Cantine Aperte

Memorial Day Weekend – Sunday, May 29, 2022

The last Sunday of May is always Cantine Aperte in Umbria. Dozens of wineries are open for tours and wine tastings. Visit just one or as many as you like. Many wineries have special admissions that include food along with their wine tastings, and even entertainment to round out the day. It’s a MUST for wine lovers who already familiar with Umbrian wines and a great opportunity for others to fall in love with them.

Our new friend and neighbor, Terry, the British woman that lives up the road with her husband, Stewart, and dog, Penny, introduced us to a delightful thing called Cantine Aperte. Normally, most wineries in Italy require a reservation for a tour / tasting, but on this one Sunday each year (the last Sunday of May) the wineries are open across Italy. Some just open their doors for normal tastings, while others plan luncheons and dinner events.

We chose to go to the local (fabulous) winery in Ficulle, Tenuta Vitalonga, only about a 15 minute drive from the house. Terry agreed to be the designated driver and we had a fabulous time.

We went after the lunch event, arriving a little after 3pm. Admission included 3 tickets each for the tasting and a variety of appetizers. The views were breathtaking…the photos below give you a flavor but don’t capture the pure beauty and awesomeness. A band was setting up, which proved to be fabulous. I was curious about the variety of guitars and the old school telephone and a strange sound device. I think their name was something like The Driver’s Drunk, Get on the Bus!

The wine was amazing, the food, atmosphere and friends were beyond!!! It was a beautiful day that we all enjoyed. See the evidence below…

This man is a Co-owner in the winery and the Mayor of Ficulle!!!

These women are amazing and I feel blessed that we found an immediate friendship with Terry!

After our fabulous time at the winery, Jess, Grammie and I went to Mennula, the Pizzaria next to the train station in Fabro Scalo. We have befriended the staff, including a special bond with Valentina. I will write about her in another post. To keep it simple, this place has fabulous pizza and the most AMAZING hamburgers. Seriously, you can fact check me on Yelp!

It was yet another new experience here in Italy and an amazing day!