Villa Felice was born by the will of Alessandria-born Renata Cellerino, a chartered accountant, who, together with her husband Roberto Mignone (a chartered accountant too), bought in 1992 a beautiful mansion dated from the early Nineteen century.
Previously known as Villa Simondetti, the mansion was owned by the Simondetti lawyers, renowned Turin-based professionals and FIAT first lawyers. In the Postwar period, it was inherited by Nino Novarese, costume and set designer and Oscar winner for the costumes in Cleopatra (1963 – with Elizabeth Taylor) and Cromwell (1970 – directed by Ken Huges), who owned it till 1992, when it was bought by the Cellerino Mignone family.
From that moment on, Villa Felice soon becomes the location for their agricultural business.
THE PROPOSALS OF VILLA FELICE
The strong agrarian tradition, together with a deep commitment to land inherited from parents and grandparents, has lead Renata to devote herself with much dedication and fulfillment to the management of the farm, which today consists of about fifty hectares of vineyards.
The vineyard in front of the Villa is of Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG vines. For this particular kind of grapes, the regulations permits the sale of maximum 3.600 kilos (addressed to third parties). One year, in order to avoid to put the vineyards in distress, 8.000 kilos of grapes were “harvested on the ground”. This is why the next year the Brachetto Passito – Foglio 29 was created, in order to avoid the wastage caused by the surplus of grape.The Foglio 29 is none other than the sheet of the Cadastral Map of that vineyard – This is how their entire wine line was born, from the Foglio 29 of the Cadastral Map.
20€ per bottle
“Foglio 29” is a red wine produced from grapes 100% Brachetto d’Acqui, cultivated in the Cassine (AL) area. Drying in a 5 kilos-box, only collecting the best bunches.
Of an intense red color, very inviting, it presents an explosion of dried fruits, with Martin pears jam. It pairs with well-matured cheeses, but also with dry pastry, spoon desserts and chocolate.
Foglio 16
18€ per bottle
In 1930, professor Dalmasso studied and created a series of crossbreeds. Fifty years later, professor Mannini from the CNR of Turin carried on prof. Dalmasso’s studies. Among these there’s the Albarossa, a variety coming from the mixing of Nebbiolo and Barbera.
Albarossa is a wine variety that requires dry land on sunlit hills, with calcareous fields rich of microelements. Bunches are compact. Grapes are rich of sugar, polyphenols and anthocyanins, with a well-balanced acidity. “Foglio 16” is produced in Cassine e Trisobbio (AL) areas, from 100% Piedmont Albarossa DOC grapes. It is aged 18 months in 25 hectoliters oak barrels. Of a very intense red ruby color, it introduces hints of vanilla and licorice peculiar of the aging in wood. Particularly suitable with boiled and roasted meats, cold cuts and well-matured cheeses.
Foglio 10
24€ per bottle
“Foglio 10 Alta Langa” is a Metodo Classico Millesimato Alta Langa DOCG 2017, created in the Morsasco (AL) area from 100% Pinot Nero grapes.
Of a pale-yellow color, on the palate it is savory, structured and fresh, with a soft bitterness. It can be paired with main courses and fresh meats. Also excellent with the Vegan cuisine, paired with intense flavor vegetables.
DeWines tours
30€ per person
With “DeWines tours”, Villa Felice winery opens its vineyards to tourists who love to walk among the beauties of the hills.
“Walking tourism allows a much deeper recognition of the landscape and has therapeutic properties given by the beauty of the places where the harmony of the morphological profiles goes along with the work of men who love and has been farming for thousand years”. For this reason, the project “DeWines Tours” is a significant support to an innovative tourism because it is slow, attentive and with a low impact on the territory, and it honors the landscape of thd Piedmont vineyards, UNESCO heritage.
Visitors will be welcomed in the farm and escorted during the entire itinerary by a tour guide who will share insights about the places and the wine culture. At the end, there will be a tasting of the products of the winery.
THE FAMILY HISTORY
In 1992, Renata Cellerino moved from Alessandria to Cassine, in the beautiful hills of Alto Monferrato, today UNESCO heritage. The immediate consequence of the relocation was to regain her agricultural roots, and in 1997 she planted the first vineyards of Brachetto. In the following years this activity has become predominant, and today she manages two agricultural enterprises of overall fifty hectares.
All the land is cultivated respecting the agricultural tradition of the territory. In particular, about half of it is cultivated with hazelnuts, while the remaining has been planted with native vineyards such as Barbera, Dolcetto, Albarossa, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Pinot Nero for the production of Alta Langa.
Renata’s tasting experience comes from her desire to be a conscious wine producer. From the plantation of the first vineyard she studies, attends, works and interacts with the wine-making environment. In particular: she carries out a constant training and attends conferences and fairs in Europe; she follows all processes of the vineyard, she daily interacts with agronomists and wine experts; she personally follows, with the enologist’s support, all the wine-making procedures.
