An ancient monastery thathas gone through centuries


The Casale Denari was born as an Augustinian monastery and over the centuries it has changed its appearance and owners, but never its great and fascinating personality. These walls and this land have hosted lives, stories, ideas and projects since medieval times. At the beginning of the nineteenth century the Casale Donelasco was taken over by the Denari family, operating in this region in the silk, wine and wheat trade.

It’s only later though, thanks to Antonio Denari, a visionary, and his wife, Ida de Ferrari that the Casale and the Oltrepò experience a period of great excitement. The brand “Il Casale” was born, it was really appreciated by connoisseurs and offered to guests of the Casale Denari’s ”Hostaria”, a space open to the public within the estate, basically the first tourist farm in the area, when agritourism didn’t exist yet. The foundation of the Italian Classic Spumante Institute together with Gancia, Carpenè, Contratto, Ferrari and Antinori and the management of the Cascina Bella (a great farm belonging to the de Ferrari family) represented important victories for the duke Denari, who in 1955 is acknowledged at the Eliseo in Rome as the First farmer of Italy.

In 1972 Antonio Denari rescues the winery La Versa from the foreigners becoming its president for twenty-two years, competing with French sparkling wines while spreading La Versa products around the world. During his term he fought for the protection of hillside wineries, showing his aversion for lowland wines. With passion and foresight, he saw where others couldn’t see and thus is still remembered and revered as one of the most prominent figure in the Italian wine world of the twentieth century. Nowadays the Casale Denari relives thanks to Alberto Bertuzzi Borgognoni, Antonio’s nephew on his mother’s side and to his Genoese wife, Azzurra Scerni. Alberto and Azzurra moved from Milan with a clear purpose: rebuild and restore the estate after years of neglect. It wasn’t an easy task, it required years of hard work and sacrifices, but fuelled by the conviction the location was special and unique every effort became possible. Cut flower cultivation began in 2018, the year in which the Casale finally reopened its doors thanks to floral design classes and other events curated by Azzurra, one of the first in Italy set up a Flower Farm. As of 2022 the Casale is also accommodation, offering a whole and relaxing experience close to nature, surrounded by hills, flowers and love for beauty.