In Monferrato there is a hotel immersed in greenery dedicated to art and good food

Vineyards, woods, hazelnut groves, gentle hills and historic villages following one another. Touring Monferrato is something to be done, even more so if one happens upon places cared for to perfection, luxurious not through ostentation, but because they allow us to experience nature in an intimate, quiet way. Relais le Marne is something unique: two accommodation facilities, a restaurant, a winery, various outdoor spaces to be lived in, whether to read a book and relax or to do sport.

Everything was born from the will of Guido Martinetti and Federico Grom, founders of the famous Grom gelato brand, which ten years ago was sold to Unilever. The two entrepreneurs, long-time friends, had already created Mura Mura, a farm producing high-quality fruit, which was used precisely for their gelato. But Martinetti’s dream, as an oenologist, had always been to produce wine. And so Mura Mura transformed into a winery, focusing entirely on the great native grapes of the area. Mura Mura means “to live slowly, with wisdom, to take care of what has value” and, perhaps, it is by following the meaning of the agricultural enterprise that Martinetti, together with his wife Martina Giraudo, brought Relais Le Marne to life.

The accommodation facilities

Two country houses, as mentioned. Two farmhouses skilfully restored, taking into account the original structure, which is respected and harmonised as much as possible with the surrounding nature. One is called the Dimora dei Poeti: five suites, all different from one another, each dedicated to a different poet. There is Gianmaria Testa, Guido Gozzano, Primo Levi, Natalia Ginzburg and Cesare Pavese. In the same building there is a semi-Olympic indoor swimming pool of 25 metres, a gym, a sauna and a massage room. The other country house is an old farmhouse with eight rooms, where the inspiration is artistic. In the Dimora degli Artisti there is, for example, the room inspired by the artist French Carlomagno, comic book author, as well as the one suggested by the illustrator Paolo Rui.

In addition, there is the Casa Sospesa: a wooden house five metres above the ground, immersed among the vineyards, ideal for a couple and with every necessary comfort. A true little gem to be enjoyed in silence, waiting for the sunset over the hills and Monte Rosa.

The Radici restaurant

On the ground floor of the farmhouse, where once there was the cellar dating back to the late 19th century, there is the table of Radici ristorante in Vigna. The kitchen is entrusted to chef Mykyta Bida and the proposal seems to reflect to the letter the context in which we find ourselves. There are many products from the land and from the farm, there is technique, never self-referential, always aimed at enhancing each single terroir. Thus, the dishes are flavourful yet delicate at the same time, full of character but everything is perfectly balanced, harmonious.

There are three tasting menus. Orto (€75) is dedicated to vegetables and garden produce: the mountain gnocchi with mushroom ragout are excellent, while the grilled okra (a vegetable originating in tropical Africa) with king oyster mushrooms and sautéed shiitake is even more tempting. In the Terra menu (€85) the stuffed agnolotti with beef cheek are delicious, while the quail in three servings (seared breast, crispy leg and marinated egg) is a concentration of finesse. The last menu is Radici (€100), where one lets oneself be guided by the chef through a six-course journey drawing from a selection of 15 dishes, including a few hints from the sea such as raw meagre with almonds and mustard seeds.

The Mura Mura winery

Here one drinks well, very well, starting with the wines of their own production, from the Mura Mura winery. The wines are precise, clean, elegant, yet by no means lacking in personality. Sweetness – Guido Martinetti tells us – must never be absent; it is what gives the pleasantness of the sip. Obviously, we are not talking about sugary sweetness, but rather fruit sweetness, fragrance. And so, with measured acidity, savouriness to complete, and in the reds a tannin always mature, soft, caressing, the result is achieved.

At the restaurant one can enjoy the Mura Mura journey (4 glasses at €40), tasting both whites and reds, from Grignolino to Favorita, passing through Barolo and Barbaresco. But there is also a journey with local wines, again 4 glasses at the same price, or a final one with great wines of the world (€50).

Vuoi che nella traduzione mantenga i nomi italiani delle Dimore (Dimora dei Poeti, Dimora degli Artisti) e dei menu degustazione (Orto, Terra, Radici), oppure li adatto in inglese (“Abode of the Poets”, “Roots menu” ecc.)?