A week of events featuring tastings, sensory experiences, and guided tours of one of Milan’s gems: the Giuseppe Verdi Retirement Home, with a small concert organized to celebrate the Milan Washington-Wagner Grape Harvest, which will enliven the historic Wagner Market from November 16 to 21.
The highlight will be Saturday, November 21, with a program of activities spanning the entire day.
A photography contest for the neighborhood
Throughout the week, anyone strolling through the neighborhood will notice that store windows have been specially decorated for the occasion. The central theme is Italian wine and local shops, where you can find ideas and advice for your purchases.
Residents and passersby alike can make their favorite local shop stand out by featuring it in the Photography Contest, which will award a prize to the best photo taken during the week of the event.
Where are the events taking place?
The Vendemmia in Milan’s Washington-Wagner neighborhood is a widespread event that will involve the entire area, but the places to keep an eye on are Spazio Washington (Via Washington, 83), the Wagner Market (Piazza Wagner, 15), and the Giuseppe Verdi Museum – Retirement Home for Musicians (Piazza Michelangelo Buonarroti 29), where the main activities on November 21 will also take place.
The program for Saturday, November 21
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 21, the Vendemmia kicks into high gear for one last memorable day.
Spazio Washington, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., will host the talk “Made in Italy by Women,” moderated by journalist Ketty Carraffa, featuring guided tastings and a live performance by sake sommelier Camilla Bonnannini, who will guide the audience in discovering this unique beverage, paired with Japanese pastries.
Next up will be award-winning bartender Terry Monroe, who will lead a masterclass dedicated to Botanical Speziology.
At the Wagner Market during the same time slot, the world of food and wine will take center stage, with four sessions led by sommeliers Matteo Galiano (TiBevo) and Simonetta Salari (Il Mondo in un Bicchiere Association) to explore the boldest and least conventional pairings between wines from participating wine shops and dishes prepared by the chefs at the Wagner Market.
With “Essenze Spiritose,” visitors will explore olfactory perceptions through an immersive experience dedicated to the world of essences and how they connect with emotions.
In the afternoon, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., the event takes place at the Giuseppe Verdi Retirement Home, featuring a guided tour of one of the most beautiful and historically significant sites in Milan’s musical history. The Retirement Home for Musicians was Verdi’s pride and joy, so much so that he wished to be buried there following a grand funeral attended by 800 choristers who sang “Va’ Pensiero.”
The day will conclude with a special concert inside the Casa di Riposo, designed to offer the public a moment of pure beauty as they discover their own neighborhood.
