Valtidone Wine Fest - Borgonovo Stop

Ortrugo and Chisöla open the Valtidone Wine Fest

The stop in Borgonovo Val Tidone, in the heart of the province of Piacenza, is the first of the four Sundays of the Valtidone Wine Fest, the largest wine event in the Piacenza area. Here the event is called "Ortrugo & Chisöla", from the union of the valley's symbolic white wine and the town's traditional savoury-sweet cake: a binomial that tells the identity of this corner of Emilia-Romagna overlooking the first Apennine hills, bordering the Pavia and Oltrepò areas, in two bites and a sip.

Ortrugo DOC, native vine of Val Tidone

The absolute protagonist of the day is Ortrugo DOC, a native vine of the Colli Piacentini hills that finds its most authentic expression in Val Tidone. Along Via Roma and in the squares of the historic centre, tasting stands from local wineries are set up, where you can taste Ortrugo in its still and sparkling versions alongside other wines from the Colli Piacentini, from Gutturnio to Malvasia. The heart of the event is the Premio Miglior Ortrugo (Best Ortrugo Award), a competition that, with the support of AIS and FISAR sommeliers and Coldiretti Piacenza, rewards the best interpretations of the vine proposed by the valley's producers.

Chisöla De.Co. and the Festa d'la Chisöla

Ortrugo is paired with Chisöla, a typical focaccia from Borgonovo recognised as a De.Co. (Municipal Denomination) product, prepared according to the traditional recipe by families and volunteers from the town. The Wine Fest stop intertwines with the historic Festa d'la Chisöla, which enlivens Borgonovo for several days with food stalls, music, and entertainment, making the event a true town festival as well as a wine showcase.

Cocktails, Rocca visits, and entertainment

In addition to tastings, the day features the Ortrugo Cocktail Show, with professional bartenders reinterpreting the valley's wine in mixed drinks, the presentation of the Guide to the Wineries of the Colli Piacentini, guided tours of the Rocca degli Arcelli and the Church of the Assumption, as well as street artists, vintage car and motorcycle rallies, and aperitif moments. A programme that combines wine culture, historical heritage, and popular tradition.

An event that tells the story of the territory

Promoted by the Municipality of Borgonovo Val Tidone together with the organisation of the Valtidone Wine Fest and included in the territorial project "Welcome Val Tidone", this stop is much more than a local festival: it is the way the community values its wineries, typical products, and the food and wine identity of the Piacenza Val Tidone. A day designed for those who love wine, authentic flavours, and the atmosphere of the Apennine villages of Emilia.