Perched on top of a gentle hill, plunged in the greenery of a magnificent Italian garden, the Castello di Spessa Resort stands as an elegant landmark at the heart of the Collio. Its origins date back to the 13th century, but several records hint to the passage of the Romans since as back as the 3rd century A.D. For centuries, the manor house was the residence of the Friulian aristocracy. In fact, a few famous families took turns in the property since the 15th century: Durnberg, Rassauer and Della Torre Valsassina. The latter family, the descendants of Charlemagne, remained the owners for over 300 years. In 1773, count Lucio Torriani welcomed in his castle Giacomo Casanova, the celebrated writer and adventurer, whom a prize is dedicated to.

Over the centuries, illustrious people stayed here, like Lorenzo Da Ponte – who was Mozart’s librettist – and the Duke Emanuele Filiberto of Aosta. The atmosphere of the castle today evokes the magnificence of yore: the nobleness, the arts, the prestige as well as the feats of the distinguished personages who enjoyed their stay here in the past centuries.

In 1987, the Castle of Spessa and the vineyards surrounding the residence were acquired by the Pali family, who gave new life to the site and developed a complex named Castello di Spessa Resort, including an 18-hole golf club, Hosteria del Castello, a wine farm, the Casanova Wine Store, a hotel and gourmet restaurant called La Tavernetta.