Rocchetta Wine Fest

A village in the Alto Casertano transformed into an open-air winery

The Rocchetta Wine Fest is a food, wine, and cultural festival where the Pro Loco Rocchetta e Croce APS opens the historic center of Rocchetta e Croce—a town of just over four hundred residents in the province of Caserta, Campania—to the public. Throughout the event, the village's narrow streets and most picturesque spots become a continuous trail of tastings, encounters, and performances. It is not a single enclosed square, but the entire village that transforms into a sort of open-air winery at an altitude of 459 meters.

This formula is now well-known throughout the Medio Volturno area: you walk, you taste, you stop to listen to a musician or admire an installation, and then you continue. First-time visitors soon discover that the true star is not just the glass of wine, but the town itself, with its intimate urban layout and its views over the Caserta countryside.

Wine and local specialties

The heart of the festival lies in the food and wine stands set up in the historic center, where visitors can sample local products paired with regional wines. Rocchetta e Croce falls within the Roccamonfina IGT and Campania IGT production areas: a hilly viticultural landscape with vineyards specifically situated for their altitude and exposure.

• Wine tastings at various points along the route;
• Local specialties and traditional dishes from the Alto Casertano rural heritage;
• Widespread route through alleys, small squares, and scenic viewpoints of the village;
• Pro Loco volunteers managing the stands and welcoming guests.

Art, music, and the Church of the Santissima Annunziata

Alongside the wine, the festival has developed a second soul over the years: art and music. The program features live artistic and musical performances at key locations in the historic center, accompanying the public from late morning until late at night.

A highly anticipated moment is the special opening of the Church of the Santissima Annunziata, one of the most evocative sites in the town, which opens its doors to visitors during the festival. This detail speaks volumes about the event's philosophy: it is not a top-down wine fair, but an opportunity to showcase the religious and architectural heritage of a very small community.

An event built by volunteers

The Rocchetta Wine Fest was born and continues to grow thanks to the work of the Pro Loco Rocchetta e Croce APS, led by Ezio Russo, and the dedication of its volunteers, with the support of the municipal administration. In a town of this size, the organizational machine is effectively the town itself: the residents are the ones who prepare the spaces, manage the stands, and welcome the visitors.

This participatory nature is the secret to the event's success. The organizers describe the festival as "a toast to the beauty of the land and the desire to be together": a definition that perfectly captures the spirit of these two days, where conviviality matters just as much as the quality of the wine.

Towards the fifth edition

For 2026, the Pro Loco has announced the return of the Rocchetta Wine Fest for its fifth edition. While official dates were not yet unveiled at the time of the announcement, the organizers have promised an event full of new features, with a program designed to go well beyond just wine and gastronomy, aiming to further highlight the art and beauty of the historic village. It is recommended to follow the Pro Loco and municipal channels for the final calendar and program.

Where it takes place: Rocchetta e Croce, between Teano and Pietramelara

Rocchetta e Croce is located about 25 kilometers northwest of Caserta and about 40 kilometers from Naples, covering an area of just under 13 square kilometers bordering Calvi Risorta, Formicola, Giano Vetusto, Pietramelara, Riardo, and Teano. The municipality also includes the hamlet of Valdassano. It is a typical setting of the Campanian hinterland, characterized by hilltop villages, olive groves, and vineyards, where events like this serve as a primary tool for tourism promotion and community life.