On 21 February 2025 at 6 p.m., in the Salone Monumentale of the Biblioteca Casanatense in Rome, the bibliographic exhibition ‘The Vine and Wine: Culture, Production and Symbols’, organised by the Biblioteca Casanatense, will be inaugurated. The exhibition traces the history of viticulture and wine production in Europe through the display of manuscripts, printed books, engravings and archaeological finds. Among the precious codices and volumes on public display will be manuscript 4164, the Libro delle villerecce utilitade (vernacular translation of the Ruralium Commodorum Opus), written by the Bolognese agronomist Pietro (or Pier) de’ Crescenzi (1233-1320). Considered the first treatise on agronomy of the medieval period, it was widely disseminated throughout Europe, in Latin and in translation, from the 14th to the 19th century.

The exhibition will also be an opportunity to get to know the Biblioteca Casanatense, a prestigious cultural centre in 18th-century Rome, which was established at the behest of Cardinal Girolamo Casanate, who in 1698 donated the most conspicuous part of his estate to the Dominican fathers of the Convent of Santa Maria sopra Minerva for the opening of a public library and a centre for propagating Thomist doctrine. In addition, it will also be possible to take an immersive wine-tasting tour, where some interesting wine-producing realities of Italy will lead the public to discover the production of certain types of wine and the characteristics of the territory of origin.