Puglia Wine Festival

The Puglia Wine Festival in Rutigliano

The Puglia Wine Festival — Festival of Wine and Flavors of Puglia is one of the most anticipated food and wine events of the Apulian autumn. Every year, at the end of October, the historic center of Rutigliano, in the heart of the Bari province, turns into a vast open-air stage where wine meets the culture, music, and folk traditions of Puglia. The event is organized by the APS SensAzioni del Sud association with the patronage of the Municipality of Rutigliano, the Department of Agriculture of the Puglia Region, and the Bari Chamber of Commerce.

A journey through the tastes of Puglia

The heart of the festival is the tasting trail that winds through the alleys of the ancient village. Glasses are filled with the great regional grape varieties: from Primitivo to Negroamaro, from Nero di Troia to whites and rosés, and the unmissable Vino Novello, a symbol of the recently concluded harvest. Accompanying the wines are traditional Apulian dishes, prepared right in the squares by chefs from all over the region, along with roasted chestnuts and zero-kilometer products from local producers.

Music, shows, and culture

Every evening, the festival offers concerts, DJ sets, and performances that bring the squares and alleys to life until late at night: from the traditional pizzica and tarantella of Salento to DJ sets from Apulian radio stations, and from Mediterranean fusions to live music. Alongside the musical program, the festival offers a rich cultural calendar including guided tours of the Norman Tower organized by the Pro Loco, art exhibitions hosted in historic palaces, and culinary workshops dedicated to fresh pasta, taralli, and the grains of Rutigliano.

A growing festival

Created to promote the food and wine identity of the territory, the Puglia Wine Festival has grown edition after edition to become a regional landmark, attracting tens of thousands of visitors. Its unique formula—combining wine, authentic flavors, folk music, and the discovery of Rutigliano's historic heritage—makes it an unmissable stop on the Apulian autumn calendar, perfect for families, wine enthusiasts, and tourists seeking the most genuine atmosphere of the South.