That the wines of Piacenza were appreciated by the ancient Romans is an accepted fact: in one of his works Cicero gives us to understand that the senator Piso, father of Caesar`s wife Calpurnia, tended to drink excessively, huge cups of “Placentia” wine.
One of these silver cups (holding about 2 litres) was found by chance on the banks of the Po near Piacenza in 1878. During banquets, the “Gutturnium” - which is what the cup was called - was filled with wine and the diners, in turn, took a sip as a sign of friendship and brotherhood.
And this is where the name of the famous wine of Piacenza comes from: Gutturnio, which in 1967 was among the first ten Italian wines (and the first in Piacenza) to receive the DOC (denominazione d`origine controllata) recognition.
Made from a mixture of Barbera and Croatina (locally called Bonarda) grapes, Gutturnio is a full-bodied wine, ruby red in colour, with obvious tannins. A wine with a marked and decided character, which can be produced in the Arda, Nure, Tidone and part of the Trebbia Valleys. At present the rulebook of the DOC Colli Piacentini recognises the following types: Gutturnio (which can also be slightly sparkling or frizzante), Gutturnio Superiore and Gutturnio Riserva.
The Gut Festival in Carpaneto is dedicated to the legendary gutturnio - but also to all the local wine and food specialities. It is held every year in spring and is one of the most important showcases of the wines of Piacenza. The Town Hall is transformed into a stronghold of flavour and taste, where you can discover, sample and buy all the best wine and food products of Piacenza.