VinEstate

VinEstate: half a century of wine in Torrecuso

Some events tell the story of a territory better than any guidebook, and VinEstate is one of them. Founded in 1975 in the Municipality of Torrecuso—a village of just over three thousand inhabitants perched 420 meters high on the slopes of the Taburno massif in the province of Benevento—the festival celebrated its fiftieth edition in 2025. Half a century of history makes it the longest-running wine event in Campania. It is not just a fair or a simple food festival; it is the time of year when an entire village opens its squares, courtyards, and historic palaces to showcase what it does best: wine.

Aglianico del Taburno: the wine that gives the festival its name

The undisputed star is Aglianico del Taburno DOCG, a red wine with great structure and longevity that finds one of its ideal terroirs here: calcareous and clayey soils, significant temperature fluctuations between day and night, and vineyards facing the Calore valley. The mayor has described Torrecuso as an "oenological island" in Campania, with thirty wineries concentrated in a single municipality—a nearly unique case in Southern Italy.

Alongside Aglianico, VinEstate highlights other Sannio denominations: Falanghina DOC, Aglianico del Taburno Rosato DOCG, and various IGT (Typical Geographical Indication) wines. In recent editions, each of these varieties has featured a masterclass led by ONAV (National Organization of Wine Tasters), with limited seating and mandatory reservations.

How the event works

The well-established formula blends wine, culture, and entertainment over four days:

• Tastings of local wineries at stands set up in the squares and historic palaces, using a glass and tasting card;
• Masterclasses and guided tastings by ONAV focusing on Taburno and Sannio denominations;
• Technical workshops for professionals and enthusiasts: visual communication and labels, wine neuromarketing, and food-and-wine pairings with chefs and sommeliers;
• Food and wine stands serving traditional Sannio peasant dishes, generally open from 7:00 PM;
• Conferences on promoting denominations and regional development, involving the Region, Province, protection consortia, and trade associations.

Art, readings, and performances in the squares

The cultural component is far from secondary. Each edition features photography, painting, and sculpture exhibitions in historic palaces, the "Sips of Reading" series pairing books with wine glasses alongside local authors, children's workshops like "From Grape to Wine: A Journey to Discover," theatrical performances, street artists, DJ sets, and concerts in Piazza Amerigo Mellusi and Piazza Sant'Erasmo. In 2025, for the fiftieth anniversary, the program also hosted the musical reading "Thoughts and Music" with actor Giancarlo Giannini and saxophonist Marco Zurzolo, closing with a fireworks display.

Organizers

VinEstate is promoted by the VinEstate Committee in collaboration with the Municipality of Torrecuso, with the patronage of the Campania Region (Department of Agriculture), the Province of Benevento, the GAL Taburno, and the Taburno-Camposauro Regional Park Authority. Torrecuso is also a member of the national Città del Vino (Wine Cities) association, which promotes the event on a national level every year.

Torrecuso and the Sannio wine region

The village is the gateway to the Taburno-Camposauro Regional Park, offering trails and panoramic views over the Telesina valley and the inner Sannio area. Many wineries open their doors for visits and tastings even outside the festival days. Benevento, with its Arch of Trajan and Roman Theater, is just a few kilometers away: a weekend in Torrecuso easily turns into an itinerary through Roman archaeology, hillside villages, and premium Campanian winemaking.

The 2026 edition

As of the update of this page, the dates for the next edition have not yet been officially announced by the Municipality or the Organizing Committee. Historically, VinEstate takes place between the last week of August and the first week of September. It is advisable to keep an eye on the Torrecuso municipal website and the social media profiles @vinestatetorrecuso: the program is usually published a few weeks in advance, often preceded by an official preview evening.