Saint Lawrence, eyes on the sky: the night of August 10 is the highlight of “Calici di Stelle”

A glass of wine, friends gathered around, eyes turned skyward in search of a wish to make at the first flash of light in the darkness: only a few days remain until the magical night of August 10th, St. Lawrence Day, when the Perseid meteor shower will reach its peak. This is the highlight of “Calici di Stelle” - “Goblets of Stars”, the iconic event organized by Movimento Turismo del Vino, which transforms wineries, villages, and town squares across Italy into one large open-air wine celebration. Whether it is a concert in front of a Tuscan winery, a walk through Sicilian vineyards, or a happy hour in a village square, Calici di Stelle 2026 once again proves to be an event capable of bringing together culture, territory, and a carefree spirit. For more than thirty years, edition after edition, it has continued to tell the story of wine not merely as a product, but as a collective experience, an expression of local culture, and above all, the pleasure of conviviality. Thousands of people will gather for a collective toast beneath the stars, in a perfect blend of romance, summer lightheartedness, and authentic Italian style. In Sicily, Donnafugata welcomes visitors to Contessa Entellina, where they can discover the works of young artists while enjoying wine tastings and Dj sets. The historic Florio cellars become the ideal setting for an encounter with a renowned writer, a traditional Sicilian dinner, and a night filled with music. In Tuscany, Calici di Stelle extends over three nights, from August 8th to 10th, in the Orcia DOC area, featuring dinners organized in collaboration with Slow Food, picnic-style aperitifs, tasting counters, and concerts. Meanwhile, in Montepulciano, visitors raise a glass of Vino Nobile to celebrate the edition No. 25 of the event, with tours of historic wineries, parades of flag throwers and drummers, markets, guided tastings, and traditional dinners in the town various districts. In Milan, on August 10th and 12th, the city center hosts a bus tour together with Mtv wineries, offering wine and food tastings “on the road”. These are just some of the events included in the WineNews selection.
The Calici di Stelle format adapts to each territory, but certain elements always remain: guided tasting experiences, sunset treks through the vineyards, picnics and happy hours under the stars, dinners featuring local products, concerts, and astronomical observations led by amateur astronomers eager to explain the Perseids to those gazing at the night sky for the first time. Other highlights include vertical tastings of older vintages, live music, theatrical performances, street food, and tastings of extra virgin olive oil and spirits. Cultural events, exhibitions, live painting sessions, art workshops, and dance classes will also be featured. Together, these food and wine experiences are designed for a broad audience, creating a relaxed and family-friendly atmosphere. This year slogan is “Toast to Life!” and, as underlined by Violante Gardini Cinelli Colombini, president of Movimento Turismo del Vino, the core values of the event are education in responsible consumption, dialogue between generations, road safety as a shared responsibility, and the promotion of a lifestyle based on respect and moderation. Producers therefore aim to involve the entire family, highlighting wine as a heritage of territories and traditions that must be preserved and passed on.
Hundreds of events are scheduled throughout all Italian regions. In Abruzzo, 24 wineries are taking part in the initiative. In Campania, on August 8th, the regional event will be held at the Castle of Taurasi, featuring the area finest labels, while Mastroberardino and Antica Hirpinia will offer winery and cellar tours, themed menus showcasing local specialties, and sessions with an astronomer. In Emilia-Romagna, events will be held in the town centers of Valsamoggia (August 10th) and Fontanelice (August 10th). Meanwhile, at Agrivar winery (part of Palazzo di Varignana) in Castel San Pietro Terme, near Bologna, the evening of August 10th will be dedicated to discovering and narrating the constellations together with the amateur astronomy association Cielo Permettendo, accompanied by popcorn and glasses of wine.
In Friuli-Venezia Giulia, visitors can enjoy tastings featuring the region wines, pairings with local products, themed dinners, winery and barrel cellar tours, meetings with authors, and astronomical observations among the vineyards. Today, August 6th, in San Daniele del Friuli (Udine), the enchanting setting of Villa Serravallo will host an evening dedicated to wine and regional excellence, transforming the village into a sophisticated open-air stage of flavors, enhanced by a witty itinerary through the cartoons of the International Spirito di Vino Competition. In Lazio, the program includes vineyard picnics, walks among the vines, visits to evocative tuff caves, sunset aperitifs, and dinners celebrating local culinary traditions. Guests can also relax under the moonlight, enjoy music and guided stargazing sessions, with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options available for a summer winery experience centered on conviviality and responsible consumption. In Lombardy, wineries open their doors for the latest edition of the event, offering evenings under the stars, tastings of their finest labels, and pairings with traditional recipes. On August 10th and 12th, visitors can join a special bus tour through central Milan, exploring some of the city’s most iconic landmarks, from the Duomo to the Navigli canals, via Gae Aulenti and CityLife, accompanied by Mtv wineries. On board, guests will enjoy five wines, five food specialties, and wines from five wineries in a true “on-the-road” tasting experience. In Casteggio (Pavia), celebrations begin on August 7th with a concert and more than 30 wines available for tasting.
In Piedmont, winery and vineyard tours, tasting experiences dedicated not only to wine but also to grappa, whisky, brandy, and other spirits, vineyard aperitifs, stargazing sessions, and live music offer visitors an entertaining summer immersed in authentic flavors. In Sardinia, the event takes place on August 7th through the historic streets of Cabras, along a route celebrating the island’s gastronomic excellence, featuring wines from leading wineries and gourmet street food in a stunning seaside setting.
In Sicily, 29 wineries will open their doors, transforming the island into a vast wine tourism itinerary. On August 10, at Donnafugata Contessa Entellina winery, more than 180 works by young artists selected through the open call “Le storie che ci uniscono” - “The stories which unite us” will take center stage, including photographs, videos, illustrations, posters, and poems. Guests will embark on an experience beginning with a walk through the vineyards under the stars, followed by video mapping installations and a tasting of selected Donnafugata wines, culminating in a full immersion in the dialogue between art and wine in the winery’s garden. The evening will conclude with a Dj set. At Cantine Florio in Marsala, Stefania Auci’s new novel, “L’Alba dei Leoni” - “The Dawn of the Lions”, which takes readers back to the origins of the Florio family, will be presented. Guests will then enjoy a guided tour of the monumental Florio cellars, true cathedrals of Marsala wine, followed by a gastronomic experience created by chef Peppe Giuffrè, who will reinterpret Sicilian tradition through a menu inspired by the Florio universe. The evening will end with a toast beneath the stars accompanied by music from guitarist Gino De Vita.
In Tuscany, at Tenuta di Nozzole, the historic winery in Greve in Chianti (Florence), the 2026 edition of Calici di Stelle on August 10 will celebrate a special anniversary: the anniversary No. 40 of La Pietra Chardonnay Toscana IGT. The occasion will be marked by an exclusive mini vertical tasting of two historic vintages, paired with a barbecue prepared by Antica Macelleria Cecchini. The evening will feature a Dj set by Ander Off, stargazing guided by experts from the Florentine Amateur Astronomers Association, and a live painting performance. Adding to the occasion’s prestige will be the presence of Giovanni Folonari, president of the winery. Attendance is limited and reservation is required. At the spectacular Rocca di Frassinello winery in the Maremma - the result of a joint venture between Castellare di Castellina and Château Lafite and designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano, a special toast will take place on August 12th on the panoramic terrace, accompanied by telescope-assisted stargazing guided by members of the Amsa astronomy association. In Montepulciano (Siena), to celebrate the edition No. 25 of the event, Strada del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Sapori della Valdichiana Senese will donate 25 trees to the city, together with a special installation in Piazza Grande featuring a symbolic tree. A limited-edition commemorative wine glass will also be unveiled, and all young people turning 25 in 2026 will receive one free of charge. On August 10th, visitors can enjoy tours of historic wineries, parades of flag throwers and drummers, local markets, guided tastings, and traditional dinners in the city’s various districts. The Orcia DOC wine region will celebrate over three nights. Festivities begin on August 8 in Campiglia d’Orcia with an event dedicated to the culture of good, clean, and fair food promoted by Slow Food, featuring a dinner that highlights local products and traditions. On Saturday, August 9, the focus shifts to Castiglione d’Orcia, where the Rocca di Tentennano fortress will host a sunset picnic-style aperitif accompanied by live music. On Sunday, August 10th, St. Lawrence Night will be celebrated in the historic center of Castiglione d’Orcia with the village band, tasting stands hosted by producers from the Orcia Wine Consortium, dishes prepared by local restaurateurs, guided tastings, performances, and concerts. In Umbria, 19 wineries are preparing a series of events under the stars for wine enthusiasts, including telescope observations, candlelit dinners among the vineyards followed by astrology encounters, live music and Dj sets, pizza and barbecue-themed evenings, and tastings dedicated to the world of sparkling wines.
In Veneto, the event arrives in Cortina d’Ampezzo on August 8th, in the prestigious setting of Hotel Ancora Cortina, for an evening of tastings celebrating great wines and the finest products of the Dolomites. Wineries from Mtv Lombardy will also take part. On August 13th, Guerrieri Rizzardi winery in Bardolino (Verona) will welcome visitors for guided tours, tastings of its wines, live music, food trucks, and a collective toast to conclude the evening.