Wine and Local Products Festival

An autumn festival in the heart of Alta Irpinia

The Wine and Local Products Festival takes place in Torella dei Lombardi, a small town of less than two thousand inhabitants nestled at an altitude of over 600 meters in the province of Avellino, Campania. We are in Alta Irpinia, not far from the springs of the Ofanto river: a land of mountains and vineyards where peasant culture has left a legacy of flavors that remains vibrant today. Every year, once the harvest is over and the cellars open their barrels, the village dedicates a weekend to the local wine and the products of its artisan food makers. It is no coincidence that the event is considered one of the most anticipated gastronomic gatherings in Alta Irpinia.

Aglianico and Taurasi DOCG in the glass

The true star of the festival is Irpinian wine. Local wineries bring their most representative reds to the village: Aglianico, the signature grape of Irpinia, and Taurasi DOCG, the designation that has made this corner of Campania famous worldwide. Often, the producers themselves pour and describe the wine to visitors, explaining vintages, soil characteristics, and aging processes. Alongside the tastings, there are tasting trails, with food and wine pairings designed by experts to showcase the balance between the tannic structure of Aglianico and local cuisine.

The flavors of peasant cuisine

Along with wine, the festival showcases the typical products of Alta Irpinia: cured meats and aged cheeses, most notably caciocavallo podolico, handmade pasta, rustic traditional soups, grilled meats, and artisan desserts. The stands also offer the opportunity to purchase selected bottles, farm-to-table products, and artisan preserves prepared according to family recipes: a small farmers' market that accompanies the festivities and supports local businesses.

The medieval village and Castello Candriano

The setting is the historic center of Torella dei Lombardi, dominated by Castello Candriano (also known as Castello Ruspoli), a fortification of Lombard origin that has been renovated several times over the centuries and is now the cultural heart of the village. Strolling through the alleys with a glass in hand is part of the experience: the festival also offers guided tours of the village's historic sites, artisan markets, exhibitions, workshops, and live folk music.

The land of Sergio Leone

Torella dei Lombardi is closely linked to the history of Italian cinema: Roberto Roberti, a silent film director and father of Sergio Leone, was born here, and the castle houses a museum space dedicated to the master of the Spaghetti Western. It is no coincidence that the other major Torella event, Sapori Antichi, transforms the village into an open-air Western set every summer. The Wine Festival, in autumn, is its more intimate and agricultural counterpart: no sets, just the land, the cellars, and the local people.

When to go and what to expect

• Where: Historic center of Torella dei Lombardi (AV), Alta Irpinia
• When: In autumn, traditionally in October
• Duration: One weekend (two days in the 2025 edition)
• Highlights: Aglianico and Taurasi DOCG, cured meats and aged cheeses, farm-to-table products
• Atmosphere: Convivial and family-friendly village festival, outdoors among the alleys

The period is also ideal for combining the visit with a wider itinerary: the Taurasi hills, the villages of Alta Irpinia rebuilt after the 1980 earthquake, and the forests and chestnut groves that light up with colors in October. A weekend that tells the story of an authentic rural Italy, far from the major tourist flows and still capable of letting its land speak through a glass of wine.