Cantine Aperte (Puglia) is one of the wine festivals that anchors the Puglia calendar, drawing both local visitors and international wine travellers each year. It is held at Wineries across Salento in Itria Valley and Castel del Monte areas, 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.
Italy's biggest open-cellar event, organised by the Movimento Turismo del Vino. On the last Sunday of May each year, more than 20,000 wineries across Italy open their doors for tastings, vineyard tours and producer-led events. The Puglia chapter coordinates participating estates in the area, giving visitors a chance to meet winemakers and taste current and library vintages directly at the cellar. 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, which sets the tone and direction of the programme each year.
Puglia is the heel of Italy and the country's largest red wine producer by volume, dominated by Primitivo (related to American Zinfandel) and Negroamaro. The major appellations include Primitivo di Manduria, Salice Salentino, Castel del Monte, Brindisi, Squinzano and the Locorotondo whites of the Itria Valley. Strong investments in modern winemaking and wine tourism infrastructure have raised the region's profile substantially over the past two decades.
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.
Puglia is reached via Bari or Brindisi airports, with the Itria Valley and the Salento as the main wine tourism bases. A festival visit combines naturally with Puglia's distinctive trulli architecture in Alberobello, the Baroque centre of Lecce, the cliffside city of Polignano a Mare, and the mosaic floors of Otranto cathedral. Apulian cuisine pairs the wines with orecchiette al ragu, burrata, fave e cicoria, panzerotti, and Adriatic seafood. The region offers strong value compared with Tuscany and Veneto.
