Castagnole delle Lanze: in Piedmont in the “secret” Langhe

un car ride along the country roads that wind up among the vineyards of the Langhe, the most celebrated landscape in Piedmont, still reserves some surprises. Connected by these thin and sinuous ribbons of asphalt, that follow the soft ups and downs of the hills combed by geometric rows of vineyardsthere are dozens of villages one different from the other, often grouped around a castle, or a tower on top of a hill, such as Castagnole delle Lanze, in the province of Asti, borderland between Langhe and Monferrato.

Among the hills loved by Pavese

This small distance from the heart of the Langhe has preserved the authenticity and livability of Castagnole delle Lanze, Orange Flag of the Touring Club, recently entered the list of the most beautiful villages in Italy, but not yet invaded by mass tourism. The harsh land, the hard life punctuated by the rites of peasant civilization, no longer exist except in the pages of Cesare Pavese and Beppe Fenoglio.

But in the simple beauty, wrapped in silence, of Castagnole delle Lanze echoes the meaning of the words of the author of The moon and the bonfires, born a handful of kilometers from here, in Santo Stefano Belbo: ​​«We need a country, if only for the sake of getting away. A country means not being alone, knowing that there is something of yours in the people, in the plants, in the land, that even when you’re not there, it stays waiting for you».

Castagnole delle Lanze, the luxury of simplicity

Castagnole delle Lanze is the perfect base to stay to capture the soul of the area recognized as a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2014and to ring, one after the other, both famous stages such as Alba (just 20 kilometers away, from 29 April to 1 May 2023 with Vinum Alba becomes the largest open-air wine shop in Italy. A whirlwind of events is scheduled, Barolo tastings, guided tours, street food and gourmet walks through the vineyards. vinumalba.com), Canelli, La Morra, Barbaresco, and the lesser-known villages in the area. Not before having strolled through its historic centre: under the arcades of via Ener Bettica, frescoed by Vincenzo Piccato with the colors of nature, the seasons and wine, and after entering the church of San Pietro in Vincoli, an explosion of stucco and gilding in the Piedmontese Baroque style. The frieze with its 200 putti amidst festoons of fruit and flowers, which runs along the cornice above the presbytery and choir, is a real eye-catcher.

A view from the Tower

Leaving the church of San Pietro in Vincoli, continue to climb along the cobblestones, pass in front of the eighteenth-century Palazzo degli Alfieri, and reach the Parco della Rimembranza, which offers a 360-degree view from Monte Rosa to the Maritime Alps, from Monferrato to the Ligurian Apennines. Four panels reconstruct the panorama of the visible Alpine arc, with all the peaks indicated as well as the surrounding villages. At the top of the hill in the park is the symbol of the town: the 19th century tower of Count Paolo Ballada of Saint Robert, a pioneer in various fields of science, from military ballistics to botany, from physics to astronomy. Do not miss the spatial view from the top of the Tower, enjoyed by visitors who attended the first edition of Flower of Langhean event that has just ended, which animated the village with workshops and olfactory itineraries.

Andrea Bosca: «The Langhe, the wine and the verses of Cesare Pavese»

In Piedmont, the cradle of wine culture

The experiential journey in Piedmont revolves around food and wine throughout the year. The ancient, rustic piole have given way to places with contemporary furnishings but with menus firmly anchored to traditional dishes. The typical grapes of the area? Barbera d’Asti, Dolcetto d’Alba and Moscato d’Asti. You don’t necessarily have to be a connoisseur to get drunk while sipping a good glass sitting in the open air in the village Al Civico 11 (piazza Marconi 11, Castagnole delle Lanze), da Vintriga (piazza Marconi 6), or at the ice cream bar of the Antico Mercato (via Ener Bettica 15) three addresses to buy the precious labels produced in the area on the fly. For a tasting in the cellaryou book at Gianni Doglia (Gianni Doglia winery, strada Annuziata 56, Castagnole delle Lanze, giannidoglia.it) representing the third generation of winemakers, known for its award-winning Moscato d’Asti and Barbera d’Asti. Impossible, then, to resist the Langhe gourmet shopping, including the great reds.

Do you want to adopt a row?

If you want personalized bottles, shipped directly to your home, you’re in the right place: the administration of Castagnole created the project Adopt a row in the Lanze (lanze.it): you choose the vineyard online, you pay a fee of 110 euros to the municipality for 20 linear meters of row and, at the end of the production cycle, you will receive 12 bottles of quality Barbera produced with the grapes harvested in the adopted row.

A touch of art in the vineyard

From Castagnole delle Lanze we set out to discover the neighboring villages: Neive and Coazzolo, where the multicolored church painted externally by David Tremlett stands out among the vineyards. Not far away, it also amazes the Pastels Vineyarddotted with colorful giant pencils which replace the wooden stakes at the ends of the rows, and the Giant blue bench by designer Chris Bangle (Provincial road 39c). Fancy a picnic between art and nature? True luxury is to focus on simplicity and go to La Bottega del Paese (piazza Marconi 6, Castagnole delle Lanze) before choosing a quiet corner in the greenery and buy local cheeses, hand-ironed breadsticks, hazelnut cake.

Did you want the bicycle?

For trekking lovers, a perfect idea in this season, the choice of itinerary is vast (visitlmr.it/it/itinerari/itinerari-outdoor/trekking), but even cyclists have discovered the pleasure of going downhill (miravignebike.it), pedaling in the Langhe among the landscapes loved by Pavese: «A vineyard climbs the back of a hill until it is engraved in the sky».

Neive, a small ancient village

The tour starts again. Little jewel among the vineyards, the village of Neive, perched on the hill, retains an atmosphere of yesteryear where you can stroll through three ancient red brick buildings, churches, panoramic points, and along narrow cobbled streets which rise concentrically towards the Clock Tower of 1224. After villages and cellars, it’s time to dive into the Savoyard grandeur. Enter the address of the castle on which your choice fell on the navigator (castelliaperti.it/en/) And get ready to cross the gates of medieval fortresses such as the Castle of Monticello d’Alba (open every Saturday and Sunday from 4 March to 17 December 2023, from 10 to 12.30 and from 14.30 to 18, roerodimonticello.it) or stately homes such as the Castle of Guarene, hotel relais & chateaux surrounded by gardens. Other suggestions: unmissable on May 28th The Day of the Gardens of Essenceswhich involves six comini and eight gardens with workshops and guided tours (Info: Associazione Le Terre dei Savoia, leterredeisavoia.it). From 17 June to July, the scent of lavender in bloom envelops the village of Sale San Giovanni, when the fields of the “Piedmontese Provence” in the province of Cuneo, Bassa Langa, are tinged with lilac. The noble La Morra, Alba, Cherasco are just a few kilometers away. Precious pieces to add, one weekend after another, following the turn of the seasons and colors, to your mosaic of the Langhe.

Where to sleep in Castagnole delle Lanze

Grandma Giulina
via Vittoria, 18, Castagnole delle Lanze. Contemporary comfort and delabré decor, but with an extra touch: the imaginative and functional recovery of grandmother’s furniture. The most spacious rooms are n.1 and n. 4. The double costs 85 euros, with breakfast. nonnagiulina.it

Cortese residence
via Auberti, 31, Castagnole delle Lanze. Charming frescoed rooms in an old 19th century manor house. Double from 115 euros. residencecortese.it

Where to eat

Babo convivial farmhouse
via Annunziata 26, Castagnole delle Lanze. Refined sets of vintage dishes on the table and traditional family recipes prepared with high quality local ingredients, such as the exquisite meats from the Borello butcher shop (piazza Lucchini7, Castagnole delle Lanze), or raw meat pounded with a knife. agriturismobabo.it

What to buy

Grocery La Bottega del Paese
piazza Marconi 6, Castagnole delle Lanze.
Hand-rolled bread sticks, typical biscuits such as Paste di Meliga or Turcet, homemade sweets (Hazelnut cake), quality cheeses and cured meats: it only takes a few minutes, and Mrs. Mariarosa’s advice, to bring home the most delicious souvenirs. And thus prolong the journey, with the flavors of the Langhe.

Information

visitpiemonte.org; leterredeisavoia.it

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