Ferraris Agricola Ruché and museum
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In Castagnole Monferrato, Ferraris Agricola carries forward a family history deeply linked to Ruché DOCG, a rare and identity-defining grape variety that the winery has helped make known in Italy and around the world.
The meeting with Chiara, wife of Luca Ferraris, the winery owner, is striking for the strength of the narrative: a story that spans generations, departures, returns, and decisive choices, eventually transforming a family dream into a recognized winemaking project.
It is a story that starts from the Monferrato hills, reaches the California of the gold rush, and then returns to Castagnole, in a time when toil and the malora (hardship) of the Piedmontese hills were part of everyday life.
Today, Ferraris Agricola combines production, hospitality, and memory: alongside the wines, at Casa Ferraris you can visit the Ruché Museum and the spaces dedicated to tastings, to get a close-up look at the identity of a winery, a grape variety, and its land.
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30 May 2026 — 02 June 2026
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Beyond its practical use, the infernot is a core element of Piedmont’s rural identity, representing the deep-rooted bond between people, wine, and the land.
Luca Ferraris, his wife Chiara, and their two children.
This is the historic cellar, purchased in 1921 by grandmother Teresa. Today, it serves as a tasting room and home to the Ruchè Museum.
A story that
begins in 1921
in Castagnole Monferrato
Teresa and Luigi: when America makes a Piedmontese dream possible
It all starts with Luigi, Luca Ferraris' great-grandfather, who emigrated to America and found fortune during the California Gold Rush. Thanks to the proceeds from that experience, great-grandmother Teresa, who remained in Italy pregnant and with a small child, was able to give shape to the dream her husband cherished: investing in a house, a cellar, and a vineyard to start a wine production.
In 1921, the family home in Castagnole Monferrato, in via al Castello, was purchased, becoming the first headquarters of the Ferraris winery. Two years later, after Luigi's death, grandfather Martino expanded the agricultural estate with the purchase of the Casot, a rural farmhouse nestled in a plot of about 40,000 sqm, today the center of one of the winery's most representative vineyards.
For many decades, however, wine production remained primarily a family passion. The grapes were delivered to the village cooperative, without any real internal winemaking activity.
The turning point came in 1999, when Luca Ferraris, after graduating in Agriculture, joined the company and decided to resume the path started by his grandfather Martino. He is the one who gave a modern setup to the Ruché supply chain, with a production approach designed to ensure higher quality.
This new vision also made a major logistical change necessary: in 2009, the new cellar was built in record time at the entrance of the village. Today, wine production and the winery's wine shop are concentrated here.
In 2010, however, the historic cellar in Via al Castello, commissioned by great-grandmother Teresa, was transformed by Luca Ferraris into a family museum. It is a symbolic gesture to honor their origins, value the memory of grandfather Martino, and tell the story of Ruché and the territory. The renovation was carried out with full respect for the original architecture, preserving its identity and historical charm.
The Wines
Ruché and more: the different expressions of Monferrato by Ferraris Agricola
Ruché is at the heart of Ferraris Agricola‘s production. A rare and precious grape variety, grown exclusively in seven municipalities of Monferrato, it gives life to a red wine with an intense, elegant, and surprisingly accessible aroma.
Two souls coexist in the different interpretations of Ruché DOCG: on one hand, the more immediate, fresh, and versatile versions, characterized by greater drinkability and lower alcohol content; on the other, the Riserve, the result of long aging, capable of expressing structure, depth, and elegance.
As Luca Ferraris recalls:
When young, Ruché expresses an intense and distinctive scent of rose: a perfume so unique that, in a blind tasting, it could even be misleading and not immediately make you think of a red wine.
At the table, it pairs well with lamb, game, and mushroom-based dishes. On Chiara’s advice, it’s also worth trying chilled during the summer, paired with sushi and sashimi.
The Priest’s Vineyard and Don Giacomo Cauda
Ruché Vigna del Parroco is one of the most significant pieces of the Ferraris Agricola journey. Acquired by the company in 2015, it is considered the oldest vineyard entirely dedicated to Ruché: planted in 1964, it was saved from abandonment by Don Giacomo Cauda, a central figure in the rediscovery and promotion of the grape variety.
The acquisition has both agricultural and symbolic value, as it allows the winery to produce wine from a vineyard that belongs to the very history of Ruché.
Despite the transition to Ferraris Agricola, the label hasn’t changed its look and doesn’t feature the winery’s name, remaining Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG Vigna del Parroco Don Giacomo Cauda.
Alta Langa, Barbera d’Asti and Viognier
The Alta Langa DOCG project began with the 2020 vintage, with an initial production of 2,000 bottles. The journey has grown progressively: 2,500 bottles in 2021 and 5,000 in the 2022 vintage, now in its third harvest. Additionally, about 50,000 bottles of the 2025 vintage are currently fermenting in the cellar.
The Barbera grapes come from vineyards located between Montegrosso d’Asti and Agliano Terme, in the MGA Colli Astesani area.
From these plots come the Barbera d’Asti DOCG Dal Martìn, vinified in steel, fresh and immediate; the Superiore La Regina, aged in tonneaux for about 12 months; and the Colli Astiani Vite Centenarie, obtained from a more structured and long-lived selection from a vineyard planted in 1916. The latter received the highest recognition, the Tre Bicchieri, in the Vini d’Italia 2026 guide.
Ferraris Agricola has been working on Piemonte DOC Viognier since 2006, when this variety was still almost absent in Monferrato. Today, the grape is showcased through two labels: Bisou, made from the best clusters of the highest and sunniest vineyards between Castagnole Monferrato and Montemagno, vinified partly in tonneaux and partly in steel, with an aging of about 12 months; and Sensazioni, a fresher, more immediate, and easy-drinking version.
The range is completed by Moscato d’Asti DOCG, sweet, aromatic, and a symbolic wine of this land, along with two Ruché grappas.
Equalitas sustainability certification
Sustainability is always the priority, translating into careful practices for the environment and the territory. From the vineyard to the cellar, every choice is oriented towards a responsible use of resources, the use of conscious materials, and renewable energy, with the goal of reducing environmental impact.
The commitment also covers economic and social aspects, creating value along the supply chain and promoting the well-being of people and communities.
The winery was also a pioneer in introducing quality-oriented agronomic practices, such as grape thinning, focusing on high-level bottled wine production.
Produced Wines
Vineyards Extension
N° of Bottles
Vineyards Location
Agricultural Method
The estate’s vineyards are located at an altitude of 550 meters, right below Roccaverano, the very last village in the province of Asti.
Ruché grapes used to be eaten fresh as table grapes, or used in blends to soften other wines thanks to their delicate and fragrant aroma.
The ultimate expression of Barbera, crafted from very old vines that yield small, loose clusters—ideal for creating rich, opulent, and concentrated wines.
Experiences
The experience is built by listening to those who arrive, adapting to tastes and proposing a tailor-made journey
In the center of Castagnole Monferrato, opposite the oratory that once belonged to Don Cauda, stands Casa Ferraris: the space dedicated to visiting the Ruché Museum and to tastings, organized by reservation in the old barn, now transformed into a cozy room.
Deluxe Tasting
Duration → 2h
Price → 30,00 € per person
The tour includes a tasting of the five Ruchés, accompanied by tastings of typical local and out-of-region products.
There are no pre-set paths: the entire production is available for tasting. You can delve into the different interpretations of Ruché or range between Alta Langa, Viognier, Barbera d’Asti, and Moscato d’Asti.
Essential Tasting
Duration → 1h30
Price → 15,00 € per person
The formula includes a guided tour of the Ruché Museum and a glass of Ruché DOCG.
You can book the experience at 11:00 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:30 PM.
Buying at the winery allows you to choose from the entire production, including less widely distributed labels. Sales are available both at the end of the visit to the Ruché Museum and at the winery’s wine shop in Località Rivi, 7, at the entrance of the village.
Groups
Experience Duration
Booking
Experience Price
A portfolio that includes Ruché, Barbera, Alta Langa, Viognier, and Moscato.
Ferraris Agricola dedicates five distinct labels to Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG, the grape variety that, more than any other, has defined and set the winery’s production apart.
The wine shop and the courtyard at Casa Ferraris are welcoming spaces designed for discovering our wines, relaxing, and soaking in the local atmosphere. They are open on Saturdays and Sundays, and always accessible to guests with a tour reservation.
The Museum
The Ruché Museum: a tribute to the people, to Ruché, and to the land
The Ruché Museum was created in the historic cellar of via al Castello and tells the story of the winery and the territory through a multimedia and experiential journey spread across three rooms.
The first room retraces the stories of Don Giacomo Cauda and the people who gave rise to the history of Ferraris Agricola, such as grandfather Martino and great-grandmother Teresa.
The tools of rural civilization restore the link with roots and with a time when the toil of the Piedmontese hills was part of daily life.
The second room is a tribute to Monferrato. Images and videos envelop the visitor in an immersive experience of the landscape, enriched by olfactory stations that allow you to explore the intense aromas of Ruché.
Here, the figure of Randall Grahm also emerges, an American winemaker and founder of Bonny Doon Vineyard, a long-time friend of Luca Ferraris and among the first supporters of Ruché in the United States.
In the third room, you enter the more recent history of Ferraris Agricola and Ruché, from difficult moments to current successes. The story takes shape through a docu-film that gives voice to the protagonists of yesterday and today, closing the journey with a broader look at the growth of the winery and the grape variety.
The infernot, memory carved in stone
Olfactive stations, images, sounds, and multimedia content guide visitors as they discover the aromas and unique characteristics of Ruchè.
A multimedia and experiential journey dedicated to the history of this grape variety and the Monferrato region, weaving together tradition, memory, and rural culture.
A unique environment where constant temperature and humidity levels provide the ideal conditions for preserving and aging the bottles.
Prices & Services
Types of tasting
Types of tasting
- Deluxe Tasting (duration 1h 30) → 30,00 € per person
- Essential Tasting (duration 1h) → 15,00 € per person
Hours:
- 11:00
- 13:30
- 15:30
Reservations are required.
Services
Accepted Payments
Ferraris Agricola
Ruché and museum
Wine Producer in Castagnole Monferrato
Ferraris Agricola
Ruché and museum
Wine Producer in Castagnole Monferrato
