Wine & Balsamic Relais Roncolo 1888

The idyllic countryside of the Apennine encircles the hilltop Relais Roncolo 1888, which has the best of everything the region offers.

The magical land around Roncolo 1888 was shaped by a powerful woman, Matilda of Tuscany, who reigned during the Middle Ages.

Her fortification of four castles (of which one in Quattro Castella) protected her dynasty in the Holy Roman Empire. The Tenuta Venturini Baldini in Roncolo was likely part of the House of Canossa's defenses.

The Tenuta Venturini Baldini is an agricultural estate focused on sustainable farming with an organic certification received in 1994. The vineyards cover over a quarter of the estate, as wine is the beating heart of Roncolo 1888.

Relais Roncolo 1888 is surrounded by 130 acres of organic land in a green valley in Emilia-Romagna - one of Europe's wealthiest and most developed regions home to eleven UNESCO heritage sites.

The estate is in the heart of Food Valley and Motor Valley, where traditional, slow-cooked food and the pinnacle of automotive engineering are essential parts of life. The home of Ferrari, Maranello, and Lamborghini's headquarters in Sant'Agata Bolognese are both a short ride from the Relais.

The recently opened gourmet restaurant Ristorante Limonaia invites you to a fine dining experience of local specialties in its beautiful plant-filled glass house. Or, if the weather allows, on the terrace that overlooks the vineyards and the rolling hills of the Terre di Canossa.

Villa Manodori, the estate's main building, was built in 1670 to become part of Tenuta Venturini Baldini. During the 19th century, Villa Manodori underwent a complete renovation and established its final shape.

When the Prestia family bought the estate in 2015, its neglected buildings and plantations needed urgent care. After five years of passionate and down-to-the-detail restoration, Wine & Balsamic Relais Roncolo 1888 was opened to the public in 2020.

The interior design is a nod to the former hunting lodge's heritage.

The stunning Roncolo 1888 used to host nobilities, and today, the boutique hotel offers 17 rooms and suites spread across three of its mansions: Villa Manodori, Dimora Ancini, and Dimora Acetaia.

The rooms are decorated with fresco ceiling paintings and furnished by luxury brands like Molteni and antiques by Gio Ponti.

The four poster beds' frame structure is a reminder of the lifestyle of nobles during the Middle Ages.

Roncolo 1888 is at the heart of Italy’s Food Valley, and during your stay, you can sample Italy's best produce: estate-own award-winning organic wines, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.

Guests of Roncolo 1888 can enjoy both wine tastings and a balsamico tasting, with a guided tour of the estate’s wine cellar and the historic Acetaia di Canossa, one of Italy’s oldest balsamic vinegar factories, dating back to the 17th century.

With the help of the professional winemaker Carlo Ferrini, the owners set to revive Venturini Baldini’s quality wine production at the estate, today producing award-winning red and rosé Lambrusco wines and sparkling wines made of native grape varieties.

All wines are certified organic, aligning with the estate’s values of ensuring sustainability and promoting a natural ecosystem.

The historic vinegar factory, Acetaia di Canossa, is a unique heritage and home to over 400 ancient wooden barrels that produce the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia, aged between 12 and 25 years and produced entirely from cooked grape must.