The Territory
Gattinara, gateway to Alto Piemonte
Visitors who come to Gattinara for the wine soon discover there is far more to this corner of Piedmont. We sit at the heart of Alto Piemonte, between the great pre-Alpine lakes and the Monte Rosa massif. Viticulture has always coexisted here with generous nature, stone-built villages and a history stretching back to the Middle Ages.
Lakes
Lake Maggiore & Lake Orta
Lake Maggiore is less than an hour from our vineyards. The Borromean Islands, with the Italianate gardens of Isola Bella and the fishing village on Isola Superiore, are worth the trip alone. Stresa, on the Piedmontese shore, is the ideal starting point for exploring the coast by boat or simply watching the sunset from the lakefront.
Lake Orta is a different experience altogether. Smaller, quieter, with an atmosphere that feels like stepping back in time. At its centre, the Island of San Giulio rises from the water with its 4th-century Romanesque basilica. The village of Orta San Giulio, with its cobbled lanes and lakeside piazza, is one of the most beautiful in Piedmont.
Mountains
Monte Rosa & the Alps
Monte Rosa is the second-highest peak in the Alps, and we see it every day from our hillside vineyards. It is not a backdrop: it is part of the territory. From Alagna Valsesia, at the foot of the massif, trails set out for every level, from walks through larch forests to glacier routes for experienced alpinists. In winter, Alpe di Mera and Alagna offer skiing on natural snow, far from the crowds of the big resorts.
The remarkable thing is that barely thirty minutes separate these mountains from our vines. You can hike at altitude in the morning and be back for a tasting at the winery by late afternoon. A rare privilege that first-time visitors can hardly believe.
Trekking
Explore the trails of Alto Piemonte
Click on the pins to discover trails of every level, from the Gattinara vineyards to the glaciers of Monte Rosa.
Discover
Sacro Monte di Varallo
The Sacro Monte di Varallo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003, is the oldest of the Piedmontese Sacred Mountains. Founded in 1491, it comprises 45 frescoed chapels with over 800 life-size statues recreating scenes from the life of Christ. The complex stands on a wooded promontory above Varallo, just twenty minutes from Gattinara.
Religious interest aside, the place is striking for its sheer artistic quality: Renaissance frescoes, polychrome sculptures and architecture revealed chapel by chapel along a woodland path. The silence and light up here are reason enough to visit.
Valsesia
They call it "the greenest valley in Italy". The Valsesia climbs from Borgosesia to the glaciers of Monte Rosa, passing through Walser villages with timber-and-stone houses unchanged for centuries. The Sesia river, crystal-clear and fast, is one of the best rivers in Europe for rafting and kayaking.
Then there is Scopello with its medieval bridge, the Acqua Bianca waterfalls, the mountain huts of Alagna where you sit down to polenta concia and alpine fontina cheese. An entire territory to walk through, just minutes from our Nebbiolo vineyards.
