Ventricina and Bubbles — Scerni Stop

Ventricina and Bubbles in Scerni

Ventricina and Bubbles is a traveling food and wine festival that winds through the villages of the Vastese area, in the heart of southern Abruzzo, to celebrate the flavors and traditions of this part of the Chieti province. The Scerni stop takes place in the town's historic center and is one of the most anticipated events on the calendar: Scerni is considered one of the capitals of the Ventricina del Vastese and has hosted one of the festival's flagship evenings for years.

Ventricina del Vastese, the absolute star

At the heart of the evening is the Ventricina del Vastese, a Slow Food Presidium and one of the most iconic cured meats of inland Abruzzo: a sausage with a characteristic red color, flavored with chili pepper and wild fennel seeds, produced for centuries in the hilly villages between the Trigno River and the Adriatic coast. It is accompanied by bubbles, or rather the sparkling wines of Abruzzo—with some national labels also featured—offered in pairings guided by AIS Abruzzo sommeliers, who explain to the public the encounter between the bold flavor of the cured meat and the freshness of the sparkling wine.

A regional project

The festival is promoted by the Abruzzo Region and stems from the collaboration between the Ventricina del Vastese Producers Association, local municipal administrations, the Chieti-Pescara Chamber of Commerce, the Province of Chieti, the Pro Loco, and organizations such as Slow Food Abruzzo Molise and Abruzzo Cocktail Week. The goal is to build a unified promotion of the inland villages, networking territories, flavors, and stories, and ideally connecting the hills of the Vastese area to the Trabocchi Coast. The Scerni stop, led by Mayor Daniele Carlucci's administration, is part of this shared journey that touches six municipalities in the Vastese area throughout the summer.

An evening of taste, mixology, and hospitality

The event's formula combines guided tastings of Ventricina and wines, mixology sessions with signature cocktails by Abruzzo Cocktail Week, music, show cooking, and the discovery of the village. The historic center of Scerni comes alive with producers' stands, artisans, and cultural events, offering visitors an authentic experience among the flavors of the Vastese area and the warm hospitality of the local community.

Scerni and the Vastese area

The municipality of Scerni, in the province of Chieti (Abruzzo), is an agricultural village in the Vastese hinterland deeply linked to the production of Ventricina, of which it is a symbolic center. The Ventricina and Bubbles stop adds to the rich summer calendar of Scerni, helping to enhance the identity of the territory and promote food and wine tourism in the inland areas of the region.