Loazzolo – Asti | Art, history, captivating Landscapes
and a Divine Moscato DOC Wine
Piedmont is always a great destination to spend a stay,
holidays, discovering new attractions
with its inmense historic and cultural patrimony including enjoying small centres as Loazzolo, a little
town in the picturesque Langhe, a hilly land in the province of Asti which
boast great medieval references and elite wines that have conquered the world
for their excellent quality.
Loazazolo lies
on a hill at an altitude of 430.0 meters in a very scenic territory with vast
forests of chestnut trees, strains of wild rosemary and prickly pears alternate
with the ideal habitat to grow along tuffaceous slopes all that next vineyards
cultivated on terraces which produce a divine local Moscato Bianco DOC, evocative images
that conquer the visitor at first sight.
The town was historically well known already in Roman
times with the name Lupatolium for the presence of wolves that lived
near cliffs and wild corners of this picturesque geographical area of Piedmont.
In the Middle Ages Loazzolo was a fief of influential noble families such as Aleramici,
Del Vasto, Del Carretto, Busca, Scarampi and then became integral part of
the Kingdom of Piedmont and Sardinia with the Royal Savoys.
You can start to discover the local beauties, in one of
its most evocative peripheral stretches, the hamlet of Falchetto where
you will enjoy a wonderful image of the confluence of the Bormida and Belbo
valleys in front of Cossano Belbo a
very attractive place where the
beautiful province of Cuneo practically begins.
You can continue the visit stopping at the suggestive Church
of Santa Libera surrounded by picturesque hills and vineyards, a religious
building of the Middle Ages erected on a circular apse with a beautiful bell
tower that completes a small and very attractive medieval complex. Through
extensive territories cultivated with vineyards, it will be possible to see the
silhouette of the country church dedicated to San Sebastiano on the horizon with beautiful views of
the villages of the Bormida Valley.
You will then reach the very characteristic, historic
center with charming stone houses and picturesque cobblestone streets that
intersect around the beautiful Parish Church of Sant' Antonio Abate erected in the late 15th century, an
ecclesiastical temple with three naves with a tripartite façade flanked by a
beautiful bell tower built previously.
nside you can admire fine art works as a wooden statue
of the Madonna with Baby Jesus made in the 18th century, a
valuable cycle of paintings from 1837 depicting the Via Crucis by
the artist Michelangelo Ramello and
an important organ built in 1870 by the master Collino, donated by Monsignor
Ravone buried in the same church.
In the immediate vicinity stands the small Church of
San Francesco, once the Oratory of the Disciplinati and ending the visit by
admiring on a slope what remains of the 13th local fortress
destroyed in the 15th century that with its walls surrounded the
village of Loazzolo, controlling it at every cardinal point.
Foollowing this very pleasant historic – cultural journey
you can visit a wine estate where the fine Moscato Bianco DOC. di
Loazzolo is produced, a wine which is exclusively created in this
municipality in a territory where the grapes suitable to give life to this
sweet wine masterpiece are grown in three places chosen in a vast area
of 150 hectares considered perfect for the production of Moscato.
The local vineyards have a south-west exposure, grafted at an altitude
of 450.0 meters with a slope of 30%,
cultivated in a Guyot Basso training
system and as in more remote times on stone walls, others obtained from
land torn from wooded areas and uncultivated spots, sometimes harsh and wild.
The harvest phase will then be transmitted with a harvest
of the fruits of the vine that still takes place today with the old traditional
methods, that is, bunch by bunch, starting the operations in mid-October
and continuing until the day of the Immaculate Conception at the end of
November, when the bunches of grapes still present on the vine are
deflowered by Botritis Nobile , purchasing a Straw yellow in colour with
a tendency to golden.
The harvested grapes follow important stages, they are
vey carefully selected before being exposed on the characteristic racks to
acquire intensity in terms of scent and aroma, losing the water concentrates present in the berries
during the drying process.
Even the crushing is done faithfully to the old
systems to overcome the loss of aroma and flavor linked to the harmony of
the senses in terms of smell and taste. The vinification process with the must
obtained is subject to fermentation that takes place in oak barrels of
not big dimensions with a total capacity of 225 liters-barriques
acquiring the "Loazzolo" denomination only after two years of
permanence in the cellar.
The local
vineyards do not give very high quantities of grapes,which is why production is
very limited today but their sugar quality is undoubtedly above average,
generated 100% from aromatic Moscato Bianco grape varieties with an
effective alcohol content of 12% vol..
The Loazzolo DOC. recognition was officially acquired by
decree on April 14, 1992 with publication in the Official Gazette on the
27th of the same month and year.
If you check a bottle to the eye to verify the hue of the
Loazzolo you will notice a clear yellow with bright and sparkling shades, the
flavor is sweet with various affinities to other types of Moscato, the smell is
intense transmitting hints of vanilla and musk rather persistent.
In the gastronomic field, as an accompanimen, this wine
considered peculiar in its kind, classified as "meditative" and
also "seductive" for
the sensations it transmits. It is excellent next to spicy cheeses such as aged
goat cheese, Goose Liver Pates, at the end of a dinner in combination with
a dessert and varied pastries, superlative if combined with cakes
or desserts made with walnuts and zabaglione.
It’s time to enjoy your lunch and you will be delighted
by the excellent, local cuisine. Very suggested are Purple Potato Gnocchi or Risotto
with Barbera and Sausages while some good options among the second courses
could be between Veal with Tuna Sauce with Mixed Vegetables or Roast
Pork with Green Beans all that accompanied by excellent local wines.
A trip to the Langhe Astigiane is always a pleasure, enjoying historical
places of great interest, very captivating, pleasant landscapes and the
opportunity to taste fine wines including the excellent Moscato di Loazzolo DOC.
Links : https://www.comune.loazzolo.at.it/
Note : I hope that this itinerary with this information will be
useful for your next trip as an approach to this beautiful land.
· Please fo not hesitate to
contact me for any further information you need
