Have you ever imagined tasting 16 different brands of wine in 3–4 hours? Well, neither I have imagined, but I did taste. And I actually liked it, survived, and didn’t have a hangover. Incredible.

If you tend to splash out, you could certainly go to a restaurant and order 16 bottles of wine. I’m sure the restaurant owner would be thrilled and love you. But I’d recommend a less extravagant option – one of the many wine events taking place throughout Italy.

What Is Calici nel Borgo Antico Bisceglie?

We chose Calici nel Borgo Antico in Bisceglie. It lasts three days (31st October–2nd November this year), brings together local restaurateurs and wine producers from Puglia, and attracts a huge crowd.

The old town of Bisceglie, where this event takes place, is specially decorated for the occasion. Grape-shaped balloons hang in the wine-tasting areas. I saw this two years ago, but I thought the townspeople just liked big balloons, so they just hung them. I had no idea it was a decoration especially for this event. And it looks really cool.

Arriving Early in Bisceglie’s Old Town

The party theoretically starts around 8, but only a few people show up that early, including us. It’s the south of Italy – at 8 p.m., men have just finished their 10th coffee, and ladies look inside their wardrobes thinking what to wear. So, in the old town of Bisceglie, we were, along with a few others, thirsty for wine. Local food makers started setting up their businesses and preparing food. Leisurely, we walked to the point where we bought six wine tickets and a plastic glass each — all packed in small red bags that we hung around our necks. Prepared, we got to the first canteen.

How We Ended Up Tasting 16 Wines

The first wine tasting was a wine from Bari – I had red and Mauro white – both really good and not possible to buy in a supermarket. Mine was fruity – I like this. But after that, after the first tasting, when we each had a glass of wine, we got sly and decided to pour just one glass and share it. This way, we could sample 12 brands instead of six.

Walking around, we decided to see what we could eat. You can taste wine without food. Meanwhile, people began to appear on the streets, and so did the lines at the ticket booths. We proudly paraded around with our wine bags, and many people looked at us with undisguised envy – we were the lucky ones who could already enjoy wine. And not just wine – we were also among the first to buy freshly made mozzarella, made on site.

We decided to go easy on the food at first – more and more stands offering sandwiches, skewers, pasta, etc. began to appear on the streets. We planned to eat a lot and drink a lot. I think it was the first time in my life I felt Italian-like – my plan was easy – to fill my stomach and focus solely on what I could try and taste the wine.

While strolling, we stopped at another canteen and had a quick chat with the sommelier, who was a bit put off by my lack of wine knowledge. I like wine, but I have no idea about grape varieties, and as long as I enjoy the wine, I don’t really care if it’s Chardonnay or something else. But my ignorance was bliss – the sommelier decided to educate me (a foreign idiot) and, instead of just one, let us pour four wines, charging only one ticket. Sometimes it’s good to play dumb.

Food, Pasta and Random Opera (Because… Italy)

The wine was starting to take its toll – I felt like dancing and singing, but I held back and we went out to eat. On a side street, we came across a long table served by a family selling homemade pasta. And we happened upon the moment when a large pot was placed on the table – the seller removed the lid, and homemade orecchiette with cime di rapa appeared before our eyes.

The Italians gathered around greeted the pasta with applause and delighted sighs. Well, I forgot about counting carbs, even about the fact that I don’t like fresh pasta, and we bought two portions of really tasty pasta. And then we visited another canteen, and then another, and another…

More and more people were arriving, and the main street was getting busier. Having no other choice but to let ourselves be carried away by the crowd, at one point we turned into a side street. Surprise – there were more cantinas. And since I don’t really know much about wine, I often choose a wine based on the bottle — if I like the bottle/label, I buy/try it.

At one of the canteens, I took a fancy to one with a red flower, so I decided to try it. The sommelier informed me that it was a six-year-old wine, stored not in a cellar but under a special type of soil — and the wine was truly excellent — deep, fruity (it tasted like a cross between a strawberry and a cherry), but not at all heavy. I don’t remember the brand, but I do remember the bottle. Next up was the cantina of a once-popular Italian singer. Mauro said his wine wasn’t good, but I wanted to try it anyway. Yes, Mauro was right – the singer should probably keep singing, and not making wine.

Walking around, we grabbed Italian sausages, then a sandwich with octopus… gosh, I’m sure I have never eaten so much in my life in one evening. But because everything was really tasty, I also had an excuse that I couldn’t drink wine without food. So I kept eating. And tasting.

A Balcony Transformed Into a Stage

On the way, we stopped at the cathedral, not necessarily to have something for the body and soul, but because it was open. And I like visiting churches. The small square around the cathedral (I think it was the cathedral) was also decorated with grape balloons; there were a few shops, a man painting pictures, and a balcony. But this wasn’t just any balcony – it had been transformed into a small opera stage on the second floor.

A crowd was standing under the balcony, and from time to time a man around 40, dressed in a smoking, appeared on the balcony and sang. Mostly opera, but also some lighter pieces. Lots of wine, even more food, and arias from the balcony – something like this can only happen in Italy. He had a great voice though. I noticed that people were too busy recording him and forgot to applaud, so I shouted “bravo” and clapped (and I’m not Italian). After a while, many listeners followed suit.

The Miracle Vouchers

Then music drifted from several corners of the old town, so we decided to check out what was going on. Unfortunately, we’d used up all our wine vouchers and were a bit sad/relieved – no more wine, but maybe it’s good that there’s no more wine (we tried 16 of them!).

I don’t believe in miracles, but they do happen. We reached a small street where there wasn’t a soul in sight, and on the street, I found three wine vouchers. Ha – that must have been a sign from the winemakers. Smiles spread across our faces, we pulled up our pants, and went back to the square to use our three wonderful/miracle vouchers. The music could wait. And since we’d already had three glasses of good wine, we indulged in skewers. I still can’t believe I didn’t burst. And then we went to see the concerts.

By the end of the night, people, wine, food, and music were spilling out of every corner of the old town — loud, chaotic, very Italian, and great. Listening to a local band ended our wine experience. The whole event ended around 1 a.m., so we headed back to the guesthouse.

Final Thoughts & Tips

The event was very local, very Italian, and very authentic. I think I was one of the few foreigners, because when I said something in English, everyone looked at me curiously. I had a great time, even though I consumed thousands of calories and carbs, but that’s life. Don’t go too early; the fun doesn’t start until after 9:30 p.m. Or go buy tickets (there are many locations in the Old Town) when it’s almost empty and come back when it starts to get crowded.