Sarezzano: Hills, Wine and Romanesque History

Sarezzano lies in the Tortona Hills between the Grue Valley and the hills descending towards the plain. Its location combines landscapes, religious buildings, historical traces and winegrowing. Those wishing to combine culture and regional products on their trip to Italy will find several specific themes here to help with their planning.

Hills, Churches and Historical Traces

On the hill where the castle once stood is the Parish Church of Saints Ruffino and Venanzio, an important example of Romanesque architecture. In 1585, the Gospel book Codex Purpureus Sarzanensis was found on Il Castello hill, in the Romanesque church, together with the remains of the patron saints Ruffino and Venanzio. The codex is a Gospel book dating from the 5th to 6th century and comes from the parish of Sarezzano; some of its pages are on display at the Diocesan Museum in Tortona.

The ancient Chapel of San Ruffino stands in the hamlet of San Ruffino; valuable early medieval friezes are embedded in the building. Sarezzano’s oldest houses cluster at the foot of the hill where the castle of the feudal lords Guidobono Garofoli once stood. The hilltop of Il Castello above Sarezzano and nearby Montegualdone offer far-reaching panoramas. The Roman villa of the Quinzi family was located in Valle Sant’Innocenzo.

Timorasso and Winegrowing

Winegrowing is also part of Sarezzano’s character. Claudio Mariotto’s vineyards lie between Vho and Sarezzano at an elevation of 250 to 300 metres above sea level. The Mutti winery in Sarezzano manages 15 hectares of specialised vineyards and works with the Timorasso, Cortese, Barbera, Croatina and Freisa grape varieties. The Timorasso vineyard of Vigneti Fontanalbina lies at an altitude of 320 metres, on calcareous and gravelly soils and with a south-easterly orientation. By prior reservation, Claudio Mariotto offers a tasting of its entire wine production as well as tastings of Timorasso wines with typical regional cured meats and cheeses. Andrea Mutti of Andrea Mutti Azienda Agricola was among the first winemakers to follow Walter Massa in the rediscovery of the Timorasso grape variety.

Circular Trail and Annual Festival

The Sentiero del Gambera is a scenic circular trail that runs through the territories of Tortona, Sarezzano and Villaromagnano. The Festa dei Santi Ruffino e Venanzio is the patronal festival of the municipality of Sarezzano and is considered by the local community one of the year’s most important civic and religious events. The trail and festival thus complement the town’s historical and culinary themes.

Getting There and Choosing Where to Stay

A bus line connects Avolasca, Cerreto Grue, Sarezzano and Tortona; in Sarezzano, it stops at the Sarezzano and Località Fornace stops. Tortona railway station is the nearest rail connection; it is approximately 6 km from Sarezzano. When choosing accommodation, you can take these mobility details into account alongside culture, panoramas, winegrowing or the circular trail.

Discover More Places

More places for planning your trip: Montaldo Bormida, Pasturana, Cadepiaggio, Brignano, Bacchetti, Garadassi, Prasco and Monticelli.

Back to the main travel overview: Alessandria.