Refresh your summer nights with some sips of good, Friulian wines. A double round of events will brighten up wine tourists visiting Friuli Venezia Giulia in August. Beside the natural beauties, the seaside and the mountains, the historical town centres and archaeological sites with which the region is replete, Calici di Stelle and Le Notti del Vino will offer wine tastings along with live music, local delicacies and much more.

Calici di Stelle in Grado, San Daniele and... “in cantina”
The customary, summer appointment with wine tastings by night is Calici di Stelle, managed by Movimento Turismo del Vino FVG. This year, a two-nights event will take place on August 9 and 10 in the renowned seaside town of Grado, at Diga Nazario Sauro. Local wineries and farmers will display their own wines and products for visitors to taste and enjoy, just right by the sea in a magical setting.
Here are all the wineries that will be present: Ballaminut, Bastianich, Berdon Diego, Berto e Fiorella Baccichetto, Borgo Conventi, Bucovaz, Ca'Tullio, Cascina Lavaroni, Conte d'Attimis - Maniago, Conti della Frattina, Di Lenardo, Elio Vini, Ferrin, Giacomo Orlando, Korsic, La Magnolia, Le due torri, Marcuzzi Viticola, Mister Bio , Petrucco, Pitars, Roi Clar, Ronc dai Luchis, Sosol, Spolert, Torre Rosazza, Truant, Vigna Lenuzza, Villa Vitas, Vini Brojli. You can click here to check the complete menu and to buy your ticket.

A special event will also be held in San Daniele del Friuli on August 17: an aperitivo with the delicious San Daniele ham with a chance to meet he local ham-makers, and tastings of the delicate DOP prosciutto will be matched with wines from local wineries, carefully selected for the evening. 
Moreover, in August all over Friuli Venezia Giulia wine lovers can also enjoy wine tastings by visiting directly the local winemakers' facilities, thanks to the side event “Calici di Stelle in Cantina”: you'll find the full list of adhering winemakers by clicking here.

Le Notti del Vino, Wine Nights all over Friuli
And another main association, Città del Vino Friuli Venezia Giulia, set up a full program of tastings by nights in many Friulian towns, under the name of “Le Notti del Vino” (Wine Nights). The events already started and there are two scheduled also for tonight, August 3: at Villa Michieli Fantin in Pocenia and at Parco di Villa de Brandis in San Giovanni al Natisone, both near Udine. Click here to find the detailed program of each wine night.

Here are all the next events and locations:
​August 5 – Leproso di Premariacco (Udine), Braida Copetti Sculpture Park 
August 6 – Latisana (UD), Piazzetta dell’Imbarcadero Aprilia Marittima
August 6 – Torreano (UD), Parco dello Scalpellino
August 7 – Manzano (UD), Abbazia di Rosazzo
August 8 – Buttrio (UD), Villa di Toppo-Florio
August 8 – Latisana (UD), Piazza Indipendenza
August 8 – San Vito al Tagliamento (Pordenone), Piazza del Popolo
August 9 and 10 – Aquileia (UD), Piazza Capitolo. Highlights: in August, the following archaeological sites in Aquileia will be open by night, every Friday up to 10 pm: Sepolcreto, Decumano of Aratria Galla, Roman Domuses - Fondo CAL, Domus of Tito Macro, Domus and Bishop's Palace, National Archaelogical Museum, the Basilica (for more infos, click here) 
August 9 – Camino al Tagliamento (UD), Casa Liani
August 9 – Duino Aurisina – Devin Nabrežina (Trieste), PromoTurismoFVG – Infopoint Sistiana
August 9 – Sequals (PN), Villa Ciani Lestans
August 10 – Bertiolo (UD), Cabert Cantina di Bertiolo
August 10 – Povoletto (UD), Villa Pitotti
August 11 – Prepotto (UD), Ponte dello Schioppettino – Schioppettino bridge
August 22 – Cormòns (Gorizia), Osteria La Preda – La Subida
August 22 – Sesto al Reghena (PN), Piazzetta Burovich
August 22 – Sgonico – Zgonik (TS), at the olive tree grove in the hamlet
August 23 – Buje d’Istria (Croatia), Borgo San Mauro – Momiano
August 24 – Codroipo (UD), Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi
August 24 – Ronchi dei Legionari (GO), Tenuta di Blasig
August 24 – San Dorligo della Valle (TS), Dolina Bagnoli della Rosandra – Boljunec
August 27 – Nimis (UD), Cantina I Comelli's park

Catch a falling star... by bike with SAF
Not only Calici di Stelle... but “Raggi di Stelle” too! SAF – Società Alpina Friulana is engaging in a lot of activities, this year, for its 100th anniversary. Among them, there's a night hike in mountain bike on August 10 to watch falling stars, that is on “notte di San Lorenzo” or St. Lawrence's Night – which, according to Italian tradition, is the best night to see falling stars. The point from which to enjoy the night view will be Sella Sant'Agnese (430 metres high) in Gemona del Friuli, near Udine, a small crossing place named after the church of Saint Agnes just right there: a strategical position oversseing the neighbouring valleys.
So, to join their Raggi di Stelle (Star beams) you can click here and remember, you must enter your submission by August 7! Also remember to bring your own equipment (as in the photo below): a spot light to put on your helmet and an additional super-bright spotlight to be put on your bike's handlebars, a rear light. And, of course... your mountain bike! You'll find the complete program for the night hike here.​

Photo Credits:
Le Notti del Vino taken from Le Città del Vino FVG's official Facebook account
Night hike - photo provided by SAF 

A festival devoted to one of Friuli Venezia Giulia's most emblematic native wines. San Vito al Tagliamento, near Pordenone, will host – starting from tonight and up to June 2nd – the Ribolla Gialla Wine Festival to celebrate the famous, savoury white wine which is typical of the region.
Opening with a live concert tonight at 8.45pm at Auditorium Zotti, with a tribute band covering famous Italian rocker Ligabue's most famous songs. And all the weekend will be full of events, from wine tastings to art exhibitions and more live music.

Ribolla Gialla and local food at every corner
All over the weekend, during the Ribolla Gialla Wine Festival, food stalls will be scattered in the town centre for visitors to enjoy local delicacies, while of course tasting some Ribolla Gialla glasses by local producers who will open their wineries for everyone, especially for wine tourists.
On Saturday, the “Notte Gialla” will feature the concert by “Why Not” band at 8.30pm in piazza del Popolo, followed by “Indie Power” dj set at 9.30pm in Corte del Castello. Meanwhile, at Parco Rota at 9pm renowned TV comedian Stefano Chiodaroli will perform his show “Breaking Bread”.
Wine, music and... culture. Pordenone Legge set up two meetings with authors in piazza del Popolo: one with Dario Vergassola, comedina and writer, on Saturday 1st June at 6pm and one with Maurizio De Giovanni on Sunday 2nd June, at 4pm.
In addition, there'll be two conferences: on Saturday, at 10.30am, a meeting focused on Ribolla Gialla wine for winelovers and food and wine lovers, then on Sunday “Storie di donne” (women's tales) at 10am, both to be held at Antico Teatro Sociale Arrigoni.

But for real wine lovers, the main events will be two masterclasses on Ribolla Gialla, on Sunday, at the Antico Ospedale dei Battutti (at 11am and 5pm) by wine experts and sommeliers.
Plus, many art exhibitions around town and local artisans' stalls in the town centre – alongside the food ones – will give visitors an extra taste to their tour.

Besides, tourists will sure get a help from the recently launched app Bippo: download it for free, and once you put on the Bluetooth on your mobile, you'll be able to know everything about the festival, about San Vito al Tagliamento and all its main tourist, historical attractions.

Wine makers will open up their facilities again all around Friuli Venezia Giulia. The 2024 edition of Cantine Aperte – Open Wineries, the event promoted by Movimento Turismo del Vino Friuli Venezia Giulia, will take place on May 25th and 26th. Wine facilities will open their doors to wine lovers and wine tourists all around the region, with an increasing number of wineries taking part to the two-days event. A weekend full of wine tastings, food tastings, live events in the vineyards, and lunches and dinners with local winemakers with the “A tavola col Vignaiolo” experience! 

The menus will feature typical dishes from Friulian cuisine and with seasonal ingredients, and of course they'll be matched with the right, local wines for visitors to enjoy: red wines, white wines and those sparkling and sweet treats for the grand finale. Check out all the wineries participating to “A Tavola col Vignaiolo” (lunch/dinner with winemakers) by clicking here. 
​Besides, many wineries will serve the “Piatto Cantine Aperte”, a special dish from Friulian tradition that visitors will be able to taste alongside the local wines. Do you want to find out which plate it will be? Just check out here where to find it.

All the wineries opening for Cantine Aperte 2024 in Friuli
Here's the full list of wineries that'll be open in Friuli Venezia Giulia for Cantine Aperte on the forthcoming weekend. Many wine and food tastings need to be reserved, so please contact the wineries you're interested in, to check availability and book your visit. 

Cantine near Pordenone:
Borgo delle Rose in San Quirino https://www.borgodellerose.it
I Vini di Emilio Bulfon in Pinzano al Tagliamento https://www.bulfon.it
Conti della Frattina in Pravisdomini, frazione Frattina https://www.contidellafrattina.it
Fossa Mala in Fiume Veneto https://fossamala.it
Cantina I Magredi in S. Giorgio della Richinvelda https://www.imagredi.com/it/
Pitars in S. Martino al Tagliamento https://www.pitars.it
Cantina Principi Di Porcia in Azzano Decimo https://www.porcia.com/it/
Vistorta in Sacile https://www.vistorta.it/it

Cantine near Udine:
Ca' Modeano in Palazolo dello Stella https://www.modeano.it
Cantina Rauscedo in S. Giorgio della Richinvelda https://cantinarauscedo.com
Galliussi in Cividale del Friuli https://galliussi.com
Giacomo Orlando Vini in Prepotto https://instagram.com/giacomoorlandovini
Gigante Wine&Welcome in Friuli – in Corno di Rosazzo https://www.adrianogigante.it
La Viarte in Prepotto https://laviarte.it
Mr.Bio Wine in Latisana https://misterbiowine.com
Vini Petrucco in Buttrio https://vinipetrucco.it
Stanig in Albana https://www.stanig.it
Truant in San Daniele del Friuli https://www.truant.wine
Valpanera in Fiumicello Villa Vicentina https://valpanera.it
Vie d'Alt in Prepotto https://www.viedalt.it
Vigne Lenuzza in Prepotto https://www.vignalenuzza.it/it/vigna-lenuzza 
Dario Coos in Nimis http://www.dariocoos.it 
Bastianich in Cividale del Friuli https://bastianich.com
Ronc dai Luchis in Faedis http://www.roncdailuchis.com 
Spolert Winery in Prepotto http://www.spolert.it 
Grillo Iole in Prepotto http://www.vinigrillo.it 
Le Due Torri in Corno di Rosazzo http://www.le2torri.com 
Cantina Puntin in Aquileia http://www.vinipuntiaquileia.com 
Ca' Tullio in Aquileia http://www.catullio.it 
Vini Brojli in Aquileia http://www.vinibrojli.it 
Ferrin Paolo in Camino al Tagliamento http://www.ferrin.it 
Vigne del Malina in Remanzacco http://www.vignedelmalina.com 
Torre Rosazza in Manzano, frazione Oleis http://www.torrerosazza.com 
Elio Vini in Cividale del Friuli http://www.eliovini.it 
La Magnolia in Cividale del Friuli, frazione Spessa http://www.vinilamagnolia.it 
Accordini in Faedis, frazione Campeglio http://www.accordinivini.com 
De Claricini in Bottenicco http://www.declaricini.it 
Rocca Bernarda in Premariacco http://www.sagrivit.it 
Pontoni Flavio in Buttrio http://www.pontoni.it 
Isola Augusta in Palazzolo dello Stella https://www.isolaugusta.com
Vini Lavaroni Biologici in Buttrio https://cascinalavaroni.business.site/
Di Lenardo in Ontagnano https://www.dilenardo.it/
Conte d'Attimis-Maniago in Buttrio http://www.contedattimismaniago.it
Terre Petrussa in Cividale del Friuli https://terrepetrussa.it
Colle Villano in Faedis http://www.collevillano.it
Forchir in Camino al tagliamento https://www.forchir.it
Scubla Roberto in Premariacco, frazione Ipplis http://www.scubla.com
Borgo Fornasir in Cervignano del Friuli http://www.borgofornasir.it
Villa Vitas in Cervignano del Friuli, fraz. Strassoldo https://vitas.it
RoncSoreli in Prepotto http://www.roncsoreli.com
Gildo in Cividale del friuli, frazione Spessa http://www.gildovini.com
Cadibon in Corno di Rosazzo http://www.cadibon.it
Dorigo in Premariacco http://www.dorigowines.com
Vigneti Pietro Pittaro in Codroipo http://www.vignetipittaro.com
Reguta in Pocenia http://www.reguta.com
Dri Giovanni II Roncat in Nimis, frazione Ramandolo http://www.drironcat.com
Monviert in Cividale del Friuli http://www.monviert.com
Roi Clâr in Manzano https://roiclar.com/
Cantina Ballaminut in Terzo d'Aquileia http://www.ballaminut.com
Berto e Fiorella Baccichetto in Precenicco https://www.bertoefiorellabaccichetto.it/vini/ 

Cantine near Gorizia:
Subida di Monte in Còrmons https://subidadimonte.it
Tenuta Stella in Dolegna del Collio https://www.tenutastellacollio.it 
Sosol in Gorizia, frazione Oslavia https://www.facebook.com/sosolivan 
Humar Vini in San Floriano del Collio http://www.humar.it 
Graunar in S. Floriano del Collio http://www.graunarwines.com 
Marcuzzi Viticola in S. Floriano del Collio http://marcuzziviticola.it 
Sergio Collarig's Crastin in Ruttars http://www.vinicrastin.it 
Pascolo in Ruttars http://www.vinipascolo.com 
Fondazione Villa Russiz in Capriva del Friuli http://www.villarussiz.it 
Borgo Conventi in Farra d'Isonzo http://www.borgoconventi.it
Polje in Còrmons http://www.polje.it
Ivan Vogrič in San Floriano del Collio http://www.ivanvogric.com
Cantina Sanzin in Farra d'Isonzo https://4pr.beer/
Colmello di Grotta in Farra d'Isonzo http://www.colmello.it
Borc da Vila in Romans d'Isonzo https://www.facebook.com/borcdavilawines/?locale=it_IT

Cantine near Trieste:
Parovel Vigneti&Oliveti 1898 in S. Dorligo della Valle http://www.parovel.com

About Movimento Turismo del Vino Friuli Venezia Giulia
Movimento Turismo del Vino FVG is part of the national network Movimento Turismo del Vino. The Friulian delegation Movimento Turismo del Vino – Friuli Venezia Giulia consists of 80 winemaking firms, representing all the 8 regional DOC areas. MTV aims at promoting wine culture through direct contact and visits at winemaking facilities, thus prompting a quality wine tourism.

Rosazzo da Rosa at Abbazia di Rosazzo
The millenarian history of the Abbey of Rosazzo, in Manzano (Udine) will be the set for the traditional event of Rosazzo da Rosa. The 19th edition will feature, as usual, hothouse sellers' booths selling flowers, plants and herbs plus local artisans with their peculiar, hand-crafted items.

Visitors will enjoy the multiple varieties of roses blooming all around the Abbey's surrounding gardens, and they can also join guided tours about the Abbey's long history. 
Entry is upon donation (at least 5 euros), free for under 16 and disabled persons (and their chaperones).

May 4th – Opening time 9 am – 6 pm (last entry)
Guided tours schedule:
10:00 | 11:00 |12:00
14:30 | 15:30 | 16:30


May 5th – Opening time 9 am – 6 pm (last entry at 5pm)
Guided tours schedule:
10:00 | 11:00 | 12:00
14:00 | 15:00 | 16:00

International trade, wine exports and consumption
The spike in production and distribution costs, driven by inflationary pressures, led to higher wine prices for consumers. This aspect showed itself on multiple levels: the international trade in wine in 2023 was affected by the rise in prices, with the total volume of exported wine dropped to 99 million hectolitres, but with a high export value, which reached 36 billion euros. The average price per litre of export wine hit a record high of 3.62 euros per litre. 

World wine consumption, too, decreased by 2.6% in 2023 (at 221 mhl), the lowest volume recorded since 1996. Price increases of course played a major role in this, combined with global inflation which affected negatively consumers' purchasing power. The continuing decrease in China’s consumption, too, averaging a loss of 2 mhl annually since 2018, has played a central role in driving down global consumption figures. 

​But Italy managed to keep itself at the top of the major wine exporters' global ranking, though. In 2023, Italy, Spain, and France together exported 54.9 mhl of wine, constituting 56% of global wine exports by volume. Italy saw only a slight decrease to 21.4 mhl (-1.0%), while both Spain and France experienced a more significant decline (-6.6% and -5.8% respectively). Regarding export value, France remained the highest-value exporter in 2023 at 11.9 bn EUR (-2.8%), followed by Italy at 7.7 bn EUR (-0.8%), and Spain at 2.9 bn EUR (-3.2%). Combined, these three EU countries accounted for 63% of the total global export value. 

The real surprise was the incredibly good performance of sparkling wines, especially Prosecco: in fact, sparkling wine export value increased only in Italy, recording a +3% compared to 2022. And though the volume of exported bottled wine significantly dropped (-4% in Italy), bulk wine too witnessed an increase in volume only for Italy (+12%/2022), which however recorded a value in line with 2022. 

​The largest importer by volume in 2023 is Germany, with 13.6 mhl (-0.3%/2022), followed by the UK with decreased imports in both volume and value, and by the USA shifting from the first place in 2022 to third place in 2023 (-14.6%).

New headquarters, expansion's ambition and a centenary to celebrate. 2024 is going to be a busy year for the OIV – International Organisation of Vine and Wine, as it also debuted its brand new Director General, John Barker, who officially took on the role starting on 1st January. 
Barker, who was elected during the 21st OIV General Assembly held in Jerez de la Frontera (Spain) on 9 June 2023, made his first public appearance as Director General on 11 January in Dijon, at the OIV’s new year celebration 2024. In presence of OIV President Luigi Moio, representatives from the diplomatic corps, administrations and professionals from the vine and wine sector, John Barker said that it was a privilege to be taking the position of Director General in its 100thyear, and in the international year of vine and wine. He also shared his objectives for 2024 and his perspectives on the new strategic plan of the OIV (2025-2030) during his five-year term.

OIV's 100th anniversary and its new strategic plan
In 2024, the OIV is going to celebrate its 100th birthday. The centenary is an «opportunity to celebrate a century of achievements, to reinforce the commitment of members to the organisation, to raise the OIV’s profile and to look forward to the next 100 years and beyond – declared John Barker – The leadership and collaboration that the OIV provides are needed today more than ever, to help member countries to master the challenges and profit from the opportunities facing the vine and wine sector today».
Plus, major events will mark the organisation's life in 2024 besides its centenary celebration: the 45th World Congress of Vine and Wine, the renewal of its five-year strategic plan and the inauguration of the new headquarters at the Hôtel Bouchu d'Esterno in Dijon, France, in the Burgundy wine region.

Barker (pictured below, on the left) aims for the new strategic plan to set an ambitious agenda for the start of the OIV's second century, with a strong scientific focus on the elements that will determine the future of the vine and wine sector, such as climate change and sustainability. The new OIV Director General also discussed his aim to review the structures and processes of the OIV, in line with the expectations of members and the new strategic plan. Finally, he stressed his commitment to increasing memberships and expanding the recognition of the OIV among non-member countries, other international organisations and the vitivinicultural sector.