Autumn arrives here with a slow but steady pace: when the grape harvest begins, we know that the end of summer is near. The days get shorter, the vineyards and landscapes around our estate change colors and scents, and the morning and evening air becomes crisper.
It’s also the perfect time to explore the area from a different perspective by attending events dedicated to wine and truffles, treating yourself to a guided tour, a tasting, or a weekend getaway.
In this article, we suggest a couple of experiences that deserve a special place in your autumn schedule if you plan to enjoy the Monferrato during one of its best periods.
The “Underground Cathedrals” are a unique complex of tunnels, historic cellars, and architecture dug into the calcareous tuff beneath the city of Canelli.
They extend for over 20 kilometers with depths of up to about 32 meters below ground level.
These structures were created between the 16th and 19th centuries for practical purposes related to the storage and maturation of wine, thanks to the natural characteristics of the hill: stable temperature around 12–14 °C and constant humidity, ideal environments for aging sparkling and fine wines.
Today, the Underground Cathedrals are recognized as part of the UNESCO heritage for the uniqueness of both the caves and infernot and the cultural, historical, and landscape value they represent.
Visiting the Underground Cathedrals of Canelli is something that goes beyond a simple cellar visit: you find yourself in a suspended world, where time seems to have stood still. The ancient tunnels silently guard aging bottles and tell, with every brick, the history of a territory that has made wine its deepest identity.
The historical cellars open to visitors—Gancia, Bosca, Contratto, and Coppo—open their doors to evocative guided tours, among brick vaults, corridors carved into the tuff, and environments where the light is soft, the air fresh, and the silence almost sacred.
Each cellar has its style, its atmosphere, but all share that rare ability to surprise those who enter for the first time. From Tenuta La Romana, you can get there in ten minutes by car: a stop that could become the most memorable moment of your stay.
Those staying at Tenuta La Romana are surrounded by vineyards that tell a story made of choices, seasons, and slow fermentations. These are the vineyards of Emanuele Gambino, an independent and passionate producer, who for years has been working organically and artisanally to create authentic, elegant, and recognizable wines. And just a few kilometers from the Estate, his cellar opens its doors to those who want to discover all this up close.
Here the experience is not just a tasting: it starts among the rows, listening to the daily rhythms of work in the vineyard, and continues into the cellar among barrels, barriques, and amphorae. And then you taste, guided by the voice of the person who has followed those wines step by step.
After visiting the Underground Cathedrals of Canelli, this is the ideal stop for those seeking a more direct, personal, and genuine contact. A niche winery, far from the most crowded circuits, that is remembered for the authenticity of its welcome and the quality of every sip.
If you are planning your stay at the Estate, it is truly worthwhile to add this experience.
