This is a family story, in fact the Cascina Portinale, which in dialect becomes “El Purtinal”, was purchased by my great-great-grandparents and at the time it was already an old and battered property. Our sign shows the date A.D. 1890 but the construction certainly dates back to before that.

The hamlet of Madonna di Como is located right on the hill of Alba just 2.5 km from the centre, the privileged position of the Cascina Portinale allows you to enjoy an almost 360° panorama of the Langhe over the Nebbiolo and Barbera vineyards, sites protected by UNESCO.

Describing it today this position seems magnificent but, from my grandparents’ stories, being so isolated meant having to walk a long uphill road even on snowy days.

From this condition arose the need to build a structure that would allow drinking water to be available within the property. A well was thus created, dug by hand in the tuff, which is still active and functioning today

The symbol of the Cascina, also present in the logo, is without a doubt the laurel. Although it may not seem like it, given its size, it is actually the “laurel” as we usually call it in Piedmontese dialect. It is thought that this plant may be more than two hundred years old and, despite everything, it remains there to provide a bit of fresh air in the summer season to all our guests.