Ventricina & Bollicine — Torrebruna Stop

Ventricina & Bollicine in Torrebruna

Ventricina & Bollicine is a traveling food and wine festival that traverses the villages of the Vastese region, in the heart of Abruzzo, to celebrate the flavors and traditions of this part of Chieti province. The Torrebruna stop brings the event to the streets of the historic town center, marking one of the most anticipated dates on the summer calendar for this small Upper Vastese municipality, which has made the ventricina and local produce a core part of its identity.

Ventricina del Vastese, the absolute star

The heart of the evening is the Ventricina del Vastese, one of the most iconic cured meats of inland Abruzzo. It is a sausage with a distinctive red color, made from coarse-ground cuts of pork and seasoned with sweet bell peppers, chili, and fennel seeds. Produced for generations in the hilly and mountainous villages between the Trigno River and the Adriatic coast and recognized as a Slow Food Presidium, the ventricina is offered here for tasting alongside bollicine (sparkling wines), in a pairing that showcases the quality of Abruzzo's viticulture.

A regional project

The festival is promoted by the Association of Ventricina del Vastese Producers, led by president Stefano Fiore, with the patronage of the Abruzzo Region, and stems from a collaboration between local municipal administrations. The goal is to build a shared narrative of the territory, connecting villages, flavors, and stories while linking the hills and mountains of the Upper Vastese to the Costa dei Trabocchi. The Torrebruna stop is part of this shared journey, which visits several Vastese municipalities throughout the summer, from Cupello to Scerni, and from Fresagrandinaria to Ortona and Pollutri.

An evening of taste, music, and hospitality

The event format combines tastings of local products, live music, food stalls, and opportunities to explore the village. The streets and squares of the center come alive with producers and artisans, offering visitors an authentic experience of Vastese flavors and the warm hospitality of the Torrebruna community. In the 2025 edition, the evening went ahead despite bad weather by moving tastings and music under a marquee—a testament to the town's dedication to its festival.

Torrebruna, a village in the Upper Vastese

The municipality of Torrebruna, in the province of Chieti, is an ancient mountain village in southern Abruzzo, perched at an altitude of approximately 857 meters on the slopes of the Apennines, between the Trigno valley and the peaks of the Maiella. With just over a thousand inhabitants, it is the seat of the Upper Vastese Mountain Community and preserves a medieval historic center with traces of its ancient walls and gates. Beyond its ventricina, the area is known for its truffle production, celebrated every August with a dedicated festival. The Ventricina & Bollicine festival adds to the town's summer calendar, helping to enhance the local identity and promote food and wine tourism in the inland areas of Abruzzo.