Verduno: sentinel of the Langhe

Verduno’s position overlooking the surrounding hills explains its nickname, “Sentinel of the Langhe.” Its terracotta architecture and steep streets lead to the Belvedere garden, formerly the site of a medieval castle, while Piazza Don Borgna contains an eighteenth-century castle in the Juvarra style.

The village entered the Duchy of Savoy in 1631. In 1837, King Carlo Alberto commissioned oenologist Francesco Staglieno to transform the royal property into a model wine estate, an association linked to one of the earliest Barolos. Geologically, Verduno belongs to the Tortonian, La Morra side of Barolo, with calcareous-clayey fossil Sant’Agata marls formed from marine sediments around 6–7 million years ago.

The wider commune contains about 200 ha of vines, over 95% planted to red grapes. Nebbiolo occupies more than half, followed by Pelaverga Piccolo, Barbera and Dolcetto. Verduno’s 200–400 m hill is the Barolo vineyard area closest to the Tanaro. The village also has an artistic history connected with Lucio Fontana, Pinot Gallizio and contemporary artists.