Degustazioni e Prodotti

Taste as a journey, tradition as a guide

In the heart of Oltrepò Pavese, where the landscape smells of vineyards and history, the Castle of Varzi opens its ancient cellars for tasting experiences that combine culture and flavor.

Here every glass tells of a generous territory, every taste is a fragment of identity.

Amidst stone vaults and soft lighting, discover the wines of Oltrepò and the products that express its essence: the famous Salame di Varzi DOP, cheeses of the valley, honeys, and artisanal preserves.

Every tasting is thought of as a small ritual, where time slows down and beauty takes a breath.

The historic cellars and dedicated spaces of the ancient Residence offer the ideal setting for private events, exclusive aperitifs, or sensory journeys guided by local producers.

An authentic way to know the territory through taste, letting yourself be accompanied on a journey that caresses all the senses.

A place that alone would be enough to make the experience unique, but there is a detail that changes everything: every wine, every cheese, every delicacy comes from producers personally chosen by the Count, one by one. A short, sincere supply chain, made of hands that know the territory and respect it.

1164 – Salame di Varzi DOP

1164 – Salame di Varzi DOP

A name, a beginning

1164: the year Emperor Frederick Barbarossa entrusted the fief of Varzi to the noble Malaspina family, who were destined to bind their name for centuries to the Castle of Varzi and the Staffora Valley. Within these walls, a tradition of hospitality, banquets and local flavours took shape — flavours that would become symbols of welcome and local identity.

Legend has it that the Malaspina lords would welcome their guests with a slice of Salame di Varzi, cut with the characteristic diagonal slice from the elongated tip that still distinguishes the traditional way of serving it today. It was not merely an aesthetic detail, but a gesture of conviviality tied to the prestige of the Castle's noble tables.

Traversed by the Via del Sale — the ancient salt road — the Staffora Valley became over time the ideal place for the curing and ageing of cured meats: salt arriving from Ligurian trade routes, the skill of local craftsmen, and the unique climatic conditions of the territory all contributed to consolidating a gastronomic tradition refined over the centuries. Today as then, the air of the Apennine forests and the sea breezes ensure perfect conditions for slow, natural maturation.

From this heritage comes our 1164 – Salame di Varzi DOP: a cured meat that gains character in the medieval cellars of the Castle, where temperature, stone, humidity and time all contribute to its perfect refinement. A tribute to the Staffora Valley and to the tradition that has made Salame di Varzi one of the most recognisable excellence of Italian charcuterie.

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