Paestum Wine Fest
The business wine fair of Central and Southern Italy, just a stone's throw from the temples of Paestum
About Paestum Wine Fest
Southern wine meets in Paestum
The Paestum Wine Fest is the leading business fair dedicated to wine from Central and Southern Italy, held in Capaccio Paestum, in the heart of Cilento, in the province of Salerno (Campania). Just minutes from the UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site, the event brings together around 250 wineries and over 1,000 labels for tasting each year, using a formula that has distinguished itself from large generalist fairs by focusing on a qualified audience and concrete commercial relationships.
Born as a showcase for wineries from Campania and the South, the festival has gradually opened up to the entire peninsula and foreign markets over the years, redefining itself as a fair for technological and commercial innovation in the wine business. Today, it is one of the most anticipated events in the Italian spring wine calendar.
A format designed for business
The distinctive feature of the Paestum Wine Fest is its B2B vocation. The tasting tables are not just a market: they are a meeting point for consortia, wineries, distributors, buyers, restaurateurs, sommeliers, and industry journalists. The days run continuously from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM, with the exhibition area complemented by rooms dedicated to masterclasses and conferences that follow one another without pause.
- Tasting tables with hundreds of Italian producers, from Piedmont to Sicily, with a strong representation from Campania, Basilicata, Puglia, and Calabria
- Limited-seating masterclasses, led by tasters, oenologists, and wine communicators
- Conferences and round tables on distribution, wine tourism, wine lists, foreign markets, and new generations of consumers
- Networking moments between Ho.Re.Ca. operators and companies looking for agents and importers
Masterclasses, the heart of the program
Guided tastings are the main draw for many visitors. The schedule alternates between historic verticals of great labels, comparisons between Italian and foreign appellations, territorial focuses, and thematic paths: biodynamic viticulture, island vineyards, classic method, great Tuscan and Piedmontese reds, and wines from the Caucasus and the Andes. The congress center rooms also host more unusual experiments, such as pairings between wine and literature or sessions dedicated to young oenologists.
The setting: Paestum and Cilento
Choosing Capaccio Paestum as the venue is no coincidence. The town houses one of the most famous archaeological complexes in the Mediterranean — the three Doric temples of Paestum — and is the gateway to Cilento, a land of buffalo mozzarella DOP, extra virgin olive oil, and rapidly growing viticulture, from Fiano to Greco, from Aglianico to Piedirosso. Those arriving for the fair will find a cultural and gastronomic heritage nearby that makes the trip worthwhile on its own.
Who organizes it
The event is promoted by Paestum Wine Fest srl, with Angelo Zarra among the founders and Alessandro Rossi as director. In recent years, the venue has moved from the spaces of the former NEXT Tobacco Factory to the congress center of the Hotel Ariston Paestum, on Via Laura, a choice that has allowed for the concentration of the exhibition area, masterclass rooms, and services into a single complex.
Who it is for
Access is primarily intended for professional operators, but the fair remains open to enthusiasts and wine tourists, who can purchase an entry ticket that includes a tasting glass. It is a rare opportunity to taste in three days what would normally require months of travel across Italy's wineries.
Paestum Wine Fest — edition 2026
Paestum Wine Fest 2026: the 15th edition
From March 1st to 3rd, 2026, the Paestum Wine Fest renewed its appointment in Capaccio Paestum, in the province of Salerno, with a clearly business-oriented formula: the event presented itself as a fair for technological and commercial innovation in the wine business, aimed at consortia, wineries, buyers, distributors, and Ho.Re.Ca. operators.
The new venue of the Hotel Ariston, in the heart of the archaeological area, hosted the exhibition area in the Paestum ABC hall and the Mercurio, Argiva, Nettuno, and Saturno rooms for masterclasses, tastings, and conferences. Three days of continuous opening from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM, with around 250 companies and over 1,000 labels from all over Italy.
The program alternated between great verticals — above all the one dedicated to La Poja by Allegrini, from the 2001 to 2019 vintages — and international comparisons on classic methods between Italy and France, focuses on biodynamics, island viticulture, Chianti Classico DOCG, Piedmontese Barbera, and Brunello, as well as thematic paths on wines from the Caucasus and the Andes. There was also ample space for conferences: new generations of consumers, Italian wine lists, and monitors on wine tourism and the US markets.
Programme Paestum Wine Fest 2026
Sunday, March 1st, 2026
- 12:00-20:00 — Opening of the exhibition area, tasting tables (Paestum ABC Hall)
- 13:00-14:30 — Allegrini Masterclass: vertical of La Poja, 2001-2019 vintages (Mercurio Hall)
- 15:00-16:30 — Masterclass on biodynamic viticulture (Argiva Hall)
- 15:00-16:30 — Vinoway Selection Tasting (Mercurio Hall)
- 17:00 — Comparison on Classic Methods: Italy vs. France (Mercurio Hall)
Speakers of the day included: Oscar Lanciani, Domenico Accinni, Luca Amato, Davide Gangi, Antonio Scatigna.
Monday, March 2nd, 2026
- Masterclass dedicated to island viticulture
- Meeting on new generations of consumers with Roberto Parodi (Nettuno Hall)
- Focus on Chianti Classico DOCG with Luca Grippo and Andrea Gori
- Sensory experiment on pairings between wine and books
- AIBES 2026 Competition (Saturno Hall)
- Professional monitor on wine tourism
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026
- Wine List Italia Conference
- Session dedicated to young oenologists, with Davide Gangi
- Focus on Piedmontese Barbera
- Masterclass on Brunello di Montalcino with Le Macioche
- Monitor on foreign markets and the United States, with Leonardo LoCascio and Charlie Arturaola
The masterclasses were curated in collaboration with Matteo Zappile; the exhibition area remained open every day from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Highlights Paestum Wine Fest 2026
- 15th edition, with the new format as a business fair for wine innovation
- First edition at the new Hotel Ariston congress center venue
- Around 250 wineries and over 1,000 labels for tasting
- Historic vertical of La Poja by Allegrini, from 2001 to 2019
- Italy-France comparison on Classic Methods
- Thematic paths on the Caucasus, Andes, island viticulture, and biodynamics
- Conferences on wine tourism, wine lists, and US markets
Prices Paestum Wine Fest 2026
Practical information — Paestum Wine Fest
Location
Hotel Ariston Paestum, Via Laura 13, 84047 Capaccio Paestum (SA), Campania. The exhibition area and masterclass rooms are located in the facility's congress center.
How to get there
By train: Paestum station on the Salerno–Sapri line, a few kilometers from the venue; alternatively, Capaccio Scalo station. Connections from Salerno are frequent.
By car: Take the Battipaglia exit on the A2 del Mediterraneo motorway, then the SS18 towards Paestum; ample parking is available at the facility.
By plane: Salerno–Costa d'Amalfi Airport (approx. 40 km) or Naples Capodichino Airport (approx. 110 km).
Hours and tickets
Continuous opening from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM during the three days. Paid entry for the public, including a tasting glass and glass holder; dedicated accreditation for professional operators and the press, to be requested in advance. Masterclasses have limited seating and require booking.
Tips
Book your accommodation in advance: the Paestum area offers many facilities, but they fill up quickly during the fair. Take advantage of the trip to visit the Archaeological Park of Paestum and the National Museum, just a few minutes from the venue.
Contacts
Official website: paestumwinefest.it — email: [email protected] — phone: +39 334 3467055.
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Where does it take place — Paestum Wine Fest
Hotel Ariston Paestum
Via Laura 13, 84047 Capaccio Paestum