About Fontanafredda

The history of Fontanafredda is a noble one. It began in 1858 after the unification of Italy, when the country’s first king, Vittorio Emanuele II, purchased a beautiful estate in Piedmont’s Langhe region. Here he started producing wine from native varietals, Dolcetto, Barbera, and Nebbiolo, which later developed into a commercial business under the direction of the King’s son, Count Mirafiori. Fontanafredda released their first Nebbiolo labeled as Barolo with the 1878 vintage.

The estate enjoyed incredible prosperity until just after the turn of the century, but Phylloxera, the Great Depression, and the World Wars took their toll on the business and the property was sold to Italy’s oldest bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena.

Decades later in 2008, visionary businessman and Piedmont native, Oscar Farinetti, purchased a majority stake of the Fontanafredda estate and wineries, bringing new life into one of Italy’s most heralded properties. As with his incredibly successful Eataly business venture, he has made significant investments in farming, vinification, and hospitality, making Fontanfredda a world-class destination for fans of wine, food, and luxury living.

The 250-acre Fontanafredda property in Serralunga d’Alba is the single largest contiguous wine estate in the Langhe and includes 247 acres of vineyards, 30 acres of woodland, and 10 acres on which the cellars and village buildings lie. Owned vineyards are in the municipalities of Serralunga d’Alba, Diano d’Alba, Barolo, Dogliani, Farigliano, Alba, Rodello, and Murinsengo, at altitudes between 200 – 400m.

The winery produces a broad range of wines, from world-class Cru Barolo and Riserva, to a line of single-varietal bottlings highlighting other indigenous Piemontese grapes like Barbera, Timorasso, and Arneis, as well as several delicious Alta Langa metodo classico sparkling wines that have garnered tremendous critical acclaim.