Crossed by the river Belbo, affluent of the Tanaro, it stretches on a hilly territory with heights varying from 150 and 500 metres on the sea level.
Canelli has very hold origins. Traces of the first settlements date back to the pre-historical epoch. The first inhabitants or the territory to become the earliest village were the Liguri Statiaelli, a popular coming from the nearby Liguria. The first urban settlement of an importance developed later, during the roman era, and war ever since surrounded by a number of farms growing vines.
After a long decadence, Canelli flourished again in the late middle Ages, in fact ever since 961 it was designated “town”. Its prosperity started between the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth century when the wine industry of Moscato d’Asti, nowadays still one of the most important economical resources of the town, developed. The coat of arms of the town is a shield with a dog rampant surrounded with ditch reeds (reminding of the banks of the Belbo river) with a scroll bearing the Latin words “AD PRAECLARA”, i.e. “towards a greatest success”. In Canelli, vine growing has gives birth to a genuine enological civilization. The cultivation of the vines was largely extended already during the Roman age.
As years went by the wines and sparkling wines from Canelli conquered a leader position in both home and foreign markets being appreciated on the tables all over the world. Nowadays the tows is the seat of historical wineries with some leading marks of the Italian enology, not to mention the fact that the first Italian sparkling wine was produced just in the Gancia winery in Canelli over 150 years ago. Canelli is one of the world capitals of quality wines: 580 wines estates are located in the territory of the commune and the vineyards cover a surface of 1500 hectares with an average annual production of 10.000.000 bottles. The grape varieties grown are mainly Moscato, Barbera, Dolcetto, Cortese and Chardonnay. The most important wines produced by the wineries of Canelli are Asti spumante (sparkling wine) and Moscato d’Asti (still wine), both wines are obtained from Moscato grapes and have the DOCG appellation (controlled and granted denomination of origin).
Nevertheless, the uniqueness of Canelli in the world consists of its least visible characteristic: a wide net of underground cellars, genuine “cathedrals” built underground. Nowadays, as in the past, special conditions of temperature and humidity, together with the protection from the sunrays, make of these unusual “aisles” the best place to refine all valuable still and sparkling wines. The tunnels dug under the historical buildings hosting the wineries wind for kilometres under the houses of the town, sometimes going down many levels in the heart of the tufaceous hills. Most of these genuine masterworks of architectonics were built between the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries. In these fascinating rooms the cellar men repeat ancient enological rituals, such as the “rémuage”, the turning the bottles of sparkling wine by hand to favour the maturation of the wine sending the sediments against the cork.
Canelli is in the heart of the growing area of white truffles, “Tuber Magnatum Pico”, the diamond of the Piedmont cuisine. The “trifolao”, i.e. truffle searchers, find it in the country with the help of mongrels, called “tabui” with incredibly sensitive nose. The “trifola”, this is the local word for truffle, is the “king” of gourmand cuisine, cut into thin slices, it is the ideal “dressing” of “tajarin”, the special narrow hand made pasta of the region around Canelli, or of a risotto; but it can also be sliced on fried eggs.
Some other local recipes are based on the “Tonda Gentile della Langa” hazelnut variety. This fruit with excellent organoleptic characteristics is grown in Canelli and in neighbouring hills of the Langa astigiana. The local pastry cooks have enhanced its features using it not only for the famous cakes, but also for cookies, nougat, creams, ice creams, and even liquors with the “Tonda Gentile” as their basic ingredient.

The town shows prestigious monuments and picturesque landscapes not to lose. The castle, now property of the Gancia family, the famous producers of spumante, stands on the hill of Villanuova, dominating Canelli.
The many baroque churches located in different parts of the town were built between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries with the interventions of the best artists of the time. The parish churches of San Tommaso and San Leonardo show valuable furniture, whereas the churches of the San Rocco and Annunziata brotherhoods are a small architectonical jewels. The city climbing the hill is subdivided into the Borgo and Villanuova and offers a splendid sight and many fascinating perspectives on ancient sports. A number of panoramic roads start from there. The “Enoteca Regionale” of “Canelli e dell’Astesana” (Canelli and the Asti region) is located in the underground cellars of a nineteenth century building in Corso Libertà, close to the historical seats of important wineries producing spumante. The Enoteca offers the visitors the opportunity of tasting the prestigious wines of the member wineries accompanied by local dishes and gastronomical products.

Castello Gancia, ex Scarampi-Crivelli