Vinum Alba

Vinum Alba is one of the wine festivals that anchors the Piedmont calendar, drawing both local visitors and international wine travellers each year. It is held at Centro storico in Alba, in the heart of one of Italy's most distinctive wine areas. The 2026 event marks the 48th edition of the festival, reflecting its consistent place in the regional calendar. Vinum is the largest public wine and gastronomy event dedicated to Piemontese wines. Across two long weekends, the historic centre of Alba transforms into an open-air tasting circuit, with city squares hosting wines from Langhe, Roero and Monferrato — Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, Dolcetto, Moscato d'Asti, Roero Arneis, Asti Spumante, Alta Langa and grappas. Organised in concert with the body that runs the Alba International White Truffle Fair, Vinum offers masterclasses, tasting workshops at Roddi Castle, vineyard walks and food pairings with chefs from across the region. Italian wine festivals typically combine producer tastings with food pairings, live music, and a strong sense of place. Visitors can expect access to wines from a range of producers in the appellation, alongside food stalls offering regional specialities, masterclasses or vineyard walks for those who want to learn more, and an opportunity to buy directly from producers at cellar prices. Many events run across multiple days or weekends, allowing visitors to sample different parts of the programme according to interest, and combine well with the area's wider tourism offer. The event is organised by Ente Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba, which sets the tone and direction of the programme each year. Piedmont produces some of Italy's most age-worthy reds — Barolo and Barbaresco from the Nebbiolo grape — alongside Barbera, Dolcetto, Roero Arneis, the sparkling Moscato d'Asti and the high-altitude Alta Langa traditional-method sparkling wines. The Langhe and Roero hills are UNESCO-listed. Wine tourism here is anchored by Alba and the Langhe villages, with festivals running from the Barolo & Barbaresco anteprima in March through Vinum in spring and the Alba International White Truffle Fair from October through December. The 2026 edition is scheduled for 25-26 April 2026 and 1-3 May 2026 (two weekends). Festival access is ticketed: Paid (tasting carnet ~€15-35). Full programme, ticketing and updated information are published on the official site at https://www.vinumalba.com/. 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. Piedmont is reached via Turin or Milan, with Alba serving as the natural base for any wine festival visit in the Langhe. The region pairs naturally with food tourism, since Slow Food was founded here and the area produces some of Italy's most respected truffles, hazelnuts, beef and cheeses. Piedmontese cuisine builds around the wines: bagna cauda, vitello tonnato, tajarin al tartufo, brasato al Barolo. October through early December is white truffle season and the busiest time of year.