Celebrate November in Abruzzo with the arrival of vino novello, Italy’s fresh and fruity “new wine.” Each year on San Martino, villages across the region light bonfires, roast chestnuts, and raise a glass to new beginnings. Discover the story behind this young wine, the saint who shared his cloak, and the traditions that make this day one of Abruzzo’s most heart-warming autumn celebrations.
What is Vino Novello?
Vino Novello is Italy’s answer to France’s Beaujolais Nouveau, a young, fresh red wine released just weeks after the grape harvest. The name literally means “new wine,” and it’s all about immediacy: bright, fruity, and full of the joy of autumn. Unlike traditional wines that age in barrels, Vino Novello is made to be drunk straight away, bursting with cherry, blackberry, and raspberry flavours.
In Abruzzo, Vino Novello takes on local flair, becoming part of one of the region’s most atmospheric celebrations, the Festa di San Martino on November 11. This day marks both the uncorking of the new wine and the symbolic start of winter, when communities gather around bonfires, roast chestnuts, and toast to abundance and new beginnings.
The Feast of San Martino in Abruzzo
November 11 is an excellent time to be in Abruzzo, as villages and towns come alive for la Festa di San Martino. The day honours Saint Martin of Tours, a Roman soldier turned monk who became famous for cutting his cloak in half to share with a freezing beggar, a timeless act of compassion that led to his conversion and sainthood.
He is also the patron saint of winemakers, farmers, and soldiers. According to legend, when San Martino died, a vine miraculously sprouted from his staff, symbolising renewal, abundance, and the cycle of life, perfectly echoing the joy of tasting the season’s new wine.
The feast also commemorates the old Martinmas Advent, known as the “winter Lent.” In medieval times, this was a 40-day fast leading up to Christmas, so naturally, a feast and a toast of vino novello came first.
The date absorbed older European solstice traditions celebrating the end of the harvest and the onset of winter. By the 6th century, Church Councils extended this fast through to Epiphany, 56 days in total, though modern Advent later shortened it to four weeks.
A Time of Rest, Feasting, and New Beginnings
For generations, San Martino marked the close of the agricultural year. It was the last official day of work for tenant farmers who shared half their yield with landlords, a time for rest and feasting before the deep cold set in. There was a long-held belief that anything sown after this date would not survive winter.
Livestock fairs were held on this day, and horned animals were sold or slaughtered, followed, naturally, by toasts of vino novello. The Church soon embraced the day’s popularity, establishing it as a formal feast celebrating abundance. In dialect, locals still call it “Capetiempe,” meaning new beginning, a time when fires were lit to drive out darkness and old misfortune.
San Martino Events Across Abruzzo
Across the region, San Martino is celebrated with vino novello, roasted chestnuts, and bonfires.
Scanno hosts the most famous Glorie bonfires on the evening of November 10, lighting three towering pyres at 6.30 pm.
In San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore, the day takes a playful twist with the Processione dei Cornuti, a men’s parade carrying horns and ringing cowbells, honouring betrayed husbands and winemakers alike. Children follow with carved lanterns, collecting sweets and coins.
These community gatherings are warm, rustic, and filled with laughter, a true reflection of Abruzzo’s spirit.
A Toast to Autumn in Abruzzo
November paints Abruzzo in soft pastels: sleepy vines tinged with frost and sherbet colours stretching across the hills. It’s the perfect backdrop for a glass of vino novello, a light (around 11%) tannin-free wine that captures all the flavours of the season, cherries, blackberries, raspberries, and figgy peaches.
How Is Vino Novello Made?
Vino Novello is crafted using carbonic maceration, a method where whole grapes are placed in sealed tanks filled with carbon dioxide for 5–20 days. The natural yeast on the grape skins begins fermentation from the inside out, before the grapes are crushed, fermented again, and quickly bottled.
Because it’s designed to be drunk young, you won’t find woody or oaky notes here. Most homemade and small-scale producers in Abruzzo still make their vino novello this way. It has a short shelf life, usually enjoyed by Easter, if the locals haven’t finished it first.
Experience Vino Novello in Abruzzo
Skip the big restaurants and head to a village San Martino festa instead. Here, among the bonfires, laughter, and scent of roasted chestnuts, you can taste Vino Novello at its freshest, straight from the heart of Abruzzo’s vineyards.
Further Reading
Author: Sam Dunham
Sam is a freelance SEO content creator and IGCSE Geography and English teacher at Istituto Cristo Re in Rome. She also runs the Life In Abruzzo Cultural Association, sharing stories and insights about this captivating region.
Alongside raising a teenager, Sam hosts guests at her family’s traditional home, the Little House of the Firefly in Abruzzo, offering a warm welcome and insider tips on local culture, food, and hidden gems.
Sam, this is such an interesting article! I knew San Martino is celebrated but had no idea of the importance of San Martino starting Advent or winter Lent! Interesting as well to know how the vino novello is made! Thank you! 🙂
I had no idea either till I began researching it. It feels like Narnia here sometimes here as we delve into the deeper magic to get a better understanding. We do so much in our lives throughout the year without understanding why we are doing, it’s good to get an explanation!
The photos and videos are also wonderful! They make me want to be there for all the celebrations of San Martino! 🙂
I’d particularly love to go to the Scannno one, can’t this year, I am teaching!