Asti · Winery · Curated profile

Marchesi Alfieri

Marchesi Alfieri

A castle estate in San Martino Alfieri, in the Asti hills, home to the Alfieri family since the 17th century. The writer Vittorio Alfieri belongs to this lineage, and Camillo Benso di Cavour, an in-law of the family, gave new impetus to its wine production and brought Pinot Nero to Piemonte. Since 1988 the cellar has been run by the sisters Emanuela, Antonella and Giovanna San Martino di San Germano, who made their first ten thousand bottles in 1990. Oenologist Mario Olivero arrived in 1999, the year the Alfiera Barbera d'Asti Superiore won its first Tre Bicchieri. The range centres on Barbera d'Asti (La Tota, Alfiera, Carlo Alfieri), Terre Alfieri Nebbiolo (Costa Quaglia), Pinot Nero, Grignolino, the Pinot Nero Metodo Classico Blanc de Noir and a Colli Tortonesi Timorasso, Derthona. The estate also offers rooms in the castle village.

At a glance

Region
Asti, Piemonte, Italy
Address
Piazza Alfieri, 28, 14010 San Martino Alfieri (AT)
Winemaker
Mario Olivero
Tours
Available
Tastings
Available
Wines listed
9
Website
https://www.marchesialfieri.it

Visits & tastings

Every visit is a guided walk through the castle park, the Baroque orangery and the fermentation, ageing and historic barrel cellars, ending with a tasting. San Martino Alfieri sits in the Asti hills, about 20 minutes' drive from Asti.

Tastings

  • Alfieri Selection · Blanc de Noir, Costa Quaglia, La Tota, Alfiera · 1 h 30 · €28
  • Alfieri Terroir · adds Derthona and Sansoero · 1 h 45 · €35
  • Alfieri Heritage · vertical tasting incl. older Alfiera and Carlo Alfieri · 1 h 45 · €50

Tours

  • Castle park, orangery and cellars · included in every tasting

Food & stay

  • Rooms on the estate at Dimora Diffusa and Cascina Margherita

Good to know

  • By appointment only: book through the form on the website and the estate calls or emails back to confirm

Contact

Wines from Marchesi Alfieri

  • Alfiera: Barbera d'Asti Superiore DOCG, Barbera, Red. Alfiera is a well-structured, elegant Barbera made exclusively from grapes grown on a 4.5-hectare historical vineyard of the same name.
  • Blanc de Noir: Metodo Classico Extra Brut, Pinot nero, Sparkling. Blanc de Noir is Marchesi Alfieri's Metodo Classico sparkling wine, made exclusively from 100% Pinot Nero, a grape Camillo Benso di Cavour introduced to the estate in the 19th century on the advice of French oenologist…
  • Carlo Alfieri: Barbera d'Asti Superiore DOCG, Barbera, Red. Carlo Alfieri is produced only in exceptional vintages, from a careful vineyard selection built to reach the fullest complexity and elegance the estate's terroir can offer.
  • Costa Quaglia: Terre Alfieri DOCG Nebbiolo, Nebbiolo, Red. Costa Quaglia is Nebbiolo from a small vineyard in San Martino Alfieri, grown on clay-silt, slightly chalky soil under the Terre Alfieri DOCG.
  • Derthona: Colli Tortonesi DOC Timorasso, Timorasso, White. Derthona is Marchesi Alfieri's 100% Timorasso, made from a native Piedmontese grape grown in the Colli Tortonesi.
  • La Tota: Barbera d'Asti DOCG, Barbera, Red. La Tota blends Barbera from vineyards of differing age, exposure, soil and clone, harvested and vinified separately, with final blending only after malolactic fermentation.
  • San Germano: Piemonte DOC Pinot Nero, Pinot Nero, Red. San Germano is Pinot Nero, a grape introduced to the Alfieri vineyards in the mid-19th century by Camillo Benso di Cavour on the advice of French oenologist Louis Oudart.
  • Sansoero: Piemonte DOC Grignolino, Grignolino, Red. Sansoero is Grignolino, a Piemontese variety native to the Monferrato Astigiano, whose name likely derives from the dialect word for the grape's abundant seeds.
  • Sostegno: Piemonte DOC Barbera-Pinot Nero, Barbera-Pinot Nero, Red. Sostegno blends Barbera and Pinot Nero, harvested and vinified separately before blending after the winter.