Casa Moscata

Country House Rising from the Vineyards in UNESCO-Classified Piedmont

Rising from its garden, with two remarkable old-growth fruit trees and its square infinity pool overlooking the vineyards, this house for 10 was created for relaxing. Modern and no-fuss, the headland home is named for the wine grapes grown all around it. Trim and tidy, the house looks more country manor than farmhouse, with shuttered windows, French doors, and a vast tiled roof accented by modern architectural touches such as skylights, a patterned gate, and brick shade pattern on its façade.

The ground floor features the common areas—a kitchen and dining zone with a fireplace and seating for 10. The kitchen opens to an al fresco eating portico with a wood oven, barbecue and sink for outdoor entertaining. A small studio also occupies the ground floor, and the living room spills out to a pergola facing the 13m x 4m infinity pool and vineyards.

Upstairs two en-suite bedrooms join a dedicated TV/lounge area and another double occupancy independent suite with a studio space and en-suite bathroom. The top floor is home to a pair of twin rooms that share a bath.

Experiences

Experiences include by-reservation wine tastings, in-home cooking, yoga, and floral design workshops.

Additional features

Pets allowed by request. Final cleaning fee of 200 euros to be paid at the time of the second payment, along with a 500 euro damage deposit.

Around

The property is situated three kilometers outside of the market town of Canelli, a wine-producing community best known for developing the sparkling Asti Spumante wine. Canelli is set within two wine regions, the Langhe Roero and Monferrato, and vineyards topped by small picturesque villages and idyllic farms join medieval towers and castles to create a UNESCO World Heritage region’s many protected charms. Spumante makers have carved oversized wine cellars into the hillsides and clad the vaulted spaces with brick, referred to locally as “underground cathedrals” well worth a visit.

This is wine lovers’ country—home to Barolo and Barbaresco, Barbera and the home’s namesake Moscato, and tastings and tours make up the region’s list of must sees. Agrotourism is big here, with cafes and family run country inns, rustic farm-to-table locations and Michelin-starred establishments offering dozens of culinary destinations for food lovers. And the region is almost as famed for its truffles as its wines, with tartufo fairs held a couple times annually and truffle-hunting excursions for gastronomes.

The house also makes a great base for exploring the region on foot or bike, with ebikes available for rent in Canelli. Golfers can find a trio of courses within 50 kilometers, and sightseers seeking larger towns can visit Asti and Alba within about 30 minutes, or Nizza Monferrato in 20.

Location

Canelli, Piedmont, Italy. Nearest airport: Milan (160km)

Best time to visit

April to October