What to do · Langhe
Fontanafredda's Historic Cellars in Serralunga d'Alba
Information
- From
- €35 per person
- Duration
- 1 h 30
- Season
- All year
- Who it's for
- Adults; the tasting is not for minors
Fontanafredda is a vineyard estate between Alba and Serralunga d'Alba, founded in 1858, with historic cellars reached by stairs and an underground tunnel. The basic visit, Scopri Fontanafredda, lasts an hour and a half and ends with three wines, one of them a Serralunga Barolo. It costs €35 per person and is booked beforehand.
What it is and why it matters
The estate began as property of the royal house of Savoy: King Victor Emmanuel II bought it for Rosa Vercellana, the Bela Rosin, his companion, and his son began making wine here. Today the estate works like a small village, the Villaggio Narrante, with vineyards, woodland, restaurants and accommodation.
On the visit you walk through the old cellars, with the great wooden casks where Barolo ages, go down stairs and cross the tunnel that links the halls underground. The explanation centres on nebbiolo, the Barolo grape, and on the Serralunga vineyards that surround the estate.
Visits and prices
- Scopri Fontanafredda: €35, 1 h 30 min. Visit to the historic cellars and tasting of an Alta Langa Limited Edition, a Nebbiolo d'Alba Marne Brune and a Barolo from the Comune di Serralunga d'Alba.
- Il Barolo di Serralunga: €45. The same visit with three Barolos.
- Le Vigne del Barolo: €50. Visit and three Barolos from the estate's most historic vineyards.
- L'Alta Langa: €45. Visit and three traditional-method Alta Langa sparkling wines.
Visits are in Italian and English, with start times that vary by season and language, roughly between 10:00 and 17:15. At weekends there are fewer places. It is closed on 25 and 26 December.
How to book
You book on the Villaggio Narrante website, using the booking button for each experience, or by phone on +39 0173 626 481. If you cancel four days or more ahead you can change the date; with three days or less, there is no change or refund. They are also sold as gifts, valid for 18 months.
Getting there
The estate is at Via Alba 15, in Serralunga d'Alba, on the road between Alba and Serralunga, a few minutes by car from Alba. If you are going to taste, have someone else drive: the tasting includes three glasses and the Langhe roads are full of bends.
It is very close to Grinzane Cavour castle, so they combine in a morning.
Accessibility, children and dogs
The route has stairs and an underground tunnel; wheelchair access is only guaranteed for the first part. The tasting is not served to minors: if you are with children, ask when booking. Dogs are welcome on the estate, but in the cellars they only enter carried or in a crate; assistance dogs, without restriction.
Inside the cellars the temperature is low all year: bring a layer even if it is hot outside.
When to go
All year. In autumn, with the grape harvest and Alba's white truffle fair, the area fills up: book a week or two ahead. In winter there are fewer people and more places.
Tips
- Choose the visit according to what you want to taste If you come for the Barolo, Il Barolo di Serralunga or Le Vigne del Barolo are worth the difference over the basic one.
- Book on a weekday At weekends places are limited and sell out sooner.
- Bring a jacket In the underground cellars it is cool in any season.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Fontanafredda visit?
The basic visit with three wines costs €35 per person. With three Barolos, €45, and with three vineyard Barolos, €50.
Do you have to book?
Yes. You book on the Villaggio Narrante website or by phone; at weekends there are few places.
Can children go?
The tasting is not served to minors. If you are with children, ask when booking how the visit is organised.
Who runs it
- FontanafreddaScopri Fontanafredda: visit to the historic cellars and a three-wine tasting Visit their website
