Breganze – La Prima del Torcolato 2026

La Prima del Torcolato 2026: in Breganze, the ritual celebrating identity, tradition and the new vintage

On Sunday, January 18, 2026, Breganze renews one of its most identifiable events with the 31st edition of the Prima del Torcolato, the event that celebrates the symbolic moment of birth of the new vintage of Torcolato D.O.C. Breganze, through the traditional public pressing of Vespaiola grapes. A celebration that unites wine, territory and community, rooted in a centuries-old winemaking tradition that dates back to the late 19th century.

The heart and thread of the 2026 edition will be the official investiture of the new Torcolato Ambassador to the world, a role that this year is entrusted to Gabriella Dorio, icon of Italian athletics and Olympic 1500-meter champion at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. A recognition that goes beyond symbolic value: her sporting history, made up of discipline, determination and passion, perfectly embodies the values that guide the production of Torcolato, an emblematic wine of the Breganzese territory.

Organized by the Pro Loco of Breganze, in collaboration with the Municipality of Breganze, the Consortium for the Protection of the D.O.C. of Breganze Wines and the Magnifica Fraglia del Torcolato, the Prima del Torcolato is confirmed again in 2026 as an unmissable event for those who wish to experience up close the most authentic soul of this great Veneto raisin wine.

The D.O.C. Breganze

The Consortium for the Protection of D.O.C. Breganze Wines, founded in 1982 by five producers, now associates 17 winemaking members. The area covered is that of the Pedemontana Vicentina, which has always been a land of great viticultural tradition, and since 1969 has boasted the Breganze Denominazione di Origine Controllata, the first in the Vicenza area. It includes the hills and the immediate plain included between the valleys of the Astico and Brenta rivers. Of this area Breganze is almost the geographic center, while the other strongholds are Thiene to the west and Bassano del Grappa to the east. From an enological point of view, the D.O.C. Breganze groups fifteen types of wines: Bianco, Tai, Vespaiolo, Vespaiolo Spumante, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Rosso, Merlot, Cabernet, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Nero, Marzemino and Torcolato. The latter is certainly the most famous and representative of the appellation.

The Torcolato

Torcolato D.O.C. Breganze is a sweet wine, which is made from the bunches of the Vespaiola grape, an indigenous variety of Breganze, harvested perfectly ripe, selected and put to dry in airy environments (like the barns of old farmhouses). Here they are left until the following January when, having reached a high level of sweetness, they are pressed. After a slow fermentation, the wine rests in small barrels and waits at least two years before being released on the market.

Event schedule.

The day will kick off at 9 a.m. in Piazza Mazzini, with the opening of the Market Exhibition of typical products and the stand dedicated to Torcolato, organized by the Pro Loco of Breganze. Also embellishing the atmosphere will be an exhibition of vintage cars, which will take the public on a journey between taste and memory.

In the early afternoon, from 1:30 to 4 p.m., space for one of the most evocative moments of the event: “Toast in the Bell Tower,” guided tours of the Diedo Tower, one of the tallest bell towers in the Veneto region, with tasting of Torcolato wine at altitude. A unique experience, curated by the Arci-La Ciacola Association and the Gruppo Campanari di Breganze.

Starting at 2 p.m., the square will come alive with the parade of the Magnifica Fraglia del Torcolato D.O.C. Breganze, the greeting of the authorities and the official investiture of the new Brothers and the Ambassadress. Among the guests, also theToresàn Academy of Breganze, which will accompany the public to discover the local gastronomic tradition related to the spit.

The most anticipated moment remains the public pressing of the Vespaiola grapes in the large press set up in the square, followed by the collective toast with the first must of the new vintage, a ritual gesture that symbolically marks the beginning of the new production cycle.

In the afternoon, from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., the festival continues with the Fruttaio Tour, free guided tours of participating wineries, where it will be possible to discover the places of the drying process and meet directly with the producers of Torcolato D.O.C. Breganze.

Info: www.breganzedoc.it