Tenuta il Finale Comes to Cambridge: A Taste of Piemonte at the Cambridge Wine Festival
There is something special about bringing a wine from its place of origin to a new audience, particularly when that audience has such an appreciation for heritage, craftsmanship, food and wine.
This year, Tenuta il Finale was delighted to be part of the Cambridge Wine Festival, bringing the flavours and character of Piemonte to wine lovers in one of England’s most historic cities. For our small estate in the hills of Piemonte, it was an opportunity to introduce more people to our wines, share the story behind our vineyards and, most importantly, enjoy wine together.
Tenuta il Finale is a boutique wine estate in the heart of Piemonte, surrounded by the rolling vineyards of Castagnole delle Lanze and Costigliole d’Asti. Although our estate may be a long way from Cambridge, the two places share something important: a deep respect for tradition, knowledge and craftsmanship. Piemonte has been producing wine for generations, with its vineyards shaped by a unique combination of climate, altitude, exposure and soils. Its native grape varieties have evolved alongside this landscape, creating wines that are deeply connected to their origins.
At Tenuta il Finale, we work primarily with traditional Piemonte varieties including Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo and Arneis. Our philosophy is simple: to allow the character of the land and the individual vineyards to express themselves in the bottle. The Cambridge Wine Festival provided the perfect setting to share this approach and introduce visitors to a little of what makes Piemonte such a fascinating wine region.
For many visitors, a wine festival is about discovery, finding a new producer, tasting a grape variety they may not have encountered before, or simply finding a wine they want to take home and share. For us, that spirit of discovery is one of the great pleasures of bringing Tenuta il Finale to events such as Cambridge.
Barbera sits at the heart of what we do. One of Piemonte’s great native varieties, it is known for its naturally vibrant acidity, generous fruit and ability to produce wines with both freshness and structure. Some of our vineyards are planted with old Barbera vines, including vines that are around 60 years old. These mature vines are an important part of the identity of our estate, producing smaller quantities of fruit with concentration, character and a strong sense of place.
Alongside Barbera, our Monferrato Dolcetto offers another expression of Piemonte, while our Langhe Arneis showcases the freshness and elegance of one of the region’s best known white grape varieties. Together, these wines demonstrate the diversity of the Piemonte landscape and the different personalities that can emerge from its vineyards.
While vineyards and winemaking are at the heart of Tenuta il Finale, wine has always been about more than what is in the bottle. It is about people, meeting the person who made the wine, hearing the story behind the vineyard and discovering what makes a particular bottle different. That is why wine festivals are such an important part of what we do.
Meeting wine lovers face-to-face gives us the opportunity to talk about the estate, our vineyards and the philosophy behind our wines. Just as importantly, it gives us the chance to listen. We enjoy hearing which wines people respond to, what surprises them and what they are discovering for the first time. At Cambridge, we were delighted to share that experience with visitors who were curious about Piemonte and eager to explore wines beyond the more familiar regions and varieties.
Every bottle of Tenuta il Finale begins in the vineyard. Our approximately seven hectares are spread across several distinct sites, each offering its own combination of soil, aspect and altitude. We believe that understanding these differences is essential to making wines with a genuine sense of place. Our approach combines traditional vineyard practices with careful, considered winemaking. Grapes are hand-harvested, with close attention given to the health and quality of the fruit, while in the cellar we aim to intervene as little as possible, allowing the character of the grapes and vineyards to remain at the centre of each wine.
Sustainability is also an important part of our approach. Tenuta il Finale has achieved SQNPI certification, reflecting our commitment to responsible and integrated vineyard management. For us, sustainability is not simply about a certification. It is about protecting the land we depend upon and ensuring that these vineyards can continue to produce distinctive Piemonte wines for generations to come.
One of the great pleasures of a wine festival is that there is always something new to discover. A conversation can lead to a new grape variety, a tasting can change your perception of a region, and a bottle that you might never have chosen from a shelf can become a favourite after one glass. We hope that, for those who visited Tenuta il Finale at the Cambridge Wine Festival, Piemonte became a little more familiar.
Perhaps it was a first taste of Barbera. Perhaps it was discovering Dolcetto or Arneis. Or perhaps it was simply enjoying a glass of Italian wine while imagining the vineyards and hills from which it came. Whatever the discovery, it is these small moments of connection that make sharing wine so rewarding.
For us, the Cambridge Wine Festival was more than another event in the calendar. It was an opportunity to connect our small estate in Piemonte with a new community of wine lovers in Cambridge and to share something of the landscape, traditions and people behind our wines.
From the old vines of our vineyards to the tables of Cambridge, each bottle carries with it a sense of place, history and craftsmanship. We are proud to share that story and grateful to everyone who stopped by to taste, talk and discover a little more about Tenuta il Finale.
If the Cambridge Wine Festival has inspired you to discover more of Piemonte, we invite you to explore the wines of Tenuta il Finale - perhaps open a bottle, pour a glass and let a little of Piemonte come to you.
Tenuta il Finale — Piemonte in every bottle.
