Visit Rimini

P.assaggi di Vino, an annual wine tasting festival in Rimini organised by the Strada dei Vini e dei Sapori dei Colli di Rimini (The Wine and Tastes Route of the Hills of Rimini) – a consortium of local wine and food producers that showcase the excellencies of Rimini’s food and drink. The wine festival is run in collaboration with a number of local bodies including the Comune di Rimini, the Rimini Chamber of Commerce, and the Borgo San Giuliano Association.

P.assaggi di Vino is a play on words – passaggio is a stroll in Italian, while assaggio is to taste, and di vino/divino is of wine / divine – which gives a great sense of the festival. It usually takes place in a picturesque setting – for example, in the past it has been held on the beach at sunset, while currently it’s held in and around Borgo San Giuliano which is one of the prettiest spots in Rimini – and involves wandering around from wine stand to wine stand tasting the various delightful wines of the region. There are food stands, and music as well, and taken together, the sum of the parts makes for a beautiful way to spend a summer’s evening.

With Romagnolo foresight and practicality, the festival works with a simple but effective system. You buy a tasting glass at the start of the evening (a calice), which comes with a number of coupons. Each glass of wine costs a coupon – allowing you to browse from Cantina to Cantina. Extra coupons can be purchased, depending upon how adventurous/thirsty you’re feeling!

It’s a great way to sample the different wines of the region, and get to know the local producers. You can generally buy wine direct from producers in the region. It is usually much cheaper than buying from the shops/supermarkets, and often they can arrange shipment of large orders – if you’re thinking of stocking up your wine cellar at home.

Highly recommended.