2-Hour Picnic among the Olive Trees with Typical Abruzzese Products

Olive trees make a fine dining room. At Cantina Mazzarosa, I like the easy mix of Abruzzese food and wine with time outdoors, plus the included cellar visit and its enormous 1,000-hectoliter wooden barrel. The main drawback is weather: wind or cold can move your picnic indoors, and the food selection is generous but fairly simple.

This is a small, relaxed outing rather than a formal tasting. You collect a ready-made basket, walk to the olive grove, open a bottle chosen from four local wines, and set your own pace. I also like that the experience can adapt when the weather turns sour, although one tasting found the food less varied than a similar food-and-wine stop in Puglia.

Key points at a glance

• A picnic in a nature reserve: Your setting is an olive grove connected with the Borsacchio Nature Reserve, giving the meal a quiet outdoor feel.
• One bottle for every two people: Choose from Trebbiano, Pecorino, Cerasuolo, or Montepulciano.
• A practical picnic basket: Expect Abruzzese cheeses and cured meats, bread, fruit, snacks, water, and the needed plates, glasses, cutlery, and corkscrew.
• A cellar visit is included: See the barrel cellar and a wooden barrel holding 1,000 hectoliters.
• Good weather backup: Wind and chilly temperatures can turn the picnic into an indoor wine tasting with food.
• Small-group format: The maximum group size is 20, and the experience is offered in English.

Why this Abruzzo picnic is worth your time

Abruzzo is often treated as a pass-through region between better-known Italian stops. That is a mistake. The area around Roseto degli Abruzzi brings together the Adriatic coast, farm country, olive trees, and a wine culture that feels tied to daily life rather than built only for visitors.

This two-hour experience gives you a pleasant introduction without asking you to surrender half a day. You are not signing up for a technical wine course or a long bus excursion. You are collecting lunch, finding a shady or sunny place among the trees, and tasting local products where they make sense.

The setting does much of the work. Cheese, cured meat, bread, and fruit taste better when you are sitting outside with a bottle of regional wine and no restaurant table pressing you to finish. That is especially useful if you have already spent the morning sightseeing and want a quieter afternoon.

The experience costs $36.12 per person. For that price, two people share a bottle of wine, receive a full picnic setup, and get a cellar tour. I consider that fair value, especially if you appreciate the combination of food, wine, and place. It is less compelling if you are seeking a large tasting menu, a gourmet lunch, or several full pours per person.

Starting at Cantina Mazzarosa in Roseto degli Abruzzi

You begin at Cantina Mazzarosa Devincenzi, at Contrada Borsacchio 6 in Roseto degli Abruzzi. The team meets you at the entrance to the historic winery and hands over the picnic basket.

That first handoff is simple but important. You do not need to bring glasses, a corkscrew, plates, or cutlery. The basket includes the basic equipment, so you can head straight to the olive grove without assembling a picnic from separate shops.

The listed meeting point is also near public transportation, which helps if you are visiting without a car. The activity ends back at the same place, so you do not need to arrange a second pickup point or figure out a return route from the grove.

The experience is offered in English, and the group can include up to 20 people. That is small enough to avoid the feel of a large coach tour, though the exact atmosphere will depend on how many people book your time slot.

What goes into the picnic basket

The food is traditional and practical rather than elaborate. You receive Abruzzo cheeses, cured meats, bread, seasonal fruit, snacks, and water. Plates, cutlery, glasses, and a corkscrew are supplied.

I like this format because it keeps the meal connected to the region’s everyday food. Cured meats and cheese are natural partners for wine, bread gives the basket substance, and seasonal fruit adds a fresh finish. You get enough variety for a light meal, but you should not expect a long sequence of chef-prepared courses.

This distinction matters. One assessment praised the wine and found the food acceptable but less varied than a food-and-wine experience in Puglia. That is a useful comparison. If your goal is a serious culinary tour, the basket may feel modest. If you want a relaxed lunch with local ingredients, it should do the job.

The basket is also suited to people who prefer an informal meal. You can eat slowly, share items, and return to the food between sips of wine. There is no fixed dining room rhythm and no pressure to keep pace with a guide.

Choosing between four Abruzzese wines

Each two-person basket comes with one bottle, and you choose from four wines:

• Trebbiano
• Pecorino
• Cerasuolo
• Montepulciano

That choice adds real value. You are not handed a preset bottle that may not suit your taste or meal. A white wine drinker can choose Trebbiano or Pecorino, while Cerasuolo and Montepulciano offer redder, fuller options.

The experience does not promise a long flight of wines with the picnic. You receive one bottle for every two people. Still, the chance to select the bottle is a thoughtful touch, and one tasting found the wine superb.

The cellar visit can add more wine context. A separate indoor tasting may also be arranged if the weather prevents outdoor seating. During one chilly and windy visit, the picnic became an indoor food-and-wine experience instead. The visitors enjoyed tasting three wines made from the same grape, a useful way to notice how wine can differ even when the grape stays the same.

That kind of flexibility is worth remembering. A sunny olive grove is the ideal version, but bad weather does not automatically ruin the outing. The setting changes, while the food, wine, and winery remain part of the plan.

Walking to the olive grove

Once you have the basket, you make your way to the olive grove. The supplied information describes the walk as easy, but it does not give a precise distance or terrain details. You should be prepared for an outdoor path rather than a polished restaurant approach.

The grove is the heart of the experience. Olive trees offer a sense of place that a tasting room cannot copy. You can sit down, arrange the food, pour the wine, and spend the next part of the visit at your own speed.

This is not a performance-heavy activity. You are not being entertained every few minutes, and that is part of the appeal. The pleasure comes from slowing down, eating simple products, and taking in the natural setting.

The weather deserves attention. Strong wind or low temperatures can change the plan, and the picnic may move indoors. If sitting outside is your main reason for booking, check the forecast and keep your expectations flexible. The winery has shown that it can offer a useful substitute, but it cannot control the Adriatic weather.

The historic cellar and the 1,000-hectoliter barrel

The cellar tour is included, and you can take it when you prefer during the experience. That timing gives you a little freedom. You might visit before eating, pause the picnic for the tour, or finish with the winery after your meal.

The barrel cellar is one of the most memorable parts. Cantina Mazzarosa has a wooden barrel with a capacity of 1,000 hectoliters, described as one of the largest in Europe. For anyone interested in winemaking, this gives the visit a strong visual focal point. A huge barrel is easier to remember than a room full of standard stainless-steel tanks.

The tour also provides an overview of the winery’s production process. The quality of the explanation may depend on the guide and the questions you ask. Sarah, one English-speaking guide associated with the experience, was praised for clear English, a warm manner, and her ability to discuss both the winery’s past and broader topics.

If your interest is technical wine production, keep your expectations measured. One account found the history section stronger than the explanation of the winery’s specific methods. I would treat the cellar tour as a useful introduction, not as a specialist master class.

How the two-hour schedule feels

Two hours is enough time for a relaxed meal and a cellar visit, but it is not an all-day food program. You will collect the basket, settle among the olive trees, eat and drink, and fit in the winery tour.

The schedule sounds deliberately loose. You can reach the grove, sit down, and begin when you are ready rather than following a tightly staged series of stops. That makes the experience a good match for a morning or afternoon when you want one planned activity and plenty of open time around it.

The two-hour duration also limits the risk of fatigue. Wine tastings can become tiring when they run too long, particularly in hot weather. Here, the short format keeps the focus on a single meal, one bottle per two people, and a compact look at the winery.

You should book about a week ahead if possible. The activity is often reserved seven days in advance, and the maximum group size is 20. Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not refunded.

Who will enjoy this experience most

I would recommend the picnic to couples, friends, and families who want a low-pressure taste of Abruzzo. It works especially well if you enjoy regional products but do not need a formal restaurant meal.

Wine lovers will appreciate choosing their bottle and seeing the cellar. The included tour gives the outing more substance than a simple packed lunch. The large wooden barrel also gives you a memorable winery detail to carry into the rest of your trip.

This is also a good choice for people who like outdoor experiences but do not want a demanding walk or a full-day excursion. Most people can participate, and the format is straightforward.

I would be more cautious if you are looking for a high-end food tasting. The menu is based on good picnic staples, not an elaborate series of dishes. You may also be disappointed if your main goal is a detailed lesson on winemaking techniques. The cellar tour gives an overview, but the quality of technical detail can vary.

Practical advice before you book

Check the forecast, especially if your ideal version includes sitting outside. The winery can shift the activity indoors, but the olive grove is the main attraction.

If you are booking for two, remember that one bottle is included per pair. If you want more wine, that is not stated as part of the package, so do not assume the basket includes multiple bottles.

Think of the food as a light lunch. The cheeses, cured meats, bread, fruit, snacks, and water create a sensible spread, but the menu is not designed as a large banquet. Eating beforehand may make sense if you have a big appetite.

Arrive at the stated winery entrance in Roseto degli Abruzzi, not at a separate end point. Since the activity returns there and is near public transportation, the logistics are fairly easy to manage.

Should you book the Mazzarosa olive grove picnic?

Book it if you want a gentle two-hour taste of Abruzzo, with local food, a bottle selected to your preference, olive trees, and an interesting winery visit. The price is reasonable for what is included, and the indoor backup makes the plan less fragile than a simple outdoor picnic.

Skip it if you want a lavish meal, a long wine flight, or a highly technical cellar lesson. For everyone else, this is a pleasant way to slow down, eat well enough, and connect the region’s wine with its rural setting. Just leave room for the weather to have the final word.

FAQ

Where does the picnic begin?

It begins at Cantina Mazzarosa Devincenzi, Contrada Borsacchio 6, 64026 Roseto degli Abruzzi TE, Italy.

Where does the experience end?

The activity ends back at the winery meeting point.

How long does the experience last?

The picnic and winery experience last approximately two hours.

What food is included?

The basket includes typical Abruzzo cheeses and cured meats, bread, seasonal fruit, snacks, water, cutlery, glasses, and a corkscrew.

How much wine is included?

One bottle is included for every two people.

Which wines can you choose?

You can choose from Trebbiano, Pecorino, Cerasuolo, and Montepulciano.

Is the cellar tour included?

Yes. The guided tour of the historic cellar is included in the picnic experience.

What happens if the weather is cold or windy?

The picnic may be moved indoors, where the food and wine can be served as part of a winery tour and tasting.