Chef Mario Batali has a saying: “There are two kinds of people; Italians and those who want to be Italian.” That seemed to be true as hundreds of Italians and Italian enthusiasts descended on Raffaldini Vineyards for the 7th Annual Festa Italiana” in September. Billed as a celebration of Italian culture, art, music, and, of course, wine, the event drew attendees from all around the region. On a picture perfect late summer day, the parking areas were filled with cars bearing license plates from North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and several other states. “The Festa Italiana is our most popular event of the year,” says managing partner Jay Raffaldini, who estimated this year’s attendance at around 1,500 to 1,800. And the event is growing in popularity. “We had…