The farmhouse, the Barbera and Moscato wines: the fascion of Nizza Monferrato in Piedmont, Italy

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"Heart of the Hill": this is called Nizza Monferrato on the site of the town, just take one of the roads leading here to see why. A landscape of beauty warm and reassuring: leave behind the high hills and forests of Monferrato ovadese, here the traveler finds a gentler landscape, painted in all possible shades of green. Wildflower meadows, huge trees that look at the endless rows of vineyards that stretch for tens of kilometers. The heart of this breathtaking landscape is a city in the long centuries of history has always stood for hard work, imagination and culture, despite being often the target of fierce attacks by the enemy who wanted to seize the wealth nices.

The idea of spending a long weekend in Nizza Monferrato came to us after seeing on the Internet some reproductions of old wine labels designed by a famous painter of Alexandria, which was linked to several locations of the Monferrato, Franco Sassi. The artist, who died in 1993, which includes numerous works, including graphics and watercolors by the eternal charm of these places: the houses of his paintings Monferrato, its foggy farmsteads and landscapes colors sometimes warm and sometimes fuzzy to redevelop this area and continue to intrigue tourists. Sassi was a great friend of Arturo Bersano, founder of a major winery, and the Museum of contadinerie and prints on wine Bersano. Admire the old presses, quarter-Brenta, thick glasses and glasses for long life, as well as a variety of tools to work the land, was the first stop of our weekend of immersion in the world of vineyards and atmosphere of genuine country life. A section of the museum is dedicated to a rare collection of prints and labels over the past four centuries, in which there are many creations of Franco Sassi.

After the memories of the past we proceed to the pleasures of this reaching our home for this holiday: of course we had to choose a place that had the wine tradition of Nizza Monferrato in its DNA: the Monsignorotti Farm House, St. Nicholas in the region , is one of the most beautiful hills of the territory nices and is the natural evolution of the work of four generations of family here Lacqua that produce wines of high quality, limited edition, keeping the wine-making methods of the past. Each room is named after a grape variety grown in the farm: we take care of those Barbera and Moscato and already the idea of sleeping in a room which is called as a wine, it makes us forget the stress of the city. But the best is yet to come the next day, during a guided tour through the vineyards, Mr. Charles, who continues the work of this remarkable farm with his wife, he reveals the secrets of the art of making wine, making then sample some of the best wines in his cellar. "Making great wine requires great effort, and our family can not carry out this work for future generations, so, even if this farm is our life, we intend to sell. A family with several children and young people want to work, is what it takes to go forward here, "said Mr. Charles. Simply put, they do really understand the value, also human, which makes every single bottle of wine produced here, and that they also reflect on the hectic life that we tend to drive in the city.

Our stay in Nizza Monferrato continues long walks in nature, and spending a pleasant afternoon chatting by the pool of the farm. The last day, after eating a hearty breakfast that brings us back to more traditional country sound, or a basket containing bread, wine, salami, cheese and fruit in season, back again for a ride into town, and we admire Palazzo Crova , presumably built on the ruins of a castle, and "El Campanon", the spectacular bell tower of the Town Hall.

Back in town-enriched experience that will long remember and hope to repeat soon. Meanwhile, we remember the lovely little trip to Nizza Monferrato sipping good wine that gave us Mr. Carlo As I recall the peaceful hills of Monferrato.

Frances Bertha