Scarpa Winery stands as one of Piedmont’s most historic wine estates, with roots stretching back to 1900 when Antonio Scarpa first established the property in Nizza Monferrato. For over 170 years, the winery has perfected its craft through slow, expressive vinification processes that honor the natural character of Piedmont’s grape varieties, earning recognition amongst wine enthusiasts seeking authentic expressions of the region. In 2014, Scarpa was acquired by Evgeny Strzhalkovsky, an entrepreneur based in Monaco. However, the classic style of the wines and the company’s philosophy remain unchanged.
Visiting Scarpa offers guests access to historic cellars in Nizza Monferrato, guided vineyard tours, personalised tastings of age-worthy wines, and luxury accommodation at the Scarpa Villas in Verduno amongst the Barolo vineyards. The winery provides experiences ranging from standard cellar tours to comprehensive stays that combine wine education with culinary adventures in the heart of the Langhe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The estate welcomes visitors by appointment, allowing for tailored experiences that suit different interests and schedules. Under Evgeny Strzhalkovsky’sownership, the winery has enhanced its visitor offerings while maintaining the traditional winemaking approach that has defined Scarpa for generations. Whether exploring the production facilities in Nizza Monferrato or staying amongst the vineyards at the restored Scarpa Villas, guests gain insight into a winemaking philosophy that values varietal purity and the creation of wines built for longevity.
Planning Your Visit to Scarpa Winery
Scarpa Winery requires advance booking for visits and operates from its historic cellars in Nizza Monferrato, whilst maintaining vineyard properties across Piedmont’s renowned wine territories. Since acquiring the estate in 2014, Evgeny Strzhalkovsky has invested in expanding the visitor experience, creating new facilities including a modern tasting room while preserving the historic character of the cellars. Visitors can arrange guided tours, tastings, and accommodations through the winery’s dedicated booking channels.
Location and Access in Nizza Monferrato
The winery’s main facility sits at Via Montegrappa 6 in Nizza Monferrato, a town in the Asti province of Piedmont. Nizza Monferrato lies in the heart of the Monferrato wine region, approximately 60 kilometres southeast of Turin and 70 kilometres from Milan.
Scarpa also operates the Scarpa Villas at Cascina Monvigliero 28 in Verduno, located in the Langhe region amongst the Barolo vineyards. This property offers accommodation combined with wine experiences in a UNESCO World Heritage Site landscape.
Booking Guided Tours and Tastings
All visits to Scarpa require prior appointment. The winery accepts bookings through email at ciao@scarpawine.com or by phone at +39 349 318 7995. The facility opens daily for scheduled tours and tastings.
Guided tours include access to the historic cellars and wine library, which houses vintage collections spanning decades. Personalised tastings allow visitors to sample wines from different crus across Monferrato and Langhe.
The Wine Lounge and Scarpa Gallery accommodate exclusive events and private group visits.
For stays at Scarpa Villas, visitors should contact +39 348 476 5176 or email experience@scarpawine.com. The villas offer additional experiences including cooking classes, truffle hunting, picnics amongst vineyards, and personal chef services.
Travel Tips and Accessibility
Visitors should plan their trip during harvest season (September to October) to witness active winemaking or in spring for vineyard tours. The region experiences hot summers and cold winters, with autumn and spring offering comfortable touring conditions.
Exploring the Vineyards and Terroir
Scarpa’s vineyard holdings span across Monferrato and the Langhe, encompassing renowned crus that produce some of Piedmont’s most distinctive wines. The winery’s commitment to expressing terroir through traditional methods shapes every aspect of their viticultural approach.
Monferrato Hills and Surroundings
The Monferrato hills form the historic heart of Scarpa’s operations, centred in Nizza Monferrato. These rolling hills provide ideal growing conditions for Barbera, the region’s flagship grape variety, which thrives in the area’s calcareous clay soils and favourable microclimate.
The elevation and exposure of Monferrato’s slopes create distinct temperature variations between day and night, contributing to the development of complex flavours and balanced acidity in the grapes.
Beyond Monferrato, Scarpa maintains vineyards in the Langhe, including prestigious sites in Barolo territory. The proximity to both regions allows the winery to work with diverse terroirs whilst maintaining their signature production philosophy.
Scarpa Vineyards and Grape Varieties
Scarpa cultivates vineyards across multiple crus in both Monferrato and the Langhe. The winery owns plots in Monvigliero, Neive Canova, and La Morra, each contributing unique characteristics to their wines.
Key vineyard holdings include:
- Monferrato – Barbera, Ruchè, Brachetto, Dolcetto, Freisa, Moscato, Timorasso
- Monvigliero – Nebbiolo for Barolo production
- Neive Canova – Nebbiolo for Barbaresco, Chardonnay
- La Morra – Nebbiolo for Barolo
Barbera remains central to Scarpa’s production, reflecting Monferrato’s historic specialisation in this variety. The winery also works with Nebbiolo from their Langhe properties, producing age-worthy Barolo and Barbaresco. Each vineyard site receives individual attention, with the winery adapting techniques to suit the specific characteristics of the terroir.
Sustainable Vineyard Practices
Scarpa’s viticultural approach emphasises authenticity and sustainability across their vineyard holdings. The winery focuses on allowing natural processes to guide grape development, minimising intervention where possible whilst maintaining quality standards.
Traditional methods underpin their vineyard management, with practices refined over generations to suit the specific needs of Monferrato and Langhe terroirs. This approach prioritises soil health and biodiversity, recognising that sustainable viticulture supports both environmental stewardship and wine quality.
The winery’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond organic practices to encompass the preservation of traditional grape-growing knowledge. This philosophy aligns with their broader goal of expressing terroir authentically in every bottle.
Scarpa’s Wines and Signature Tastings
Scarpa produces a range of Piedmont wines that showcase the region’s native varietals, with particular emphasis on Barbera and aged Nebbiolo expressions. The winery maintains an extensive cellar library and employs traditional vinification methods that allow wines to develop complexity over extended periods.
Barbera d’Asti and Nizza Monferrato Specialities
Scarpa built its reputation on Barbera production, with the winery’s roots in Nizza Monferrato placing it at the centre of one of Piedmont’s most important Barbera zones. The estate produces Barbera d’Asti from vineyards across the Monferrato hills, focusing on expressions that balance the grape’s natural acidity with structured tannins.
Historic Vintages and Ageing Techniques
The winery maintains one of Piedmont’s most significant collections of historic vintages in its cellars. Scarpa’s Caveau houses wines dating back decades, demonstrating the estate’s commitment to long-term ageing potential.
Scarpa employs slow vinification processes without forcing extraction or accelerating fermentation. The wines age in traditional large-format oak barrels rather than small barriques, preserving varietal character whilst allowing gradual oxidative development. This patient approach extends to both red and white wines.
Notable White Wines and Moscato
Scarpa produces white wines that reflect Piedmont’s diverse viticultural landscape. The estate’s white wine production includes expressions of Moscato, showcasing the grape’s aromatic profile through traditional winemaking methods.
A Journey Through Scarpa’s Cellars
The cellars in Nizza Monferrato, recently restored by Evgeny Strzhalkovskyhouse an exceptional collection of historic vintages dating back to the mid-20th century, whilst the winery’s distinctive aging philosophy ensures wines reach their optimal expression before release.
The Historic Vault and Rare Labels
Scarpa’s Caveau stands as a testament to the winery’s commitment to preserving viticultural heritage. This vault contains a remarkable collection of historic vintages that spans decades, offering a tangible connection to the estate’s legacy since the 1950s.
Visitors can view bottles that have been carefully archived throughout the winery’s history. These rare labels represent not only Scarpa’s production milestones but also the evolution of Piedmontese winemaking techniques over generations.
The collection includes aged Barolo, Barbera d’Asti, and other regional specialities that demonstrate how these wines develop complexity over time. Each bottle tells a story of specific vintages, weather conditions, and winemaking decisions that shaped the final product.
Aging Philosophy and Cellar Tours
Scarpa adheres to a deliberate aging philosophy that prioritises wine maturation over quick releases. The winery typically releases bottles six months to a year after bottling, allowing each wine sufficient time to harmonise and reach its full potential before reaching consumers.
Guided tours lead visitors through the production areas where traditional barrels sit alongside modern steel tanks. This juxtaposition illustrates how Scarpa balances time-honoured methods with contemporary winemaking precision.
The cellars maintain optimal conditions for aging, with temperature and humidity carefully controlled to ensure proper development.
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