Date:February 19, 2016

Lands of Aleramo

This route takes the name from the famous knight Aleramo, the first Marquise of Monferrato, who started in the Tenth century one of the most powerful and long-lived dynasty in Europe. This territory corresponds with the Eastern part of Low Monferrato and is characterized by some suggestive historical towns, such as Montemagno, Grazzano Badoglio and Castell’Alfero. Moncalvo is the capital of this hill area; with its 3.500 inhabitants, this village remains the littlest city in Italy. In the past, it was the stronghold of Monferrato’s Marquises, and nowadays is an important tourist attraction thanks to the valued Truffle of Monferrato; every year the village dedicates to this precious product a well-known national Fair in October.

Among the wines produced in this area, fitting especially for the red ones, the most important are “Barbera d’Asti”, “Grignolino”, “Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato”, an aromatic and bodied wine, more and more appreciated on the international market; moreover, the dessert wine “Malvasia di Casorzo”, lightly sparkling and sweet.

This area also includes some villages belonging to the Province of Alessandria, such as Alfiano Natta, Altavilla Monferrato, Castelletto Merli, Odalengo Piccolo and Villadeati. This boundary area between the two Provinces opens the curtain on the UNESCO district dedicated to the famous “infernot”, the ancient cellars excavated into the row tufa still visible underground in many houses, both located in the countryside and old towns.

In the past, the farmers used them for the preservation of wines, cheese and salami, and also for gambling; nowadays these masterpieces of “poor architecture” are open to the public for tours and tastes.

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