Wine, Art and Spices

We have chosen to dedicate our wine resort to the pairing of art and spices.

We chose spices because they have been enjoyed since ancient times, adding flavour and inspiring dreams. Each room is dedicated to a particular spice, paying special attention to those that can be recognised and appreciated in wine.

Then we chose art, enhancing each room with a work by artist Henri Spaeti. We chose the Swiss painter because he is the author of the painting on the now historic and legendary label of Fratelli Alessandria’s Verduno Pelaverga Speziale. Henri Spaeti’s paintings are abstract, with delicate, moving and dreamy colours.

The olfactory scents that can be recognised in wines include those defined as tertiary, complex, elegant and intriguing aromas, including spices. Our rooms are dedicated to those spices that can be distinguished in the various aromatic bouquets of wines, and we asked Henri Spaeti to interpret these sensations with his colours.

Romantic Suite
Chiodi di Garofano (Cloves)

This is the name of the dried, unopened buds of Eugenia caryophyllata, an evergreen tree native to Indonesia. They are rich in eugenol and are famous for their sweet and pungent, warm and persistent, intense, fruity aroma. A heady aroma, typical of complex red wines.

Henri Spaeti used warm shades of sunset for this romantic suite.
Agriturismo Speziale Wine Resort
Romantic Suite
Pepe (Pepper)

The queen of spices. There are many varieties, some of which are real pepper, while others are actually berries or seeds given the same name despite coming from different plants. A seductive aromatic note, recognisable in Verduno Pelaverga, linked to the presence of rotundone.

For this romantic suite, artist Henri Spaeti used colours reminiscent of the Sant’Agata marls typical of the Barolo area.
Agriturismo Speziale Wine Resort
Junior Suite
Cannella (Cinnamon)

The finest cinnamon is obtained from Cinnamomum verum, a shrub native to Ceylon, cultivated throughout tropical Asia. The inner part of the bark of the young branches is used, rolling up as it dries. Its name in Italian, “cannella”, comes from the small reed-like shape it acquires as a result of this process, the Italian word for reed being “canna”. An intriguing and sweet aroma, typical of complex red wines.

For this junior suite, Henri Spaeti chose to paint a work of art with the pink shades that characterise the sunset.
Agriturismo Speziale Wine Resort
Junior Suite
Anice (Aniseed)

Aniseed is obtained from Pimpinella anisum, a herbaceous plant native to the Middle East which produces fruits rich in aromatic essence, to be stored and used dried. Star anise, Illicium verum, has a similar name but is a completely different spice, obtained from an evergreen plant native to the Mediterranean. The name originates from the fact that the fruit, rich in anethole, is made up of eight sections arranged in a star shape. A seductive and sweet aroma, typical of complex red wines.

For this junior suite, Henri Spaeti painted a work of art with the warm shades of the Langa soils.
Agriturismo Speziale Wine Resort
Luxury Room
Liquirizia (Liquorice)

Glycyrrhiza glabra is a perennial herbaceous plant, which reaches heights of up to one metre. Liquorice was an important plant in ancient Egypt, Assyria and China, already known in ancient Greek medicine.
An intriguing and sweet aroma, typical of complex red wines.

For this luxury room, Henri Spaeti painted a work of art using vibrant sunny colours.
Agriturismo Speziale Wine Resort
Luxury Room
Zenzero (Ginger)

Ginger is the root of the Asian herbaceous plant of the same name, Zingiber officinalis, which is now cultivated in most tropical and subtropical countries. It has a spicy but delicate flavour with hints of lemon zest. An appealing aroma typical of young white wines.

“Verduno” green is the colour chosen by the artist to characterise this luxury room.
Agriturismo Speziale Wine Resort
Superior Room
Zafferano (Saffron)

Crocus sativus, is famous and valued for the orangey-red stamens of its flowers, which convey a unique flavour to the dishes in which it is used. The spice, rich in carotenoids and vitamins, is known for its antioxidant effect. It has an unmistakable aroma, typical of white raisin wines.

For this comfort room, Henri Spaeti painted a work of art characterised by bright shades of blue.
Agriturismo Speziale Wine Resort
Superior Room
Vaniglia (Vanilla)

Vanilla planifolia, is a prized orchid, known for the unmistakable scent of its pods.
A spice originally from South America, it is now cultivated in some other parts of the world, with the most valuable variety coming from Madagascar. This spice is rich in aromatic substances, the most important of which is vanillin. An intriguing and sweet aroma, typical of complex red wines aged in wood.

For this comfort room, Henri Spaeti chose the pastel shades of “Pelaverga” pink.
Agriturismo Speziale Wine Resort
Il Wine Resort