P310: Luxury 6 Ha Vineyard Estate in Beautiful Hillside Location with Commercial Winery and Superb 17th Century Country Residence, 8 Bedrooms, 7 Bathrooms, Indoor Swimming Pool, Detached Staff Accommodation
See also a P310 Picture Gallery with 73 images
Near Acqui Terme
A short distance from the beautiful Roman spa town of Acqui Terme, this magnificent vineyard estate benefits from a stunning hillside position in the heart of the top wine-producing zone of the Alto Monferrato, with endless views over the Ligurian mountains to the South. The grounds include about 3.53 Ha of well-maintained DOC vineyards, a mature landscaped garden, an extensive orchard and some woodland. Approached from a quiet country lane, a gated private driveway leads to a spacious courtyard and to the south-facing L-shaped house.
The location is very private and secluded, without being remote: the centre of Acqui Terme, with its excellent shopping facilities, hotels, bars, restaurants, markets and spa facilities, can be reached by car in 10 minutes. In the direction of Alessandria the motorway / freeway / autostrada can be reached by car in 25 minutes. The international airports of Milan, Turin and Genoa can all be reached by road within 90 minutes, and the beaches of the Italian Riviera are only a 45 minute drive away.
The Vineyards
The vineyards belonging to the property surround the house, garden and courtyard. In total there are about 3.53 Ha of well-maintained vineyards of which 1.56 Ha are Barbera DOC, 4770 m² are Chardonnay Piemonte DOC, 5300 m² are Moscato DOC, 3400 m² are Brachetto DOC, 3080 m² are Nebbiolo Rosso Monferrato DOC and another 3110 m² are Cabernet Sauvignon Rosso Monferrato DOC.
The total production of about 30,000 bottles per annum is outsourced to a well-reputed wine producer located nearby, who returns cased, estate-labled bottles to the owner for storage. Most of the wine production is currently sold abroad.
Vineyard management: all vineyard activities, as well as the wine production process, are currently supervied by an expert agronomist, while an external co-operative performs the day-to-day vineyard tasks. These arrangements work very well, and could be taken over by the new owner. However, if the new owner wishes to make the wine on site, there is also space in the main house for in-house vinification equipment.
Other products: the range of estate-labled products includes fine preserves, made on-site, using fruits from the orchards that include apricot, peach, plum, kiwi, apple, pear, kaki, cherry, almond, walnut and fig. It also includes a selection of fine grappas, produced for the estate by a local distillery.
The House
The impressive L-shaped, 17th century, stone and brick house has been renovated and extended in the 1990's to the highest standards, maintaining its impressive character and many of its original features. Many rooms have exposed brick walls, hand-made cotto floors, and traditional vaulted brick ceilings. Fine solid wooden beams can also be found throughout. Transformed in 2002 by the current owner into a very stylish guest house, it has 8 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, a very spacious reception room with a games area and bar, a kitchen, a dining room, an office, an indoor swimming pool and spa, a stunning wine cellar (cantina), two very large garages which are also used as storage rooms, and a very spacious apartment.
The house has central heating, double glazing, an alarm system with intercom and video, and a remotely-controlled gate. It features four antique fireplaces, a collection of antique doors, and a world championship billiard (snooker) table. The house has been comprehensively refurbished over the last five years by the current owner, with the addition of high-quality antique furnishings and contemporary designer furniture which are to be included in the sale.
Accommodation
Ground Floor: The entrance door opens from the courtyard to a entrance hall, from where stairs lead to the accommodation on the first floor. Adjacent to the entrance hall there is a formal dining room with seating for 16 people, an antique fireplace, and a renovated vaulted brick ceiling that gives the room a lot of character. Another door leads to a spacious kitchen with fitted appliances (cooker, oven, dishwasher and fridge), an open fireplace and another brick-vaulted ceiling. A door leads from the kitchen into the stunning historic cantina, running the length of the house: used for wine tastings, it contains several oak barrels.
A further door from the dining room leads to the second entrance hall, with a door leading to the courtyard. Another door from this second entrance hall provides access to a spacious modern office that features an open fireplace.
Also on the ground floor are a large double garage, also used for storage, a laundry room, the indoor swimming pool and the spa.
Please see this ground floor plan (opens in a new window).
First Floor: There are 3 stairways leading from the ground floor to the first floor. One of the stairways leads from the second entrance hall on the ground floor to a very impressive reception room with an historic marble fireplace, several seating areas, a world championship snooker table, and a bar. This reception room is furnished with antique and stylish contemporary designer furniture.
A door and a corridor lead from this reception room to 2 guest suites, 2 further bedrooms and a bathroom. The 2 guest suites each include a double bedroom, a spacious bathroom, a kitchenette and a sitting / dining area.
Also located on the first floor, above the pool and fitness centre, is the very spacious apartment, currently used as the owner's private accommodation. With its own entrance via internal stairs from the main courtyard, it has direct access to the garden and the swimming pool & spa. This very airy and light apartment includes a large (about 100 m² or 1000 ft²) open plan living room furnished with stylish contemporary designer furniture, a kitchen and dining area, an entrance hall, a double bedroom, and a marble-tiled bathroom with a massage-capable bathtub. A door from the apartment living room leads to a private terrace with stairs down to the garden.
Please see this first floor plan (opens in a new window).
Second Floor: stairs lead from the first floor corridor to the second floor, where there are another guest suite - which includes a double bedroom, a sitting area and a bathroom - plus 2 bedrooms that share a further bathroom.
Please see this second floor plan (opens in a new window).
The Indoor Swimming Pool & Spa
The spacious room that accommodates the indoor swimming pool features very large windows - which give the room a maximum of light - and large double doors that lead from the pool room to the garden. The pool room is equipped with dehumidifiers and space heating: the water in the pool can also be heated using a heat exchanger system. The pool room has its own shower / changing room.
From the indoor pool there is access to the spa, or wellness room, which includes a sauna, a Turkish bath, Kneipp hydrotherapy equipment, a shower and a WC.
The Courtyard, the Garden & Grounds
The impressive outer electric gate leads via a tarmac-covered drive to an internal gate and the stone-paved courtyard in front of the house, which provides ample parking space for several cars. Beyond the courtyard is a landscaped garden area with an automated irrigation system, well stocked with mature trees and shrubs. There is also a shady gazebo with beautiful views.
A large arched gateway with a wooden gate lead from the courtyard through the house to the landscaped garden beside the house. This very private garden is overlooked only by the swimming pool and the apartment above it. It features a well-maintained lawn with an ornamental well at its centre, with an automated irrigation system and a robotic lawn mowing system. The garden is stocked with flowering shrubs and olive and cypress trees. On the far side of the lawn is a stylish outbuilding that includes a brick-built barbeque and pizza oven, plus a table and chairs for 12 people.
A small driveway leads from the courtyard to the landscaped hillside below the house, where a shady footpath winds between numerous ornamental trees. A large gate here leads to a very spacious storage area below the house: this could be converted into a wine production cellar if required.
The Cascina
Within the estate's grounds, accessed via a turning off the main drive to the house, is an antique cascina (farmhouse), located on top of its own hill and enjoying a panoramic 360 degree view. The current owner purchased this neighbouring property recently and integrated it into the estate.
The house has been renovated to a basic standard, and is currently used for staff accommodation: it has 3 bedrooms, 2 shower rooms, a bathroom, a kitchen and a reception room. A new wood-buring central heating has been installed, and the windows, bathrooms, floors, and electric wiring have all been renewed. The house also has a very large garage, where all the estate's vineyard machinery is currently housed. It also has a large storage room that holds the estate's wine stock.
Services
Mains and well-drawn water, oil-fired central heating, mains electricity and telephone.
Sporting facilities
There are a number of golf courses in Southern Piedmont. The nearest, Le Colline near Acqui Terme, can be reached by car in 15 minutes. There is plenty of open countryside nearby for horse riding. The excellent network of small, tarmac-surfaced country roads makes the area very popular with cyclists. Popular Italian ski resorts can be reached within 90 minutes.
Viewing
Strictly by appointment with the sole agents, Piedmont Properties.
Our opinion: A magnificent vineyard estate in the best wine-producing part of the Alto Monferrato, with lots of privacy and beautiful views. It could continue to be used as an exclusive guest house or agriturismo, but it could also easily become a very prestigious private residence.
See also a P310 Picture Gallery with 73 images
For more information contact us quoting reference P310. Please note that all quoted measurements are approximate.
