Cantine Aperte (Molise) is one of the wine festivals that anchors the Molise calendar, drawing both local visitors and international wine travellers each year. It is held at Multiple wineries across Campobasso and Isernia provinces in Molise, in the heart of one of Italy's most distinctive wine areas. It has been running since 1993, with a long unbroken local tradition behind it.
The Molise chapter of Italy's biggest open-cellar event. Wineries across the Biferno Valley and the Pentro di Isernia area open for tastings, vineyard walks, and producer-led events. Strong representation of Tintilia del Molise — the region's revived indigenous red grape — alongside Montepulciano, Aglianico, Trebbiano and Falanghina. Producers include Claudio Cipressi (San Felice del Molise, 15 hectares organic Tintilia), Tenimenti Grieco (Portocannone), Cantine Salvatore, Tenuta Marta Rosa (Nuova Cliternia) and Cantine Catabbo. Visitors typically follow a route through 3-4 estates between Termoli and Campobasso. Cantine Aperte is the entry point of Italian wine tourism for many visitors, giving direct access to producers who are otherwise hard to visit without prior arrangement. Most participating wineries offer free or low-cost tastings, with optional paid masterclass sessions, vineyard walks and food pairings. The atmosphere is informal and the focus is on direct producer contact rather than large-scale events. Visitors typically plan a route covering 3-5 wineries across a single day, often combining cellar visits with stops at local restaurants or food producers in the same area. The event functions both as a commercial opportunity for the wineries and as a community celebration, drawing returning visitors year after year. The event is organised by Movimento Turismo del Vino Molise, which sets the tone and direction of the programme each year.
Molise is one of Italy's smallest and least-known wine regions, sitting between Abruzzo to the north and Puglia to the south. The region's flagship is Tintilia del Molise DOC (DOC since 2011) — an indigenous red grape that risked extinction before its revival in the 1990s. Other production centres on Biferno DOC and Pentro di Isernia DOC, with wines built on Montepulciano, Aglianico, Trebbiano Toscano and Bombino Bianco. Molise was administratively part of Abruzzo until 1963, and only began bottling under its own regional name from the 1980s.
The 2026 edition is scheduled for 31 May 2026 (last Sunday of May). Entry is free, with optional paid tasting passes or guided sessions available on site. Full programme, ticketing and updated information are published on the official site at https://www.movimentoturismovino.it/it/cantine-aperte. Visitors are advised to check directly with the organiser for the latest schedule, as Italian festival programmes are sometimes updated close to the event date.
Molise is reached most easily by car, with Termoli on the Adriatic coast as a popular entry point and Campobasso (the regional capital) inland. The region pairs wine tourism with quiet, low-traffic exploration: the Roman amphitheatre and ruins of Saepinum, the Lombard castle of Bagnoli del Trigno, the medieval villages of Civitacampomarano and Larino, and Termoli's historic seafront. Molisan cuisine pairs robustly with the wines: cavatelli with pork ragu, pampanella (spicy roast pork), scamorza molisana cheese, and the slow-cooked sheep stew called pezzata.
