Historical tales and events

1220
Early historical insights

Among the various documents that give shape to the historical archives of Nizza Monferrato is a sentence dated January 15, 1220, in which the Lords Lanerio and the Marchesi d’Incisa fixed the much-contested boundaries of their properties. In defining these, mention was made of another nearby property, the Bauda. Even today, the estate’s lands represent the boundary between the municipalities of Incisa Scapaccino, then known as Incisa Belbo, and Nizza Monferrato.

1872 - 1881
The various transfers of ownership

Research into the history of this estate has revealed several changes in ownership over time. In the 1800s the estate saw several successive owners. From the hands of Conte Giuseppe Francesco Veggi di Castellamonte, a nobleman of Piedmontese history, the property passed in 1872 to the family of Teodoro Mariani, who sold after a decade to Carlo Martini in 1881.

1891
Giovanni Battista De Negri

The residence, positioned atop a hill and surrounded by nature, aroused the interest of one of the most talented tenors of the second half of the 19th century. Giovanni Battista De Negri, the protagonist of a lifetime of musical triumphs, purchased the estate in July 1891. His great facility in tackling new scores made him one of the most sought-after singers by theaters throughout Europe, and this allowed him to get to know several people in the background. Dated February 5, 1989, is a letter addressed to publisher Giulio Ricordi in which Giuseppe Verdi wrote about Denegri’s virtuosity in his interpretation of Otello.

At the estate, used as a summer residence, the tenor loved to invite art personalities, sing romances and entertain friends, passing on his passion for the theater to all. It was he himself who changed the name of the estate, calling it Villa De Negri, but keeping on the entrance gate the inscription Tenuta Olim Bauda, in memory of the old name.

1919
The sale by the Tenor

Dated July 24, 1919 is the deed of sale of the estate that sanctioned the transfer of ownership from Giovanni Battista De Negri to the firm Pugni & Coppo for 155000 liras. According to legend, the sale took place as a result of gambling debts, although it is also said that the house was even pledged. A few years later the new owners divided the property into two separate parts, the Bauda and the Bauda Bassa, which were sold to two separate buyers.

1941 - 1942
The Second World War

During World War II, the Bauda property was owned by the Carretta family. Memories of Mrs. Carretta take us back to events she experienced firsthand when she was a child. During the war, the estate was noticed for its location by a group of soldiers who set up an encampment in the surrounding gardens. On this particular occasion, the house was not occupied but the only interior rooms the soldiers were allowed to enter were the laundry rooms, which were converted into infirmaries for the wounded.

1961
The Bertolino Family

1961 was the year the Bertolino family began sewing ties with the historic mansion. Giovanni and Agostino Bertolino, already in the wine business for several years, purchased the house with the aim of using it as a family residence. The choice fell on this property not only because of the beauty of the structure, but also because the soils and exposure were perfect for giving birth to wines of exceptional quality. Thus was born the Tenuta Olim Bauda brand.

It was not until December 31, 2009, that the Bertolino brothers, Agostino’s sons, were able to reunite Bauda and Bauda Bassa, reconstituting the estate as it had been in previous centuries.

“La Violetta del Verdi”

The tenor Giovanni Battista De Negri established himself on the musical scene as a refined Verdi singer, whose performances brought him to the stages of major theatres in Italy and abroad. Appreciated by critics for his beautiful tenor voice, excellent technique and extraordinary stage presence, he attracted the interest of various members of the musical world and beyond. La Bauda became a salon for the meetings of various personalities, such as Bishop Disma Marquis of Acqui Terme, for whom the tenor performed an aria from La Traviata.

The Brand

The Tenuta Olim Bauda brand was born in 1961, the year Agostino Bertolino purchased the historic mansion in the heart of Monferrato. The first references to the name Bauda appear in writings from 1220, and it was the ancient name of the family that owned this land for centuries.

From being the summer residence and musical salon of tenor Giovanni Battista De Negri to a refuge and infirmary for wounded soldiers during World War II to becoming a wine cellar, the estate has experienced several changes of ownership and different uses over the centuries.

Even today, two 19th-century inscriptions on the pillars of the gate remind us of the old and “new” name:

Villa Denegri, Olim Bauda

Discover our wines

The Brand

The Tenuta Olim Bauda brand was born in 1961, the year Agostino Bertolino purchased the historic mansion in the heart of Monferrato. The first references to the name Bauda appear in writings from 1220, and it was the ancient name of the family that owned this land for centuries.

From being the summer residence and musical salon of tenor Giovanni Battista De Negri to a refuge and infirmary for wounded soldiers during World War II to becoming a wine cellar, the estate has experienced several changes of ownership and different uses over the centuries.

Even today, two 19th-century inscriptions on the pillars of the gate remind us of the old and “new” name:

Villa Denegri, Olim Bauda

Discover our wines