Sagra della Madonna Spertusavotte e del Primo Vino

The day the barrel is opened

In Roccanova, in the province of Potenza, there is a date that marks the farming calendar: December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is the day of the Madonna "Spertusavotte", a local dialect expression that literally means "barrel piercer": the moment when, according to tradition, the first hole is made in the barrel to taste the new wine.

A centuries-old tradition

The act of opening the barrels, called "pertusavotte" in dialect, has marked the relationship between the Roccanova community and wine for centuries. On December 8th, the first racking takes place and the blessing of the cellars, the famous caves dug into the sandstone "tempe" beneath the town, where the wine matures at a constant temperature. Sacred and profane intertwine: Marian devotion accompanies the new wine festival, in a ritual that tells the story of the village's rural soul.

Grottino di Roccanova DOC

The absolute star is Grottino di Roccanova DOC, a Lucanian wine recognized as a protected designation of origin in 2009, the result of this very tradition of aging in caves. During the festival, the cellars open to visitors and the historic center comes alive with tastings, local products, and conviviality, in a true winter spirit.

An authentic event

The Sagra della Madonna Spertusavotte is a deeply identity-driven event, far from the major tourist circuits and therefore even more genuine. For those visiting inland Basilicata in December, it is the perfect opportunity to discover a village with ancient roots, its wine cellars, and a tradition that unites faith, wine, and community.