HISTORY Cornaglia’s Family

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3. Clemente Cornaglia

Back in 1918 Clemente bought a small farm and a house in the district of Lussi in the small village of Santa Vittoria d’Alba. At that time, he was living together with his family in the small village of Monticello d’Alba so he moved in the new property and started a new life. The land he bought included a high hill overlooked by a great pine, already very old at the time.

According to the tradition that pine was planted by Napoleon in person or he had a break, laying in its shadow.

Until then the pine represented a meeting place for the young people of the two bordering villages of Santa Vittoria and Monticello feeling festive. As a confirmation of the deep connection which united the two little villages, the hill surmounted by the pine became the emblem of Monticello village.

From the top of the hill you can enjoy the stunning 360º view over the valley of Tanaro river, the city of Alba and also Langhe and Roero area. At the far end of this view there are the two Medieval castles of Monticello and Santa Vittoria. The landscape is then crowned by the Maritime Alps and in particularly clear days you can spot Mount Rosa.

Near and as a twin rises up the hillock of San Cristoforo surmounted by the ruins of a Roman castle guarding the ancient Roman village of Anphorianum. Site of special interest because it was the first Roman village of the area, where they produced amphora, which Pliny the Elder compared with the ones of Samo and Sorrento because of their high quality given by the marl (really fine clay strong as a rock) and because of their elegant shape.

Placed side by side, our hillock and the one of San Cristoforo, have been reported by the writer Cesare Pavese in his famous book La luna e i falò because, for the sinuous shape they reminded him of a woman breast.

After Cornaglia Clemente bought the property, very religious, he relied on the protection of Mary Help of Christians for the next season success. And so it came to pass that thanks to the good harvest and to the sale of the grapes at the market of Alba, he managed to get out of debt.

To give thanks he built a votive pillar with an alcove and a statue of the Virgin Mary, in honour to Mary Help of Christians. Unfortunately, in the 90’s a severe night-time storm uprooted the old pine which always resisted the strong North winds.

Later it was planted a young Cedar of Lebanon which is growing as a replacement of the ancient symbol and one day it will contribute to protect and shade the votive pillar, offering cool summer afternoons to those who like to be accompanied by the characteristic rustling of its fronds.