Open Cellars in Matelica
The Verdicchio of Matelica tells its story through vineyards, tastings, and music
About Open Cellars
Open Cellars, the Marche wine festival
Every year, on the last weekend of May, Italian wineries open their doors to visitors for Cantine Aperte, the national event of the Movimento Turismo del Vino, now in its thirty-fourth edition in 2026. It is the symbol of Italian wine tourism: an invitation to enter the places where wine is born, to meet those who produce it, and to experience the vineyard as a complete, slow, and regenerating experience.
In Matelica, a small municipality in the province of Macerata in the heart of the Marche region, Cantine Aperte has a unique flavor. Matelica is indeed the only inland area of the Marche to produce Verdicchio di Matelica, a DOC and DOCG white wine with a mineral character and great aging potential, preserved in the enclosed valley that distinguishes it from the more famous Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi.
The wineries in the spotlight
During the weekend, the main wineries in the area open to the public, including Belisario, a historic cooperative winery and the largest producer of Verdicchio di Matelica, Bisci, Borgo Paglianetto (specializing in organic and biodynamic productions), Maraviglia, and Tenuta Piano di Rustano. The journey of taste is completed in the historic center, where the Foyer of the Theatre also becomes a tasting point.
An itinerant tasting
The Matelica version of Cantine Aperte combines wine with music and the territory. On Sunday, a Buswing accompanies visitors from one winery to another, with an ensemble from the Musicamdo cultural association on board, animating the stops among the vineyards from noon until evening. The festival concludes in the heart of the city, under the charming Loggia degli Ottoni in Piazza Mattei, with "Fuori Cantina": a large tasting counter of wines from the Association of Producers of Verdicchio di Matelica, from late afternoon until late evening.
An experience for everyone
Cantine Aperte is not just for connoisseurs: it is an opportunity for families, the curious, and enthusiasts to discover the authentic flavors of the Marche, pairing Verdicchio with typical local products in a convivial atmosphere. The event is coordinated by the Movimento Turismo del Vino with the support of Pro Matelica and the patronage of the Municipality of Matelica.
Open Cellars — edition 2026
Cantine Aperte 2026 in Matelica
The 2026 edition was part of the 34th national edition of Cantine Aperte, promoted by the Movimento Turismo del Vino and dedicated to the theme of slow and regenerative tourism, the "showcase of wine tourism innovations". In Matelica, in the province of Macerata, the local wineries participated in the initiative for tasting Verdicchio di Matelica.
Historically, the Matelica stop offers an itinerant formula among the wineries Belisario, Bisci, Borgo Paglianetto, Maraviglia, and Tenuta Piano di Rustano, with the Foyer of the Theatre as an additional tasting point in the center and the grand finale of "Fuori Cantina" under the Loggia degli Ottoni. The detailed program for individual companies for 2026 is published by the wineries and Pro Matelica in the weeks preceding the event.
Programme Open Cellars 2026
The detailed program for individual Matelica wineries for the 2026 edition will be communicated by the companies and Pro Matelica closer to the event. The Matelica stop traditionally follows this structure, documented in recent editions:
- From 12 PM to evening — Itinerant tasting of Verdicchio di Matelica in participating wineries (Belisario, Bisci, Borgo Paglianetto, Maraviglia, Tenuta Piano di Rustano).
- Buswing — Shuttle between wineries with a musical ensemble from the cultural association Musicamdo on board to liven up the stops among the vineyards.
- From 6 PM to late evening — "Fuori Cantina" in Piazza Mattei, under the Loggia degli Ottoni, with a tasting counter of wines from the Association of Producers of Verdicchio di Matelica.
The Foyer of the Theatre serves as an additional tasting point in the historic center.
Highlights Open Cellars 2026
Prices Open Cellars 2026
Practical information — Open Cellars
When
Last weekend of May (in 2026: Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 May).
Where
In the participating wineries of the Matelica territory (MC) and in the historic center, under the Loggia degli Ottoni in Piazza Mattei for the "Fuori Cantina".
How to get there
Matelica is reachable by car via the SS256 Muccese; the nearest train stations are along the Civitanova Marche–Fabriano line. For those arriving by plane, the reference airport is Ancona–Marche Airport (Falconara, Ancona).
Information
Pro Matelica, tel. +39 0737 85671. Individual tastings and cellar visits may have a participation fee: it is advisable to contact the wineries in advance.
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Where does it take place — Open Cellars
Cantine del territorio e Loggia degli Ottoni