Rocco di Carpeneto - vini d'Alto Monferrato is a strictly natural winery located in Carpeneto (Al)
Alessandria
Ciao, siamo Lidia e Paolo e gestiamo in Alto Monferrato, nella parte di Piemonte più vicina al mare, un'azienda di vini radicali (per radicali intendiamo naturali per davvero, senza storytelling ad hoc) avviata nel 2009.
Viviamo in Piemonte ma non siamo di qui e non abbiamo un radicamento contadino familiare: Lidia è originaria di Roma, Paolo del Lago di Garda, entrambi abbiamo vissuto per molti anni a Milano. Nel 2008 abbiamo deciso di lasciare la città e i precedenti lavori per andarcene più vicino alla natura, e fare vino in modo ovviamente distante dai canoni della viticoltura e dell'enologia convenzionali.
Qui l'ispirazione è la "do nothing farming", ma rifiutiamo ogni dottrina, a partire dalla biodinamica: in viticoltura, e in generale in agricoltura, ciò che conta è l'osservazione in loco, coniugata al recupero di un'impostazione meno antropocentrica possibile.
Con noi vivono 6 cani, Aldo, Anouk, Astrid, Gea, Heidi e Petter, 3 gatti (Tarassaco, Calendula, Amaranto), e, acquisizione più recente, 4 galline e 1 gallo, di razza anconetana (con 90 mq a loro esclusiva disposizione, e son qui solo per le uova: Paolo è vegetariano, in ogni caso qui di carne ne gira pochissima o niente del tutto).
Vigna e cantina rappresentano ovviamente la gran parte dell'attività agricola a Rocco di Carpeneto, ma abbiamo anche un grande orto, tre serre, e siamo cultori di erbe spontanee (perché nulla è più naturale del raccoglitore).
Purtroppo ispirarsi alla "do nothing farming" non vuol dire che vi sia poco da fare: curare tutto manualmente (a meno dei soli pochi trattamenti) significa un carico di lavoro notevole, con particolari picchi in talune fasi. Siamo comunque ben organizzati per gestire tutto, avendo con noi altre 2 persone stabili e 1 rifugiato tirocinante (a breve diventeranno 2).
Siccome non amiamo per nulla la retorica contadina, è chiaro che vi è molto da fare anche sui fronti delle vendite e della burocrazia -è ipocrita nasconderlo (ma chi viene qui se ne accorge solo in parte).
E' difficile descrivere una giornata media di attività, perché tutto è troppo variabile in dipendenza dei periodi: in ogni caso non siamo cultori di Stakanov o di miti simili (se uno sta in campo tutto il giorno quando mai si leggerà un libro? e che vita dunque sarebbe?), quindi di weekend non si lavora, a meno di specifiche urgenze.
I WWOOFer saranno ospitati nelle stanze dedicate sino all'anno scorso all'attività di accoglienza agrituristica -dopo dieci anni di affollamento crescente tutto l'anno abbiamo deciso di non averne più voglia, di ospitalità per business, ne andava della qualità della vita complessiva. Quindi oggi le nostre case rialzate tra gli alberi e le stanze-in-vigna sono a disposizione (se andate sul nostro sito trovate il link a queste strutture, vedrete che sono davvero particolari).
Quanto ai pasti, l'alternativa è tra mangiare con noi (ovvio, se non siamo in giro per il mondo) o utilizzare una cucina indipendente con annessi locali destinati sino allo scorso anno a colazioni e cene in agriturismo. Come detto, non aspettatevi carne se non sporadicamente (ricordatevi che sarete in un'area antispecista)
Siamo maniaci dello sci di fondo, per cui d'inverno siamo spesso in giro per maratone di lunga distanza. E la casa è piena di libri, ovunque, e di maschere africane. E i nostri animali hanno comunque la precedenza su tutto.
Il mare ligure qui è davvero vicino, ma lo sono anche gli Appennini. In poco più di un'ora, poi, si arriva a Milano, a Torino e a Genova. Si può correre un po' ovunque, la bici è sempre impegnativa perché si va sempre in su o in giù.
Da noi c'è anche una piscina, e una piccola area wellness.
Hi, we're Lidia e Paolo, and 15 years ago we started up here (Upper Monferrato, in the part of Piemonte closest to the sea) a radical wines winery (radical meaning really natural, without any ad hoc storytelling).
We live in Piedmont but our roots are not here and we don't belong to farmers' families: Lidia comes from Roma, Paolo from Lago di Garda, and together spent a lot of years in Milan. We decided in 2008 to escape from the city and our previous jobs and to reach the countryside, being closer to nature and making wine without any compromise with "modern" viticolture and enology.
Here we are influenced by the "do nothing farming" concept, however always refusing any prepackaged doctrine, including biodynamic: what is crucial in viticulture is the in situ personal observation, married with a far-from-anthropocentric approach.
6 dogs live with us (Aldo. Anouk, Astrid, Gea, Heidi e Petter) as well as 3 cats (Amaranto, Calendula e Tarassaco), and, recent acquisition, 4 chickens and 1 rooster (having 90 sq. m reserved -they are here in peace just for their sympathy and the eggs: Paolo is vegetarian -remember in any case that here you will see very little or nothing at all of meat).
Vineyard and cellar obviously represent the bulk of the agricultural activity at Rocco di Carpeneto, but we also have a large vegetable garden, a greenhouse, and we are devotees of wild herbs (because nothing is more natural than gathering them).
Unfortunately, being inspired by ‘do nothing farming’ does not mean that there is little to do: taking care of everything manually (apart from just a few treatments) means a considerable workload, with particular peaks at certain times. Since we are not at all fond of rural rhetoric, it is clear that there is also a lot to be done on the sales and bureaucratic fronts - it is hypocritical to conceal this (but those who come here only partly realise it).
It is difficult to describe an average day's activity, because everything varies too much depending on the time of year: in any case, we are not Stakhanov fans or similar myths (if one is in the field all day, when will one ever read a book? and what kind of life would that be?), so we do not work at weekends, unless there are specific emergencies.
WWOOFers will be accommodated in the rooms that until last year were used to host farm holidays - after ten years of increasing year-round crowding, we decided we didn't want to do business hospitality any more, the overall quality of life was at stake. So today our houses in the trees and rooms-in-a-vineyard are available (if you go to our website you will find the link to these facilities, you will see that they are very special).
For meals, the choice is between eating with us (of course, if we are not out and about) or using an independent kitchen with adjoining rooms that until last year were used for breakfasts and dinners at the farmhouse. As mentioned, don't expect meat except sporadically (remember you will be in an anti-speciesist area).
We are cross-country skiing maniacs, so in winter we are often out on long-distance marathons. And the house is full of books, everywhere, and African masks. And our animals still take precedence over everything.
The Ligurian sea here is really close, but so are the Apennines. In just over an hour, then, you can get to Milan, Turin and Genoa. You can run a bit everywhere, the bike is always challenging because you are always going up or down.
There is also a swimming pool and a small wellness area.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Viticulture
Wild foraging
Beer, cider, wine, or juice making
Methods or systems
No-till farming
Host type
Production farm
Certified organic
15
Hectares
|
37.1
Acres
Lidia
Member since 2024
Languages spoken:
English, Italian, Spanish
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
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Fri
Sat
Response rate: 100%
Response time: typically within 2 days
Alessandria
Stazione di Ovada - Aeroporto di Genova
Reviews
Yael
Israel
•
June 2026
I stayed with Paolo and Lidia for two and a half weeks, and the experience was wonderful!
From the very first moment, they made me feel comfortable and truly part of the place.
The work was very diverse. In the mornings, we worked in the vineyard, pruning the vines, and after the lunch break, we worked in the garden, harvesting various fruits and vegetables, watering, clearing the soil, and taking care of the crops.
They also took me to two wonderful wine festivals in the area, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
The shared meals together were moments I will never forget.
I really appreciate everyone and am very grateful for their kindness, hospitality, and everything I learned during my stay.
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Christopher
United Kingdom
•
May 2026
What a lovely group of people (and animals!) The whole team there made me feel at home right away. We worked together on various activities from pruning the vineyards to picking wild strawberries to helping out with a couple of wine fairs they had on.
Very generous with their hospitality and knowledge also; I learnt so much about the natural wine making process in the week or so I was there! Their wine is incredible too.
I would 100% recommend!
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Amy
United States
•
October 2025
I had an incredible 3 week stay at Rocco during the end of their grape harvest. The accommodations were beautiful and everybody was warm, welcoming. Weekends were free for relaxation or exploration. Lidia and Paolo are kind, knowledgeable and generous hosts. Laughter and delicious wine were always flowing at mealtimes. This WWOOF experience was everything I could have hoped for and more. Grazie Mille!
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Reply from Lidia
thanks so much, Amy
Pete
United States
•
October 2025
I came to Carpeneto to learn about the natural wine movement. Lidia, Paolo, Gianluca and the crew gave an unvarnished first hand education to me over a three week period at the peak of harvest. The breadth of the experience far exceeded my expectations. The housing was exceptional, and the community meals were fabulous…aided by the regional culinary traditions from a wide array of volunteers.
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Reply from Lidia
thanks so much, Pete
Emma
United Kingdom
•
October 2025
My sister and I spent a wonderful 8 days at Rocco di Carpeneto. The setting is stunning, with vineyards stretching in every direction. Paolo and Lidia were fantastic hosts, warm, welcoming, and with a great sense of humour and excellent English.
We were lucky to arrive during the grape harvest, so our mornings were spent among the vines picking Cortese and Albarossa grapes. Afternoons were optional; we often chose to join the other WWOOFers cleaning crates, which created a real sense of camaraderie. Evenings were always a highlight, sharing meals around the table, enjoying dishes from different cultures, and tasting Paolo and Lidia’s beautiful natural wines. They were also incredibly kind and generous, even taking us out at the weekend.
Our bedroom was lovely and clean & comfortable. We didn’t make use of the pool or wellness area, but in warmer weather they would be a real treat. And of course, the gorgeous dogs, such an important part of the Rocco family, made it feel even more special.
We would absolutely recommend this experience. Thank you, Paolo and Lidia!
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Reply from Lidia
many many thanks for your remarks 😋
Paula
Netherlands
•
September 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the vineyard with Lidia, Poalo, and the team. In the mornings, we harvested grapes and later processed the picked vines, followed by various chores in the afternoons. Lidia, Paolo, and the team were incredibly generous in sharing their knowledge about making natural wine, and I saw and learned so much!
The wines produced at Lidia and Paolo’s farm are truly delicious, and it’s fantastic that natural wines are made without any added sulfites or similar substances. The flavors of the wines from this vineyard are simply amazing!
I really cherished my time on the farm, the culture, the food, and the collaboration. It was a wonderful experience, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I can’t wait until the wine we harvested together is bottled… just a little more patience! After this experience, I can appreciate a good glass of wine even more 😊
Grazie mille!
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Reply from Lidia
davvero grazie per i tuoi commenti, Paula 😋
