Vinchio, in the feud of the Marquises, where history and legend blend with the best fruits that the earth produces.
Landscape.
Vinchio rises in the south of Astigiano.
It covers an area of 9.29 km² and has a population of about 600 inhabitants.
It is about 23 km from Asti, the provincial capital.
History.
The first inhabited settlement was probably that of Celto-Ligurian tribes.
In 935 after Christ the count of Acqui, Aleramo, defeated the Saracens and chased them away from the Monferrato lands forever.
In 1125 Vinchio appears to be among the lands of the Loreto Committee and then passes, a century later, to Asti.
Vinchio belonged to the Scarampi family for centuries.
Administration.
Food and wine and typical products.
Vinchio is a land with a strong wine vocation.
The main wines of the area are Barbera, Cortese, Freisa, Grignolino, Dolcetto, Bonarda, Chardonnay, and Moscato.
The Vinchiese area is also a land of truffles and the famous “del Saraceno” asparagus, to which the Municipality dedicates – every May – a festival.
To be seen.
In Vinchio there are four museums: the Peasant Museum, outdoors, the Davide Lajolo Museum - Vinchio is my nest (Museo Davide Lajolo - Vinchio è il mio nido), the House of Memory, of the Resistance and of the Deportation (Casa della Memoria, della Resistenza e della Deportazione) and the Birthplace and Museum of the Venerable Brother Teodoreto.
The religious buildings in the municipal area are also of great interest, including the parish church dedicated to the evangelist Saint Marco, the Church of Confraternity of Santissima Trinità, anche parish church of Noche.
For outdoor lovers, there are three itineraries to be discovered.
Finally, you cannot miss a stop at the Special Nature Reserve of Val Sarmassa, the three “nests”, the Giant Red Bench, the UNESCO Belvedere with adjoining Giant goblet of wine and artistic bench, the giant pencils in Collina San Michele and Frazione Noche, the giant chairs in via San Michele and to the geosite with fossiliferous outcrops.
Curiosity.
La Ru, a centuries-old oak, is the natural monument of the Val Sarmassa Reserve, made magical by the tails of the famous writer and journalist Davide Lajolo.
Information synthesis and/or re-elaboration was taken from the website of the Municipality of Vinchio
Cover image source: Provincia di Asti