Cascina TavijnNadia Verrua & Family
Ottavio, Teresa, and the Bandita. Four generations of playful, experimental natural wine from the sandy hills of Asti—where labels wear Zorro masks and bottles are named after family.
From 1908 to the "Bandita"—how a fourth-generation family estate in forgotten Monferrato became the most playful name in natural wine.
The Verrua family has been crafting natural wines from indigenous varieties for over a century in the steep hills of Scurzolengo, a village in the Asti province of Monferrato that most wine maps ignore. Since 1908, the family has worked these lands, but it was Nadia Verrua—the fourth generation—who transformed the estate into a cult phenomenon [^148^][^155^].
Nadia took over from her parents Ottavio and Teresa, who still farm the vineyards with love. The estate spans 7 hectares (5 of vines, plus hazelnuts and woods), yet Nadia's ambition is vast. She progressively abandoned DOC/DOCG labels to free herself from bureaucratic limitations, renaming her core wines after family members: Ottavio (Grignolino), Teresa (Ruché), and La Bandita (Barbera)—the latter depicting Nadia herself wearing a Zorro mask on the label [^147^][^152^].
Nadia's husband Pietro Vergano runs the acclaimed Ristorante Consorzio in Turin, where many limited bottlings appear first. Their two young daughters occasionally appear on labels (Bianca), and family friend Gianluca Cannizzo (of My Poster Sucks) creates the tongue-in-cheek artwork that has become as famous as the wines themselves [^150^][^155^].
"Free from limitations"—abandoning DOC labels, embracing indigenous grapes, and limiting sulfur to zero when possible.
Nadia's parents farmed without agricultural chemicals long before it was fashionable—their land "has never seen agricultural chemicals." While Ottavio and Teresa tend the vines, Nadia works in the cellar with increasing experimental freedom. Over the last decade, she has pushed herself to limit or eschew SO2 entirely—today adding sulfur only after malolactic fermentation if over-active yeasts threaten the wine's stability [^150^][^147^].
The estate is organic but not certified—Nadia prefers freedom to official stamps. Vinification occurs in large Slavonian oak casks (botti), stainless steel, or fiberglass, depending on the vintage and experiment. Hand harvesting is standard; destemming is gentle with berries kept whole. Macerations are lengthy—sometimes 2+ months for Grignolino—creating wines of unexpected depth from "light" varieties [^150^][^182^].
Nadia's approach is deeply experimental: same grapes vinified differently within the same vintage, ripasso techniques, one-off soil-specific bottlings, and collaborations with friends like Ezio Cerruti (who supplies Moscato for Bianca). The labels—colorful, irreverent, designed by Gianluca Cannizzo—announce that these are not serious Barolo-style wines, but joyful, living expressions of Monferrato's forgotten varieties [^147^][^177^].
Limitations
Scurzolengo—soft sand and steep slopes in the forgotten Asti province. Where Barbera, Grignolino, and Ruché have personality.
Sand
The soil is mostly soft sand with clay and limestone, which gives the wines perfume and elegance rather than the power of nearby Barolo. This soil creates the light, aromatic character that defines Tavijn [^150^][^155^].
Slopes
All vines are planted on slopes with various exposures, hand-tended by Ottavio and Teresa. The steepness requires manual labor, preventing mechanization and ensuring intimate vine care [^150^][^158^].
Zone
Scurzolengo is "a long forgotten area in the Asti province"—blessed with unique indigenous varieties (Grignolino, Ruché, Slarina) that have seen a cultish rise in popularity precisely because of producers like Nadia [^147^][^155^].
From dad (Ottavio) to mom (Teresa) to the Bandita—wines named after family, labeled with art, and vinified without rules.
Ottavio
Named for Nadia's father who tends these vines. 100% Grignolino—the indigenous variety making a pale, light red with characteristic bitter cherry (amarena) flavor. Shows garnet color, tart cherry, black pepper, and spruce tips. Macerated 2+ months in steel and cement. Perfect with dried sausages and aged Asiago. Label features Ottavio's sketch [^147^][^150^][^182^].
Teresa
Named for Nadia's mother. 100% Ruché—the rare indigenous variety darker than Grignolino with saturated purple color, plum notes, and rose petal aromas. Made to be drunk young with salumi and bresaola. Fermented with ambient yeasts, aged in neutral vats one year. Label features Teresa's sketch. "Hard to find nowadays" but cultishly rising in popularity [^147^][^150^][^174^].
La Bandita
The estate's Barbera—self-referential to Nadia, depicted on the label wearing a Zorro mask (designed by Gianluca Cannizzo). Unlike most regional Barberas, this spends extended élevage as Nadia believes the wine deserves. Bold with candied dark red fruit and lip-smacking finish. Sometimes slightly fizzy on opening—"Bandita wants to party." 40-year-old vines [^147^][^175^][^186^].
'68
A 50/50 blend of Barbera and Ruché named after Nadia's uncle Sisto (6) and her dad Ottavio (8)—both illustrated under a single shared yellow fedora on the label. Destemmed, gently pressed, long cold maceration, native yeast fermentation in vat. Aged in cement, fiberglass, and Slavonian oak for about a year. Wild, barnyardy, with rose petal, plum, tart cherry, and kombucha notes [^146^][^147^].
Bianca
Named for Nadia's daughter. An aromatic orange/white blend of Cortese and Chardonnay from vines beneath Nadia's home, plus Moscato from her friend Ezio Cerruti. Brief 4-day skin contact for most varieties. Unfiltered, cloudy, aromatic, joyous. Crown cap finish. Label depicts Bianca. A compelling and unusual blend that changes vintage to vintage [^147^][^173^][^177^][^180^].
Rosetta
100% Freisa made as a rosé, slightly frizzante (sparkling), making it lively and delicious. Freisa is another indigenous Piemontese variety. The slight fizz adds to the joyful, casual character—perfect for aperitivo. Label features the family hazelnut connection or other playful artwork. Rare and limited [^150^].
Ruchena
Old vine Ruché from a tiny parcel in the village of Frassinello, near the family farm. Raised in neutral vat for about a year prior to bottling. Production is tiny—this is the most exclusive, allocated Ruché from the estate. Deeper, more complex, and age-worthy than the standard Teresa [^150^].
MostRo
Pét-nat made from Grignolino grapes from the lovely one-hectare vineyard Mezzena. Partially fermented wine is bottled and capped, where fermentation continues creating bubbles. Light, fresh, and aromatic—the playful side of Grignolino. Crown cap finish. Limited production from specific vineyard site [^150^].
Slarina
Made from Slarina—another disappearing indigenous varietal of Monferrato. Nadia has planted this and other forgotten grapes to preserve genetic diversity. The wine is "pretty and elegant" with production extremely limited. Represents Nadia's commitment to the region's viticultural heritage beyond the famous names [^155^][^180^].
Vino Rosso
Started as a trattoria wine for husband Pietro's Ristorante Consorzio in Turin. Thirst-quenching but anything but simple—a blend of Freisa, Ruché, and/or Barbera that changes every vintage. Represents the "house wine" philosophy: drinkable, natural, and honest. Available primarily at the restaurant or as limited allocations [^150^][^155^].
Labels as Legacy
Cascina Tavijn has redefined how natural wine can communicate personality. By abandoning the staid DOC labels of her region and embracing playful, artistic packaging designed by Gianluca Cannizzo (My Poster Sucks), Nadia has created a visual language as distinctive as her wines. The labels aren't marketing—they're family portraits: Ottavio farming, Teresa tending, Nadia as Zorro, Bianca as a child [^147^][^152^].
Beyond the aesthetics, Tavijn represents the preservation of Monferrato's indigenous soul. While the world chases Barolo and Barbaresco, Nadia champions Grignolino, Ruché, and Slarina—grapes that "used to be widely planted but now disappearing." Her experimental approach (same grapes, different vinifications; ripasso; one-off bottlings) has inspired a new generation of young producers in the region to view these "lesser" varieties as canvases for creativity rather than commodities for bulk production [^147^][^182^].
- Preservation of indigenous Monferrato varieties
- Abandoned DOC/DOCG for creative freedom
- Zero/minimal sulfur trendsetter
- Collaboration with avant-garde label artists
- Fourth-generation family continuity
- Inspiration for regional experimental winemaking