Wandering in Langa

The Most Famous Wine Cellars of the Langhe Find Out Which Ones to Visit in 2023

February 23, 2023

One of the best experiences to get to know a territory in depth is undoubtedly that of a visit to a wine cellar: in it, in fact, you find a fascinating world in which it is wonderful to immerse oneself not only to listen to the different voices that are part of it but also to learn about its history.

The nobility of wine is just that: is never a detached, abstract object that can be judged by drinking a glass, or two or three, of a bottle that comes from a place where we have never been.

Mario Soldati

The Langhe, in Piedmont, are one of the most renowned wine regions in the world and are endowed with a landscape over which hectares and hectares of vine rows stand out, and there are numerous wine cellars to visit in the region, each with its own peculiarity.

Here are the four most famous ones to visit.

Ceretto Winery

The Ceretto winery, one of the most famous in the Langhe, was founded in 1936 by Riccardo Ceretto. The famous ‘Acino’ grape, an architectural masterpiece with a futuristic aftertaste, stands out on their estate and already offers a first taste of their philosophy.

Acino - Cantina Ceretto

The winery has pioneered the use of sustainable and organic viticulture techniques and produces some of the best wines in the region.

A visit to the winery includes a tasting of their fine wines, including Barolo, Barbaresco, Dolcetto and Moscato d’Asti. The winery also offers a culinary experience, with traditional Piedmontese dishes accompanied by a selection of wines.

For those who love contamination.

Coppo Winery

Coppo Winery is a world-renowned winery located in the town of Canelli, in the Asti area, and was one of the first in Italy to bottle wine under its own brand name.

Founded in 1892, the winery covers 27 hectares of vineyards and its main nucleus is in Monferrato.

Its peculiarity, however, is hidden inside: in its basements there are, a series of ancient tunnels dug by hand into the tuff, called “infernot,” which are so striking that they became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014 and have allowed the wine to be perfectly preserved.


For those who never cease to be amazed.

Marchesi di Barolo Winery

The Marchesi di Barolo winery is one of the oldest and most prestigious in the region, founded in 1807 by the Marchesi Falletti family. Located in the heart of the area’s flagship wine, for six generations the company has produced some of the Langhe’s most celebrated wines, including Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera d’Alba and Dolcetto.

The visit includes a tasting of their wines and a tour of the historic underground cellars, where the wines are aged in oak barrels.

Here you can still admire the five barrels of the Marchesa Giulia Falletti Colbert and the collection of rare bottles of Barolo Riserva from the late 19th century.

For those who love tradition.

Poderi Luigi Einaudi

Poderi Luigi Einaudi is a farm founded in 1897 by the President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi, in the heart of the Langhe, in Dogliani.

The company started out as a wine estate, but in the following years has expanded to become a full-fledged farm, also growing cereals, hazelnuts and other crops, comprising 13 farms of around 70 hectares.

Cantina, Poderi Luigi Einaudi

In 1998, Poderi Luigi Einaudi obtained ‘Organic Farm certification for the production of wine, olives and hazelnuts.

Today, Poderi Luigi Einaudi is run by the fourth generation of the Einaudi family and produces a wide range of wines, including the famous Barolo, but also Barbera, Langhe Nebbiolo and other white wines such as Roero Arneis.

For those who live history with an eye to the future.

L’Astemia Pentita

Curiously evocative in name, the winery was founded in 2007 by Sandra Vezza, the ‘repentant teetotaler‘ herself.

The company’s architecture is characterized externally by two large stacked blocks reproducing two wine crates and surrounded by the rows of vines of its production.

Not only externally but also internally it is capable of impressing: large multicoloured murals, Gufram design pieces like an unconventional pop dream combined with the quality of the wines with original labels for whites and reds such as Barbera, Nebbiolo, Nascetta and Dolcetto.

L’Astemia Pentita

The company is committed to environmental sustainability and uses organic and biodynamic farming techniques to cultivate its vineyards. It is also dedicated to the preservation and recovery of native grape varieties in the area.

For those who love contemporary art.

Not Just Big Names

However, there are not only well-known companies such as those listed: it is also extremely enriching to visit small local producers who will give you a welcome that is perhaps less ‘prestigious’, but certainly more familiar and genuine. Here are some suggestions!

  • Gatti Piero

    A cozy, female-run winery that produces Piedmont’s excellent sweet wines: Moscato and Brachetto, complemented by a small production of table wines.

    We are located on the hill of Moncucco in Santo Stefano Belbo, an area renowned for the production of Moscato, the sweet wine par excellence of this area of Langhe.

    The company was founded in 1988 by Piero Gatti, a man with a great passion for his work and linked to a long farming tradition.

    Since 2000, the management has been all-female: Barbara is in full-time charge of all processes from vineyard to bottle.

    You can read more about Gatti Piero here.

  • Scarpa Wines

    An ancient winery founded in 1854 on the principles of Burgundy enology, which produces the great wines of Monferrato and Langhe

    The Scarpa winery, founded in 1854 at the behest of the Venetian migrant Antonio Scarpa, covers part of the history of wine-growing Piedmont, in particular of Monferrato.

    The long fil rouge of the company, however, is linked to a production philosophy rather than to a territory, thanks to the intervention of Mario Pesce, a winemaker from Nizza.

    Mario, trained in Burgundy, learns some important fundamentals such as low production yields, long macerations and fermentations, refinements in large wooden barrels and above all the art of long bottle aging, and begins to apply his knowledge to wines from Monferrato.

    His nephew Carlo, a lesser known figure, but of equal substance for the development of the winery, insists on the purchase of Poderi Bricchi, the 50-hectare estate between Castel Rocchero and Acqui Terme, still the company headquarters.

    Starting from 2018 Scarpa no longer represents only the high quality of Monferrato: with new land in Verduno, La Morra and Neive, the name of the winery also makes its way into the complex world of Barolo and Barbaresco.

    You can read more about Scarpa Wines here.

  • Cuvage

    Cuvage is a winery in Acqui Terme that offers guided tours and tastings in the cathedral of wine, the beating heart of the Cuvage classic method

    Founded in 2011 in Acqui Terme, in the province of Alessandria, Cuvage since its inception has focused on the most iconic grape varieties of Piedmont.

    Nebbiolo and Moscato are just some of those produced by the maison whose main goal is to enhance a unique and inimitable terroir in a modern and contemporary key.

    Supporting cultural and artistic projects has always been a key element for the winery, which, in addition to the many initiatives it has supported over the years, has created the Cuvage des Artistes.

    This project, described as a true spin off of traditional production, sees bottles transformed into works of art.

    You can read more about Cuvage here.

  • Cournaja

    One hundred years of history in the world of wine production and an open mind towards new technologies define this small family business

    The history of the Azienda Agricola Cournaja develops over five generations.

    In 1918 Clemente Cornaglia bought a farm and some vineyards in the municipality of Santa Vittoria d’Alba and passed on to his family the passion for the vineyard.

    The first who was able to make a real job out of it is his nephew Alfonso, current direct memory of the company’s historical roots.

    For over 20 years Mariano Cornaglia and his wife Daniela have dedicated themselves to this small company, trying to enhance its history, humanity and the memory of daily sacrifices.

    Their intent is to obtain an excellent product while firmly believing in respect for nature: with this aim they tend to innovation and new technologies in order to constantly improve, without ever forgetting their origins.

    The strong passion for the vineyard was also transmitted to their three children Giulia, Samuele and Giacomo, who bring a fresh breath of enthusiasm to the company.

    You can read more about Cournaja here.