Best Accommodations in Piedmont’s Wine Country: A Traveler’s Guide

WHERE TO STAY IN PIEDMONT WINE REGION

Piedmont’s wine country in Northwest Italy is spectacularly beautiful and varied, from the dramatic valleys overshadowed by the Alps to the sparkling lakes and, of course, to the fairytale wine roads of Langhe, Roero, Monferrato, and Alto Piemonte. Yet until only the last few years, luxury hotels in Piedmont wine country (especially Barolo and Barbaresco) were few and far between. However, you are spoiled for choice these days and can choose between castles, luxe country houses, chic wineries with demure rooms, and dreamy villas- all set amid rolling hills draped in scenic vineyards.

We are delighted to share some of our favorite wine hotels with you in our “Cellar Tours top selection of wine hotels to stay in while touring in Piedmont.” Enjoy the read!

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LOCANDA LA RAIA

Set amidst the vineyards in Monferrato, Locanda La Raia is the new project by La Raia Winery. It is a boutique hotel with 12 rooms and a country house feel. The building used to be a mail station, and careful restoration gave life to an elegant and intimate hotel whose decor mixes historic and contemporary design furniture.

No detail was left to chance, from super comfy beds to stylish bathrooms, the aromatic herbs garden, and a rich and tasty breakfast. There is a small but well-equipped spa, a heated outdoor swimming pool, and an art park with works by the most famous international artists, such as Francesco Jodice, Michael Beutler, Remo Salvadori, and Koo Jeong A.

The onsite restaurant is supervised by Michelin-starred Chef Tommaso Arrigoni, who strictly follows a farm-to-table approach. All the restaurant ingredients are sourced locally, including many from the estate’s vegetable garden and the onsite farm. It offers traditional mouthwatering dishes, including anchovies, soft farinata, and fennels; creamy Risotto with Castelmagno cheese and Locanda’s aromatic herbs; rabbit with Taggiasca olives, plums, and pine nuts; potato dumplings with beef ragout and black summer truffle.

website: www.la-raia.it

address: Località Lomellina, 26, 15066 Gavi AL, Italy

telephone: +39 0143 642860

HOTEL L’OSTELLIERE

Gavi is one of Piedmont’s least-visited wine regions. What a pity, as the countryside is pristine. The Monterotondo Wine Resort is set near the well-preserved historic village of Gavi’s village. The rustic wine resort has it all: a top-class restaurant (La Gallina) and the famous winery (Villa Sparina)- all set amid manicured vineyards. As in all the wine hotels, the most spectacular months to visit are September and October (harvest time) when the vineyards are at their best, and the weather is still nice enough to sit outside on the terrace, sipping a glass of wine, taking it all in. The resort also offers a range of non-wine-related activities, including bike tours of the area, posh picnics on the river, cooking classes, truffle hunting, and rice producers’ visits. In 2020, the resort underwent a significant renovation.

website: www.villasparinaresort.it

address: Frazione Monterotondo, 56, 15066 Gavi AL, Italy

telephone: +39 0143 607801

CASTELLO DI GABIANO

Monferrato – especially the Lower Monferrato – is a hidden gem for gourmands and wine lovers, featuring great wines, authentic cuisine, warm welcome, quaint villages, and castles. One of these is the fairy tale Castello di Gabiano. You can live the dream here, sleeping in one of the luxury suites, eating at the onsite restaurant Tre Orologi, wandering in the historical maze, and fishing at the estate lake. The castle includes a working winery, whose first vintage was 1804! You can tour the cellar and enjoy a full tasting of their wines, discovering and sampling two of the smallest and off-the-beaten-track appellations of Italy: Gabiano doc and Rubino di Cantavenna doc (both made with Barbera, Grignolino, and Freisa grapes)

website: castellodigabiano.com

address: Via S. Defendente, 2, 15020 Gabiano AL, Italy

telephone: +39 0142 090104

RELAIS TENUTA SANTA CATERINA

In the Basso Monferrato, near the town of Asti, at the wine estate Tenuta Santa Caterina, you can find an elegant country house immersed in the gentle hills covered with Freisa, Grignolino, and Barbera vineyards.

There are six large and elegant suites (each one named after the estate wines), a cozy living room with an antique and grand fireplace, lounges, and libraries. A large pool overlooking the vineyards leads you to complete and immersive relaxation. But there is also plenty to do if you prefer to be more active: cooking classes, truffle hunting, horseback riding, bike tours, golfing, sightseeing (not to be missed the impressive Grazzano Badoglio abbey founded in 961 by the Marquess of Monferrato or the “big benches” trail), grappa tours and tastings. Tenuta Santa Caterina offers a wonderful wine experience, including a tour of vineyards and historic winery, a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage “infernotto” (a cellar carved by hand in tufa stone ), and, of course, exhaustive wine tastings with the winemaker.

website: www.tenuta-santa-caterina.it

address: Via Guglielmo Marconi, 23, 14035 Grazzano Badoglio AT, Italy

telephone: +39 0141 925472

VILLA D’AMELIA

Langhe is one of our favorite Italian wine regions, and Villa d’Amelia is one of our preferred hotels. What used to be a 19th-century farmhouse is now a luxury hotel, with breathtaking views of Langhe hills and vineyards, imposing the Alps in the background. You will feel pampered and spoiled by the attentive and helpful staff. Indulge in the heated outdoor pool and small spa, and deeply enjoy the two onsite restaurants by chef Damiano Nigro (the informal Damà and the Michelin-starred Damiano Nigro, where tasting menus are named after Italian composers, like Rossini, Vivaldi, Paganini). The chef and the hotel organize special gourmet events, the most famous being “La Nocciola in Tavola” (Hazelnut on the Table), yearly held in November, hosting more than 20 Michelin-starred chefs and wine producers.

website: www.villadamelia.com

address: Località Manera, 1, 12050 Benevello CN, Italy

telephone: +39 0173 529225

CASA SCARPA

In the heart of Barolo wine country, you find these four luxury villas built around a large swimming pool with amazing views of the Langhe countryside. Each villa has a well-equipped kitchen, outdoor barbeque, deluxe interior, and lush private garden with views of the Nebbiolo vineyards and Langhe hills. Owned and managed by Scarpa Winery, Casa Scarpa offers many activities: truffle hunts, vineyard walks, picnics, and wine tastings with a private sommelier personal chef at disposal for cooking classes or gourmet dining. And relax at the highest level.

website: vineyard-villas.com

address:  Cascina Monvigliero, 28, 12060 Verduno CN, Italy

telephone: +39 348 4765176

PALÀS CEREQUIO

Palàs Cerequio—owned by Barbera, Barbaresco, and Barolo producer Michele Chiarlo—is literally in the vineyard, and what vineyards! We are talking about the crème de la crème of Barolo crus Cerequio and Brunate, with spectacular views of the nearby Cannubi hills. This is a wine-lover’s paradise!

Michele Chiarlo restored this palace (thus the name, palàs in the local dialect) and turned it into a boutique hotel with four suites in historic style and five suites in a more modern contemporary design; each room has a small en-suite spa. At the helm of the restaurant is Michelin-starred chef Francesco Oberto. The cuisine is simple but high-quality traditional local dishes. You can also enjoy what they call “Apericrus” (Piedmontese tapas), a selection of cheeses, cured meats, and tapas-style bites paired with Barolo or Barbaresco by the glass. The highlight of any stay at Palàs Cerquio is the wine cellar, where you can enjoy a guided wine tasting of the best Barolos you’ve ever dreamt of with a private sommelier.

website: www.palascerequio.com

address: Borgata Cerequio, 12064 La Morra CN, Italy

telephone: +39 0173 50657

CASTELLO DI GUARENE

Are you looking for a luxurious experience with a hint of nobility? Look no more; Castello di Guarene is the right place for you. Located in the Roero wine region but within a stone’s throw from Alba and Langhe, Castello di Guarene has twelve large exquisite rooms with original antiques and aristocratic details, such as elaborate silk or velvet tapestries. The hotel spa is terrific, with a stunning swimming pool carved into the rock and beautiful gardens dating from the 17th century—the onsite restaurant serves local cuisine with hints of creativity. There is only a downside: would you be able to leave the castle?

website: www.castellodiguarene.com

address: Via Alessandro Roero, 2, 12050 Guarene CN, Italy

telephone: +39 0173 441332

LA DARBIA

Alto Piemonte is a wine region on the rise, a hidden gem the most known and reliable wine magazines and writers are talking about, from Tom Hydal to Antonio Galloni, from Decanter to Wine Advocate, from Kerin O’Keefe to Eric Asimov. If you love Nebbiolo, Barolo, and Barbaresco, the next wines you must try are Lessona, Carema, Gattinara, Ghemme, Boca, and Bramaterra. About 20 minutes drive from these appellations areas, you can find La Darbia, a renovated farmhouse turned into a delightful apartment hotel with views of romantic Lake Orta, and breakfast is served every morning in your apartment. There is a small Nebbiolo vineyard on site. They produce a sparkling rosè brut wine from its grapes. In early October, you can experience the harvest firsthand; after the grape picking and visiting the small cellar, you enjoy a convivial lunch to celebrate this special event.

You can enjoy the saltwater heated pool, e-biking, and wine tasting in the cantina. There is an onsite restaurant, where chef Matteo Monfrinotti creates delicacies made with products from the vegetable garden and this region’s specialties: cheese (Gorgonzola, anyone?), rice, salami, freshwater fish, paired with the excellent local wines, of course.

website: www.ladarbia.com

address: Via Covini, 28010 Vacciago, Ameno NO, Italy

telephone: +39 389 311 3813

CELLAGRANDE

Husband and wife team Gino and Clelia Bagnod left Val d’Ayas in Valle d’Aosta in 1946 and moved to Canavese, north of Turin and close to the beautiful town of Biella in Piedmont. They brought their herds with them, settled there, and began producing artisan cheese and premium meat. Over the years, the Bagnod family grew and expanded their business and founded three agriturismos (farm stay resort), a “bar à fromage,” and a wonderful winery. Located in an atmospheric, 13th-century abbey, the small wine cellar of Cellagrande produces unique and relatively rare wines: Erbaluce di Caluso and Carema. Erbaluce is a native white grape from Upper Piedmont, characterized by its fruitiness, freshness, and rich and intense flavor. It is a versatile grape that makes dry, sparkling, and sweet wines. Erbaluce Passito is a highly-rated dessert wine you will most likely find outside Piedmont.

The beautiful, palatial-style inn also offers nine rooms, facing the Vivarone lake. Guests can enjoy the small spa, which includes a private experience in the former large wine casks; what a treat! There is also an onsite Bistrot (naturally with a farm-to-table ethos), wherein their pretty, brick-vaulted dining room, you can taste their cheese in mouthwatering dishes like Carnaroli rice with Erbaluce wine and creamy robiola cheese, slow-cooked locally-sourced lamb with Carema wine sauce; and beef seasoned with mountain herbs, mesclun (a mix of assorted small baby greens) and Gran Gessato d’Ayas cheese.

website: cellagrande.it

address: Via Cascine di Ponente, 21, 13886 Viverone BI, Italy

telephone: +39 0161 189 2213