If You Are Traveling to Milan, Here Are 12 Wineries You Have to Visit

Produced by Federico De Cesare Viola. Profiles by Ray Isle, Emanuele Gobbi, Åsa Johansson, Giambattista Marchetto, Andrea Petrini, and Flavia Rendina.

Travelers flying into or staying in Milan are within driving distance of a number of top wine regions, among them one of Italy’s greatest: Piedmont, the home of Barolo and Barbaresco (and in the fall, white truffles).

If you're heading into this region, build in some time to visit Turin en route, a beautiful city that’s also home to the Bicerin, a velvety mixture of espresso, chocolate, and milk that is decadent in the best way. Keep going west and north toward Genoa, and you’ll reach the coastal vineyards of Liguria, known for brisk, minerally whites from the Vermentino and Pigato grapes.

Milan is also a good starting point for trips to Franciacorta — arguably Italy’s greatest sparkling wine region — in the Lombardy region, to the northeast of the city. Or, drive south from Milan to Emilia-Romagna, where you can taste great Lambruscos and Sangiovese-based reds, not to mention some of the country’s best pasta (Italians often say that Emilia-Romagna has the best food in the country, a bold statement). 

Here are 12 wineries near Milan, with amazing hospitality, that are not to be missed.

Ca’ Del Bosco, Lombardy: Franciacorta

Ca' del Bosco has long been the only winery in Italy — or likely in any country — where visitors can see a full-size rhinoceros hanging from the ceiling of the barrel room (it’s a work of art by Stefano Bombardieri, not an actual live rhino, but still). And the launch of the winery's new hospitality center in 2023 has made visiting this benchmark Franciacorta producer even more compelling; there’s truly nothing like it in the world of wine. 

Founder Maurizio Zanella has always had a passion for art, and the estate is dotted with sculptures from artists such as Igor Mitaraj, Arnaldo Pomodoro, Zheng Lu, and others. That visual sensibility, and the idea that wine can offer more than just a taste experience, drives the concept of the new center.

From the sense-defying vintage tunnel, which connects the historic parts of the winery to its vinoteca collection, a seemingly endless passageway flanked by bottles and lit by star-like (or bubble-like) pinpricks of light, to the “Hall of the Senses,” which brings sight, smell, taste, and hearing to life in a quartet of small, visually ever-changing chambers, a visit is a remarkable experience.

The highlight is the final moment when the visitor leaves the hall of the senses to enter the “Prestige Immersion.” Made from 30,000 backlit, empty bottles of the winery's Cuvée Prestige, this glowing golden room is reached by a walkway that then retracts into the wall; you are left suspended inside what seems to be a wine bottle of infinite bubbles, until the platform on which you stand descends slowly to the floor. It’s visually arresting, utterly magical, and, in its way, a remarkable reification of the concept of sparkling wine.

For over 50 years, Ca’ del Bosco has long been one of the premier names in Franciacorta, largely thanks to Zanella’s seemingly infinite energy and passion. Consequently, the other pleasure of a visit is, of course, simply tasting the wines, from the classic Cuvée Prestige to the tête de cuvée Annamaria Clemente (don't overlook the winery’s still wines, either). But it’s rare to find a winery where winemaking ambition is matched equally by visual and design ambition; that's the case here, making it a do-not-miss for any wine traveler.

Wine to try

Ca’ del Bosco Cuvée Prestige Edition 47 Brut Franciacorta

Ca’ del Bosco owner Maurizio Zanella is one of Franciacorta's most magnetic personalities; he also makes some of its best wines. This release of the winery's flagship non-vintage cuvée rich with brioche and apricot notes, complex, and lasting.

Bellavista, Lombardy: Franciacorta

Bellavista’s bottles have an unmistakable design with elegant, minimal labels, mirroring the finesse of the wines themselves. The Franciacorta sparkling wines of the flagship cellar of the Moretti family, and of the Terra Moretti Vino group, truly do not need much introduction. 

What fewer people know is the depth of the Morettis’ hospitality efforts, which bring their mastery of making sparkling wine together with the beautiful landscape of Lake Iseo, merging design, architecture, construction, and travel hospitality.

TerraMoretti Resorts, the work of Carmen Moretti de Rosa and Martino de Rosa, includes L’Albereta in Franciacorta and L’Andana/Casa Badiola in Tuscany. The Franciacorta property, L’Albereta, covers over 150,000 acres of parkland in the hills, with a Relais & Chateaux hotel, an open-air sculpture park, the Chenot Espace (dedicated to well-being), and gastronomic offerings ranging from the refined Leonefelice Vista Lago to the property’s Wellness Restaurant, to the convivial “living room” of Stanza54, to the wonderful pizzas of La Filiale from Franco Pepe (one of Italy’s greatest pizzaiolos). 

For those who prefer to focus specifically on wine, Casa Bellavista is no less impressive.

There are a number of different tours and tastings, offering dives into history, wine and art, tours through the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc vineyards surrounding the estate, and visits to the cellar. The Terroir tour, for example, is dedicated to the soil and terroir of the estate, whereas the “Interpretations” tour allows guests to focus on the different expressions of Bellavista’s Franciacorta, and learn about the play between tradition and innovation in wine.

Wine to try

Bellavista Pas Operé Franciacorta

This elegant, complex cuvée comes from 40 different sections in historic Chardonnay and Pinot Noir plots on the estate (all over 30 years of age).

Berlucchi, Lombardy: Franciacorta

The winery where Franciacorta’s sparkling tradition began is a true pilgrimage for wine tourists. The heart of the experience is Palazzo Lana, where in 1955 Guido Berlucchi and the enologist Franco Ziliani first met and shaped the idea of “a wine with bubbles that would bring delight right from the first sip,” as Ziliani later said.

Almost seventy years later, Berlucchi is one of the premier names of the Franciacorta region, and over the decades has established itself on an international scale as a source for some of Italy’s greatest classic-method sparkling wines.

And since wine lives beyond the glass, between experience and story, Berlucchi is the ideal place to discover this land by the shores of Lake Iseo for the first time. In the historic cellars, 30 feet below ground, time seems to stand still for visitors as they experience a network of galleries and large vaults dating back to 1680. Later in the tour, attention shifts to the Berlucchi Historical Archive, where bottles from the most significant vintages are preserved, allowing guests to evaluate through tasting the wines’ changes in style over time.

There are also seasonal events, such as picnics in the vineyard featuring local products and dinners at the Borgonato Castle. And for special moments that combine history, art, and wine, there’s the Palazzo Lana Berlucchi. This historic residence was constructed in the 1500s over the underlying original medieval buildings and then renovated in the 1600s. It provides a fascinating palimpsest of architectural styles. Originally home to the Lana de' Terzi family, the noble house of Bergamo from which Guido Berlucchi descended. Visited by royalty and nobility over the centuries, it is truly saturated in history.

Wine to try

Berlucchi ’61 Franciacorta Riserva Palazzo Lana Extrême

The new Palazzo Lana Extrême Riserva 2013 is an extra brut made from 100% Pinot Noir (a selection from the best rows of two historic vineyards: Brolo and Diecicipiò. Fresh and finessed, it’s a subtle, complex sparkling wine.

Beni di Batasiolo, Piedmont: Barolo

The Il Boscareto Resort & Spa, which opened in 2009, was conceived from the start by the Dogliani family as a mingling of the traditional and the cosmopolitan: a modern castle looking to the future in a region strongly linked to tradition. A unique concept for the Langhe.

Il Boscareto’s extraordinary panorama also makes it distinctive. Some 75 acres of vineyards surround it, encompassing several of Barolo’s most famed crus.

The Dogliani family, owners of Beni di Batasiolo, have lived in Serralunga d’Alba, the heart of the Langhe, for five generations. It’s a place of great beauty: the gentle slopes covered in vines follow one another as far as the eye can see.

Many of the materials used in the construction of Il Boscareto come from the area, too, such as Langa stone, Vico stone and ash wood. Glass walls and windows in the rooms and common areas allow the surrounding landscape and the changing seasons to enter the interior spaces. The design sensibility of the rooms and suites, 49 in total, might be called refined luxury, aimed at providing deep relaxation and absolute comfort.

Attention to detail is evident throughout, as in the water room: a place for guests to regenerate body and spirit, which changes according to the seasons. This area also has a stone and mosaic swimming pool, hydromassage tub, relaxation areas, and, as everywhere here, extraordinary views. The retractable windows also allow direct access to the outside, so you can immerse yourself in the natural environment: pleasant breezes during the summer, or in winter, the thrill of a warm bath with a view of the snow-capped hills.

There are two restaurants: La Rei Natura, where chef Michelangelo Mammoliti’s ambitious menu focuses on the flavors, colors, and aromas of local products, and Bistrot Sunsì, where chef Alessandro Capalbo offers Piedmontese home cooking that incorporates seafood influences from his Sicilian homeland.

Wine to try

Beni di Batasiolo Barolo Boscareto

From one of Barolo’s most prized vineyard areas, this red has Nebbiolo’s classic, slightly austere character, but opens up to be full-bodied and fascinatingly complex.

Ceretto, Piedmont: Alba

In the 1960s, Bruno and Marcello Ceretto proposed the idea to their father of buying land in Barolo. At the time, this was not a popular notion, with their father saying, “You want me to buy seven acres of Bussia when I can buy twenty acres of Dolcetto? Nebbiolo, I wait three years to get paid, Dolcetto, I sell tomorrow? Basta. No. This is crazy.” 

No matter. They did it anyway, buying those seven acres of vines in the Bussia cru. It proved to be a very smart decision.

Federico Ceretto, Bruno's son, says, “In the 1960s, a liter of Dolcetto and a liter of Barolo were the same price. Dolcetto vineyards today, a hectare, they give it to you for free. Barolo, it's a million dollars an acre for a good piece of property.” 

Today, Ceretto is one of the most significant wineries in both Barolo and Brunello, farming over 295 acres of vines, primarily in cru sites (all farmed biodynamically), and making some of both appellations' most acclaimed wines.

The family also has invested substantially in hospitality. The Ceretto tasting room offers one of the region's most dramatic experiences. A room-sized plastic bubble, “The Grape,” cantilevered over the vineyards below, offers dramatic views of the Langhe landscape.

More than 10,000 guests visit each year, “and all of it is Nebbiolo,” says Ceretto. “They come here, sit, enjoy the view, and say, ‘Give me as much Barolo and Barbaresco as we can taste.’” (His grandfather would have been dumbfounded but also very appreciative of the business, one suspects.) 

In addition to art installations scattered over their property, the Ceretto family owns two of Alba's best restaurants. La Piola is the more casual, offering impressive trattoria cuisine in the town’s main square, and Piazza Duomo is one of not just Piedmont’s but Italy’s top restaurants, with a 3 Michelin Star rating. Experiencing chef Enrico Crippa's cuisine there makes for an extraordinarily memorable evening.

Wine to try

2019 Ceretto Barbaresco Asili

The creamy density of this cru Barbaresco's cherry and raspberry flavors are framed sweet tannins and an exotic twist of spice. “Asili is part of this magic triangle with Martinenga and Rabajà. It's the paradise of Nebbiolo in Barbaresco,” says Ceretto.

Michele Chiarlo, Piedmont: Barolo

Starting in 1956, Michele Chiarlo vinified the essence of Piedmont through 270 acres of vineyards between Langhe, Monferrato and Gavi, cultivating the best crus in full compliance with strict ecological criteria while expressing their unique terroir. The winery also firmly believes and continues to invest exclusively in native varieties: Nebbiolo and Barbera, of course, but also Cortese, Moscato, Dolcetto, and Arneis. 

In the vineyard, Chiarlo practices sustainable agriculture and integrated pest management, protecting a landscape that is an intrinsic part of the identity of the company and its wines.

In the cellar, the style is traditional, never exaggerated: classic and instantly recognizable. Each parcel of vines is vinified separately; the use of oak is modest; the result is wines with great longevity and excellent structure.

Palás Cerequio is the center of Chiarlo’s hospitality approach, located in one of the most renowned crus of the denomination. With 11 suites, a swimming pool overlooking the vineyards, the La Corte restaurant, and the Cerequio Sky Bar, it offers a total immersion into the breathtaking landscape and the world of Piedmontese wine. 

Palás Cerequio Caveau houses a collection of over six thousand bottles of Barolo, from 1958 to today, which can be explored through bespoke tastings.

Art finds expression in the Art Park La Court, in the cru of the same name, from which the company's two iconic Nizza reds are born. There, 54 acres of vineyards host an exceptional open-air museum between the rows, designed by Emanuele Luzzati and dedicated to the four elements, with works by international artists such as Giancarlo Ferraris, Chris Bangle, and Balthasar Brennenstuhl, among others. Don’t miss the new Cannubi Path, which transforms the most prestigious vineyard in the Langhe into a multisensory experience curated by artist Ugo Nespolo.

Wine to try

Michele Chiarlo Nizza Cipressi

An iconic wine for the company, this red-fruited, complex, lingering Barbera is a remarkable expression of the variety.

Condé, Emilia-Romagna: Predappio

Historical documents reaching back to 1383 testify to wine production in the Emilia-Romagna region of Predappio. Perhaps the caressing sea breezes of the Adriatic and the influence of the Apennine microclimate explain that history. They almost certainly explain why, in 2001, the Condello family chose to found its Borgo Condé Wine Resort here. The hotel sits on a 272-acre estate dedicated both to wine and oil, all grown 100% organically. 

Chiara Condello manages the Condé winery. From the outset, the focus has been on Sangiovese and wines that capture the essence of the variety, aiming at elegance rather than weight.

Condé’s terroir, vividly expressed in its wines, is defined by the forest surrounding the vineyards — a source of biodiversity and a natural thermoregulator, with the Apennines behind, the plain lying below, and the Adriatic in the distance. Visit in May and June, and the estate’s highest vineyard will be filled with fireflies. 

The heart of the resort itself is the borgo — a former medieval village, essentially — with its 19 rooms and suites. It’s also the site of the outdoor DiVino Bistro, the Pool Restaurant, which offers tapas for a light lunch or an aperitif at sunset, and the new Osteria Condé, which focuses on classic Romagna cuisine. There’s also a spa, which features vinotherapy treatments, horseback riding, an outdoor swimming pool, picnics amid the olive trees, and gardens and panoramic terraces throughout the property.

Wine to try

Condé Sangiovese Predappio Riserva Raggio Brusa

From a historic cru in Predappio, now owned entirely by the Condello family, this is pure, vivid Sangiovese, full of red fruit and dried herb notes, vinified with native yeasts and aged for three years in Slavonian oak.

Cantine Lunae, Liguria: Colli di Luni

The history of Lunae is the history of the Bosoni family, of the Vermentino vine, and of the unique landscape of the Colli di Luni.

Lunae’s vineyards extend over 160 acres of estate vineyards, half of which are managed according to organic methods. The winery also purchases grapes from a network of over 100 small growers throughout the region. The vineyards are primarily planted with Vermentino, the signature white grape of Liguria, and ancient local varieties such as Albarola, Vermentino Nero, and Pollera. 

Not long ago, the Bosoni family inaugurated a new, modern cellar aimed at providing more space for research into new wine projects, such as the creation of Lunae’s classic method of sparkling wine, Cuvée Lunae, and to bring awareness to other native varieties in the Colli di Luni.

Not far from this new structure, there is also Ca’ Lunae, an expertly renovated 18th-century village that overlooks the Via Aurelia. Here, Debora Bosoni oversees the winery’s vinous and gastronomic experiences, covering the range of wines as well as the estate’s artisanal pastas, cured meats, olive oil, preserves, and more. In good weather, guests can taste in Ca’ Lunae’s internal courtyard or at tables in the open air, or arrange for a tasting amid the vineyards.

There are also classes in making traditional Ligurian pesto. At the Ostaia Ca’ Lunae, traditional Ligurian cuisine is deftly reinterpreted by chef Matteo Domenichini, alternating flavors of the sea with those of the hills.

Lunae’s Museum of the Culture of Wine, located in the manor house, reveals the history of local viticulture through a rich collection of period objects and photographs. Each room is dedicated to a theme: The Land, The Harvest, The Craftsman, The Cellar, and The Wine. For each, there are video installations, as well as antique agricultural artifacts and other objects collected by Paolo Bosoni over three decades of passionate research.

Wine to try

Lunae Cuvée Lunae Metodo Clasico Brut

This vintage-designated sparkling wine is made from Albarola and Vermentino, aged over 30 months on lees; it’s a vivacious, complex expression of the Colli di Luni terroir.

Mura Mura, Piedmont: Asti

Gianmaria Testa, Primo Levi, Cesare Pavese, Natalia Ginzburg, Guido Gozzano: These are the five great Piedmontese poets and writers to whom the suites of the Dimora dei Poeti at Mura Mura, near Asti, are named. The farmhouse opposite is, instead, dedicated to contemporary art, with eight rooms decorated by the same number of painters.

And then there is the Casa nel Vigneto, the most romantic of these places. Spend a weekend in a suite with a terrace suspended between the rows there, with spectacular views of Monte Rosa and Monferrato.

Le Marne Relais, the home of all these buildings, is a place steeped in beauty. Here, you can enjoy a holiday dedicated to slow living and, naturally, good wine. It is located within Mura Mura, an agricultural company and winery created in 2008 by Guido Martinetti and Federico Grom (the founders of the famous ice-cream shops), which today extends across 75 acres in the hills of Monferrato on the edge of Piedmont’s Langhe region. 

Art, gastronomy and sport are the mantras of the house. Regarding the cuisine, the talented young chef Marco Massaia of Turin leads Radici, the restaurant in the vineyard, working with local raw materials in a contemporary style. (An example: Carnaroli Riserva San Massimo rice with roasted peppers, veal sweetbreads and ’nduja). As for sport, there are the many trekking routes among the vineyards, an indoor swimming pool, and a substantial gym.

But the experiences do not end here. Take a walk in the experimental orchard to pick apricots, figs and pears directly from the tree, go on a truffle hunt, experience a hot stone massage in the spa, or enjoy a guided tasting of the different Mura Mura wines in the beautiful cellar. 

The Mura Mura wines fall into two categories: Rigore and Fantasia. The first focuses on Nebbiolo and the various crus of Barbaresco (Faset, Serragrilli and Starderi) and Barolo (Sorano); the second is dedicated to four Piedmontese varieties: Barbera, Nebbiolo, Grignolino and Moscato, interpreted in distinctive ways.

Wine to tast

Mura Mura Grignolino d'Asti Doc Garibaldi

From a small, 1.7-acre plot of vines surrounded by apricot trees, this wine from the “Fantasia” line expresses the personality of the Grignolino grape with a bouquet of red fruit and spices and fine, vibrant tannins.

La Raia, Piedmont

La Raia, in the Gavi region, is the work of Piero Rossi Cairo, in collaboration with enologist Clara Milani. In essence, the estate is based on the constant search for balance between all its components: human creativity coupled with nature, both untouched and cultivated.

Its 445 acres, certified biodynamic by Demeter, are a mosaic of plant environments. In addition to 145 acres of Cortese and Barbera vineyards, there stands chestnut and acacia trees, cultivated fields, pastures, lakes, vegetable and flower gardens, and fruit orchards.

The cellar, with its crystal façade enclosing the winery tanks and rammed-earth walls, designed by the Austrian architect Martin Rauch, draws both wine and architecture enthusiasts.

On the estate, there’s also the Locanda La Raia, which opened in 2017, a 12-room hotel that’s the result of the careful restoration of an ancient coaching inn. The decor combines antique Piedmontese furniture with contemporary design. 

Chef Tommaso Arrigoni runs the La Raia restaurant. His dishes are driven by seasonal ingredients and Gavi’s food traditions. Ingredients from the farm — ancient grains, vegetables from the garden and greenhouses, aromatic herbs, eggs, meat from grass-fed Piedmontese cows, and organic honey from the hives on the estate — are at the heart of all the dishes served.

In 2013 the Rossi Cairo family created the La Raia Foundation, an art and culture initiative that invites international artists to cast their gaze on the Gavi landscape. To date, 11 site-specific works have been placed among the vineyards and buildings at Raia by artists Remo Salvadori, Michael Beutler, Tami Izko, Koo Jeong A., and others. Most recently, on the northern edge of the estate, the family has renovated Borgo Merlassino, an ancient peasant village. With its various colorful buildings, it represents a new direction for events in the Gavi region.

Wine to try

La Raia Gavi Pisé 

This is the top wine from La Raia, coming from the winery’s oldest Cortese vines, which grow on particularly red, iron-rich soil. Two years on native yeasts and a brief time in large oak barrels make it long-lived and give it an extraordinary ability to evolve in the glass.

Villa Sparina, Piedmont: Gavi

Standing among the vineyards that follow the Gavi hills, Villa Sparina and its resort are located in an eighteenth-century farmhouse complex that contains three different parts. The Ostelliere is a luxury hotel with 33 rooms and suites; La Gallina is the restaurant led by chef Graziano Caccioppoli; and the winery, Villa Sparina, which produces wines from the typical grapes of the area, such as Cortese and Barbera.

The winery’s history began in the early 1970s when Mario Moccagatta and his wife Bruna purchased the estate. In a short time, Villa Sparina established itself among the top producers of Gavi. With the second generation, siblings Stefano, Tiziana and Massimo transformed the complex into a place of hospitality, comfort, and accessibility, rooted in the beauty of the territory between Piedmont and Liguria.

The brothers' roles are clearly defined. Public relations and the direction of the restaurant fall to Stefano; the hotel belongs to Tiziana; and the administration and general coordination are the responsibility of Massimo.

The rooms of the Ostelliere boast an elegant, vintage style thanks to interior designer Monica Lupi that harks back to the classical Piedmontese decor typical of large farmhouses with courtyards and barns. Soft colors, rare fabrics, antique furnishings, and a unique artistic touch define each room.

Wine to try

Villa Sparina Gavi Monterotondo 10 years

This elegant Cortese comes from a historic vineyard in 1945, and seduces the drinker with its aromas of apricot, acacia flowers, hints of spices, and a typical chalky mineral notes.

Venturini Baldini, Emilia-Romagna

Venturini Baldini, about 19 miles from Parma, is many things. A winery, a historic vinegar factory, a resort created from the restoration of the nineteenth-century Villa Manodori and the buildings of the surrounding seventeenth-century village, and an ambitious restaurant that offers local, contemporary cuisine.

In the 1980s, Venturini Baldini, once a property belonging to noble families, became one of the first agricultural companies in Italy to achieve organic certification. When new owners Julia and Giuseppe Prestia arrived in 2015, they relaunched the entire estate with a push towards wine tourism. The result is Relais Roncolo 1888, conceived as a village surrounded by green hills, with rooms that wink at history, a swimming pool, a gym, and space for yoga lessons.

Among the experiences offered to guests, the tour of the winery itself and the historic vinegar factory, featuring tastings of the property’s Lambrusco base wines and balsamic vinegars, should not be missed.

Hospitality offerings also can include lunch or dinner at the Limonaia restaurant, located in the estate’s historic greenhouse. Also offered are cooking classes dedicated to fresh, homemade pasta with Venturini Baldini’s chef.

The Relais Roncolo is also an excellent starting point to discover Emilia itself. Country roads branch off from the village and can be toured by bicycle. These lanes cross the Lambrusco vineyards where the protected area of Parco di Roncolo can be explored. Or, book a ride in a vintage car to explore the villages and hills of the surrounding countryside. And for golf enthusiasts, the 18-hole Matilde di Canossa golf course is just 10 minutes from the estate.

Wine to try

Venturini Baldini Metodo Classico Lambrusco Emilia 

Lambrusco Salamino and Grasparossa grapes express an intriguing synthesis between finesse and floral liveliness in this ruby-hued sparkling wine, bringing soft notes of red fruit and forest floor. As an extra brut, it’s ideal as an aperitif with a platter of cured meats and cheeses from the region.