La Casaccia

A Family Returns to Their Roots

Elena and Giovanni met at university during their studies in Agriculture, where they shared a dream for the future. After living some years in Turin and raising their children Margherita and Marcello, at age 40 they had the opportunity to realize their dream. They decided to make a leap forward and move to Cella Monte continuing the activity of the grandparents. Arrigo Cencio, a retired vignaiolo without familial heirs, took Giovanni and Elena under his wing upon their arrival, teaching them everything he knew from his lifelong passion for grape growing and winemaking. Arrigo's winery was called La Casaccia, and in honor of him the name was preserved.

The estate itself has deep roots here. In their underground cellar, carved by hand into the stone at the end of the 1700s, grapes have been vinified for many generations. First the great-grandparents, then the grandparents and uncles Pagliano, produced wines obtaining recognition for quality already a century ago. In 1903, Paolo Pagliano obtained authorization to display the ducal coat of arms of Maria Elisabetta of Saxony, Duchess of Genoa, as proof of her satisfaction with the wines that had supplied her house in Stresa since 1879.

Carved in Stone, Rooted in Nature

The underground cellar of this estate is entirely carved into sedimentary Pietra da Cantoni stone, and was recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This ancient stone tells the story of the land itself. Walking through Cella Monte you may see shells imprisoned in the walls, as millions of years ago there was the sea here and the hills of Monferrato were its archipelagoes, leaving maritime sandstone when the water receded.

The picturesque holdings in Monferrato Casalese, a mere 8 hectares of gently rolling hills, are planted on calcareous sands and chalky limestone. Organics have always been at the core of Elena and Giovanni's enterprise: they began certification immediately upon their arrival in 2001 and were fully organic by 2003. Their eco-friendly operation utilizes solar energy, captured rainwater, and even wood stove heating. The biodiversity at La Casaccia is truly a marvel: the acreage is rife with fruit and nut trees and all manner of animals.

Simple Wines, Honest Work

All fermentation takes place spontaneously, and macerations are markedly short, just three days for Grignolino, fifteen at most for Barbera. Wines are unfined and unfiltered. The approach here is straightforward. Let the fruit speak. Let the terroir express itself.

They produce the most typical wines of the area, enhancing local varieties, including Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese DOC, Barbera del Monferrato DOC, Monferrato DOC Freisa. They also produce Piemonte DOC Chardonnay, Piemonte DOC Sauvignon, and sparkling wines. The focus here is on Grignolino and Barbera, the former credited as "The Nebbiolo of Monferrato Casalese" by the ever-jovial Giovanni Rava. Each year La Casaccia bottle their best Barbera vineyard parcel as Bricco dei Boschi, which spends time in large barrels. The family produces around 30,000 bottles annually, wines that capture the essence of this small corner of Piedmont.