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Monferrato area
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Parks and interesting places in Asti area
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-Underground
cathedrals in Canelli
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Download the Canelli
wine movie
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THE
UNDERGROUND "CATHEDRALS" IN CANELLI
WHERE
The town lies in the south of the Asti province at the border
with the province of Cuneo. Crossed by the river Belbo,
affluent of the Tanaro, it stretches on a hilly territory
with heights varying from 150 and 500 metres on the sea
level. The inhabitants are 11.000. Canelli is a member of
the association gathering the communities of the hills "between
Langa and Monferrato", which includes six other communes
of this area.
ITS
HISTORY Canelli has very old origins. Traces of the
first settlements date back to the pre-historical epoch.
The first inhabitants or the territory to become the earliest
village were the Liguri Statiaelli, a popular coming from
the nearby Liguria. The first urban settlement of an importance
developed later, during the roman era, and war ever since
surrounded by a number of farms growing vines. After a long
decadence, Canelli flourished again in the late middle Ages,
in fact ever since 961 it was designated "town". Its prosperity
started between the end of the eighteenth and the beginning
of the nineteenth century when the wine industry of Moscato
d'Asti, nowadays still one of the most important economical
resources of the town, developed. The coat of arms of the
town is a shield with a dog rampant surrounded with ditch
reeds (reminding of the banks of the Belbo river) with a
scroll bearing the Latin words "AD PRAECLARA", i.e. "towards
a greatest success".
A
CIVILIZATION OF GRAPES AND WINE In Canelli, vine growing
has gives birth to a genuine enological civilization. The
cultivation of the vines was largely extended already during
the Roman age. As years went by the wines and sparkling
wines from Canelli conquered a leader position in both home
and foreign markets being appreciated on the tables all
over the world.  Nowadays
the tows is the seat of historical wineries with some leading
marks of the Italian enology, not to mention the fact that
the first Italian sparkling wine was produced just in the
Gancia winery in Canelli over 150 years ago. The figures
confirm that Canelli is one of the world capitals of quality
wines: 580 wines estates are located in the territory of
the commune and the vineyards cover a surface of 1500 hectares
with an average annual production of 10.000.000 bottles.
The grape varieties grown are mainly Moscato, Barbera, Dolcetto,
Cortese and Chardonnay. The most important wines produced
by the wineries of Canelli are Asti spumante (sparkling
wine) and Moscato d'Asti (still wine), both wines are obtained
from Moscato grapes and have the DOCG appellation (controlled
and granted denomination of origin). However, they produce
also Barbera d'Asti, Dolcetto d'Asti, Cortese Alto Monferrato,
Freisa d'Asti, all with DOC appellation (Controlled Denomination
of Origin). Nevertheless, the uniqueness of Canelli in the
world consists of its least visible characteristic: a wide
net of underground cellars, genuine "cathedrals" built underground.
Nowadays, as in the past, special conditions of temperature
and humidity, together with the protection from the sunrays,
make of these unusual "aisles" the best place to refine
all valuable still and sparkling wines. The tunnels dug
under the historical buildings hosting the wineries wind
for kilometres under the houses of the town, sometimes going
down many levels in the heart of the tufaceous hills. Most
of these genuine masterworks of architectonics were built
between the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries. In these
fascinating rooms the cellar men repeat ancient enological
rituals, such as the "rémuage", the turning the bottles
of sparkling wine by hand to favour the maturation of the
wine sending the sediments against the cork
TRUFFLES
AND HAZELNUTS Canelli is in the heart of the growing
area of white truffles. The truffle, "Tuber Magnatum Pico"
is the diamond of the Piedmont cuisine. The "trifolao",
i.e. truffle searchers, find it in the country with the
help of mongrels, called "tabui" with incredibly sensitive
nose. The "trifola", this is the local word for truffle,
is the "king" of gourmand cuisine, cut into thin slices,
it is the ideal "dressing" of "tajarin", the special narrow
hand made pasta of the region around Canelli, or of a risotto;
but it can also be sliced on fried eggs. Some other local
recipes are based on the "Tonda Gentile della Langa" hazelnut
variety. This fruit with excellent organoleptic characteristics
is grown in Canelli and in neighbouring hills of the Langa
astigiana. The local pastry cooks have enhanced its features
using it not only for the famous cakes, but also for cookies,
nougat, creams, ice creams, and even liquors with the "Tonda
Gentile" as their basic ingredient.
Wonderful
itinerary : CANELLI CELLARS WORLD HUMAN HERITAGE*
*canditature
project for the acknowledgemnet by Unesco
Download
Canelli's Cathedral movie (10,3
MB)
The secret soul of Canelli lives in its Historical Cellars,
the famous underground cathedrals where still and sparkling
wines of international renown continue to be aged today.
The tunnels, tasting rooms and galleries dug into the marl
of the hills are just a very small part of what this town,
one of the world's wine capitals, has to offer to those
capable of appreciating beauty. But it is this underground
part of Canelli, hidden away but very much alive thanks
to the industrious activity of the master cellarmen carried
out to the beat of antique rhythms, which is unveiled through
the candidacy of the Historical Cellars
Underground Cathedrals to become part of the Unesco World
Heritage. It is the leading feature in the relaunch of a
rare and precious territory. A hilly landscape characterised
by geometrically perfect vineyards, dotted with old, but
fully intact, clusters of houses, marked by a network of
nature trails, with restaurants that are genuine temples
of excellent cuisine, offering a welcome beyond compare.
A small homeland of good living, to be visited with the
same calm amazement one experiences when returning home
after a long journey.
Bosca's
Cellar Galleries, rooms, tunnels and passageways set
the atmospheric scene for beautiful and unrepeatable works
of art. The Historical Cellars owned by the Bosca family
remind one that a love of art and culture often melts into
that of wine. A combination which is unique throughout the
world, arousing unforgettable sensations.
Contratto's
Cellar A splendid wine store is the antechamber of the
Historical Cellars of the Contratto house of wine.  Liberty
style rooms decorated with frescoes and gilded stuccoes
lead down into the bowels of the hill through the Sempione
gallery. One of the treasure chests in the heart of the
hill which guards oenological treasures to admire and taste.
Coppo's
Cellar The atmosphere that reigns in the Historical
Cellars of the Coppo family is created by the tenacity of
a family of winegrowers. This is borne out by the thorough
restoration of the premises for presentation to visitors,
as though to tell an old but simple story: the story of
the interwoven existence of man and the vine.
Gancia's
Cellar Italy's first sparkling wine was made over 150
years ago in the Historical Cellars of the Gancia family.
Today, those very same Cellars, which have made the history
of Italian oenology, bear witness to the transformation
into reality of a dream that changed the lives of many men
and women, and of a whole nation, forever.
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