restaurants and cellars join the taverns with menus inspired by tradition, all accompanied by Novello wine and freshly roasted chestnuts in the square.

Historical re-enactments and shows

Alongside the flavors, there is history: the Julianellum 1536 Historical Pageant, re-enactments dedicated to the County of Julianello and the Revolt of 1553, flag-wavers, jugglers, and reconstructions of ancient Renaissance crafts turn the alleys into an open-air theater. The evenings of both weekends are enlivened by free live concerts.

Guided tours: Castello Ruspoli and underground Vignanello

The festival is also an opportunity to discover the village's heritage, which placed third in the 2025 "Borgo dei Borghi" competition on Rai 3: Castello Ruspoli with its famous Italian-style garden, the "connutti"—the evocative underground tunnels running beneath the town—and the Baroque Collegiate Church can be visited with dedicated guides throughout the event.

Camper rally and slow tourism

The program is completed by the "Memorial Francesco Annesi" camper rally, with about 150 pitches available by reservation, and Sunday morning trekking walks: an invitation to experience the Tuscia region at a slower pace, during the season when the Cimini woods ignite with autumn colors.

A landmark event for rural Lazio

A reference point for food and wine experiential tourism in the Lazio Region, the festival attracts thousands of visitors every year from Rome and across Central Italy, confirming its status as one of the most authentic autumn festivals in the province of Viterbo.