A town in the Vercelli hills of Piedmont where a fine, meaty red wine of the same name is made with Nebbiolo grapes (here called Spanna) with a small quantity of Bonarda. Recent archaeological discoveries show that wine has been produced in the district since the time of the Romans. That antiquity is further confirmed in a document in the archives of the Archdiocese of Vercelli attesting to the cultivation of vines on the hills around the town at least since the reign of Charlemagne.The wine must have been good since the Marquess of Gattinara, Cardinal Mercurino Arborio, chancellor of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and a lover of the wine of his birthplace, presented it to the royal court of Spain. It received its Denominazione di Origine Controllata in 1967. (DOCG).
