Monferrato; between Legend and History
/by : Alexa
In Piedmont, between the provinces of Alessandria and Asti, there is a vast region called Monferrato. Here the gaze gets lost in the seamless continuity of hills dotted with vineyards, lovely villages and magnificent castles, legacy of the great men who acted as leading roles for the history of Piedmont and Italy.
Monferrato hills
This territory, which consists mostly of hills, is very large with many towns and villages placed between the two provinces of Asti and Alessandria. Southward, it stretches until reaching the area of the two Ligurian cities of Genoa and Savona, where the Ligurian Apennines are. To the east it borders with the other two wine regions of Langhe and Roero and to northeast with the Lomellina area, in Lombardy. Westward it merges into the area of Turin hills.
However, recently Monferrato has been divided into three main areas:
Basso Monferrato (Low Monferrato) is the area around the city of Casale Monferrato. The name “low” comes from the lower and smoother hills, which don’t reach 400 meters of altitude.
Monferrato Astigiano, that embraces most of the Asti province, except for the Langa Astigiana region.
Alto Monferrato (High Monferrato), the south part of the region, named like this because here the territory merges with the Apennines mountains and the hills are the highest in altitude.
The real origin of the name Monferrato is still debated, but I’ll tell you about the legend of the first Marquis of this region: Aleramo.
Around the year 960 AD, Aleramo decided to swear allegiance to the emperor Ottone I. He received the title of Marquis and with it a great territory to rule over, but he fell in love with the beautiful Alasia, Ottone’s daughter. The emperor was against this relationship and because of this the couple decided to flee in the direction of southern Piedmont, the birth region of Aleramo. However, the noble man bravely fought against the Saracens, who were raiding inside the emperor’s territory. Ottone I was so pleased that he forgave the couple and established that Aleramo would have received the territory that he would have been able to cover in a wild horse ride of three days. He had to stop to shoe his horse, but in the end the Monferrato region was born. The name comes from “mun” and “frà”, which means brick and horse shoe respectively in the dialect of this area of Piedmont.
As for the true origin of Monferrato territory, it’s truly tied with the figure of Aleramo. Aside from the legend, this man really was a nobleman under the empire of Ottone I. We’re talking about the historical period around the year 1000 AD. During this time, those who were in the service of the emperor started to accumulate power and lands, figuring out ways to pass them on through inheritance. The main noble families who forged history were born this way.
Aleramo established his dynasty, Aleramici family, and with it the March of Monferrato was ensured. His heirs ruled over it for four centuries.
Throughout the Middle Ages this region was the main stage of battles between noble families and city-states. The Aleramici lost control over it and the title of Marquese passed through different families, the Paleologi before and then the Gonzaga from Mantova. With the latter, Monferrato culturally flourished again. At last, Spain conquered the territory, but it was soon torn apart by the War of Spanish Succession.
In the XVIII century, Monferrato was formally put under the Asburgo family from Austria, but it was directly ruled by the Savoia family, the later Italian royals from Turin, thanks to the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713.
In the XIX century the region experienced turbulence during the Napoleonic wars but was able to arise again. Monferrato was then involved in the national movements leading to the unification of Italy in 1861, that started from Turin.
Today, Monferrato reflects its great history. People are coming from all over the world to enjoy the wines, the food, the culture and the beautiful landscapes.
Infernot
This region is also twice listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site: once as a wine-producing landscape with Langhe and Roero, and again as part of the “Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy”, with the “Sacro Monte of Crea”.
The “Sacri Monti'' (Holy Mountains) are marvelous architectural complexes between Piedmont and Lombardy. They stand on hilltops and are structured in sequences of chapels with paintings and sculptures representing Catholic subjects. They were built from the XV-XIX century, during the Catholic Reformation, as a simpler and more direct way of communicating with people the stories of Mary, Christ and the Saints.
While as a UNESCO wine-producing landscape, Monferrato is noteworthy not only for the vineyards per se, but also for the “infernot”. These are little underground rooms that were dug in the “pietra da cantone”, a typical rock of the area, and used as secret cellars to store wines and food. The temperature and humidity are naturally maintained stable, creating an excellent environment for preserving the most precious bottles. Farmers built these architectural marvels during the long and harsh winters and each one of these cellars is unique, but there are still many to discover!
Another reason for the UNESCO title of Monferrato is the group of “Underground Cathedrals” of Canelli town, that you mustn’t miss. Dug up to 32 meters in tuff during the XIX century, they are defined as cathedrals because built as enormous rooms to store thousands of sparkling wine bottles, produced by the four historical wineries of the town: Gancia, Coppo, Contratto and Bosca.
Visiting an Underground Cathedral means having a chance to taste the original sparkling wine of Italy, two birds with one stone! Indeed, Canelli is the place where the first Italian sparkling wine was created in 1865 thanks to Carlo Gancia, produced with the classic method.
But, talking about wines, the most famous one, but not the only one, from Monferrato is for sure Barbera (here to read about Barbera wine), but it’s one of many that are produced in this area. Maybe you don’t know that Moscato d’Asti is also traditionally from Monferrato. I know that most people are not a fan of this sweet wine, but if the wine maker is doing a good job, the resulting product is a wine with a good balance between the sweetness and the natural aromaticity of the grape.
The wines of the area are perfect with the traditional cuisine of Monferrato. Noteworthy are the rabaton and the agnolotti monferrini. Both are a main course, the first ones are similar to gnocchi, but made with chard, ricotta cheese and eggs, while the second is a ravioli pasta dish, filled with roasted meat.
As for dessert, Casale Monferrato is the native city of krumiri cookies. They were invented in 1878, and shaped as a mustache, probably as an homage to the first king of Italy, Vittorio Emauele II, that died in the same year and had very impressive mustaches himself!
In conclusion, Monferrato is a region where legend and history converge. Its rich cultural heritage, encompassing both mythical tales and significant historical events, makes it a fascinating destination for those seeking to explore the past. Whether it's witnessing the ancient Palio di Asti or visiting the region's impressive castles, Monferrato offers a captivating experience that bridges the gap between legend and history.