Since its founding, Fratelli Martini Secondo Luigi has been a company in continuous evolution, and the Magnificat, its futuristic barrel cellar, provides an excellent example of this with the feelings of sacrality and majesty it evokes in visitors. Crossing its doors, the senses are enraptured by the magic and charm that surround the durmast barrels lightly resting on the terracotta floors as they protect and preserve the great Nebbiolo wines they contain and help write their history. The arched vaults create visual movement that bestow a vibrant dynamism to the cellar’s environment. The light is warm and welcoming along the four naves, before becoming more natural in the center where it filters through the brilliant pyramid’s windows. The monumental structure is arranged on two levels that recall the use of space found in Aztec temples. On the lower level up to 6000 barriques are organized in four sections by a cross-shaped pattern. On the sides, majestic Slavonian durmast barrels - true icons of tradition - protect the barrel cellar’s heritage; it is the wine herein contained that the winemakers’ expert hands will blend with body, refinement and spiced scents the nectar that rests in the barriques. The wine found here, predominantly great Nebbiolo, rests in a great temple under the majestic reinforced concrete and laminated wood arched vaults. The spiral staircase at the center of the room is bathed in the skylight that regales it with a sacred aura and provides a scenographic access to the second floor: a balcony with a view on the cellar. Here, the glass dome at the top of the laminated wooden pyramid shines discrete light upon the barriques below.
THE EXELLENCE OF THE LAND IS TAKEN TO A HIGHER LEVEL
On the second floor and surrounding the pyramid a 2000 square meter terrace welcomes us with the symbolic and suggestive representations of the vineyards of Piedmontese tradition, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto and Moscato. Each vine’s terroir has been meticulously recreated to allow the grapes to evolve to the best of the capabilities. Here, in a space suspended between the earth the clouds, the fruits of the land grow and prosper alongside one another, a symbolic union of the strengths of the land for a future full of success.
Gianni Martini has always possessed a forward-looking vision that has guided him. For a long time he had felt the need to build something tangible and majestic to pay homage to his beloved red wines; a temple, a safe house where they could express themselves and evolve, a place for them to charge with stories to seduce our senses. With these needs, the idea of an ageing cellar that was imposing, sacred and monumental is born - a homage to powerful and vibrant wines. Having consulted with his friend Vittorio Moretti, Gianni polishes the brave concept of the Magnificat: to build an architecturally reinterpreted Aztec temple to worship wine. A revolutionary idea for the winemaking traditions of Langa. Work begins and every single detail is obsessively considered, from the terracotta floors to the interiors color palette selected to recreate the color schemes of full-bodied red wines. In 2006 the Magnificat is inaugurated with an unforgettable event that marked the beginning of the magic of this special place that casts its spell a new upon each visit.
The Magnificat’s allure is undisputed, and it presents itself as the ideal location for a wide variety of events; classic or Jazz music concerts, book launches, art shows and theatre performances all fine a perfect stage here. Conviviality is at the center of the Magnificat’s character; many events where food and wines are the stars are held every year including gala dinners, casual launches and aperitivo. Considering its vast spaces, Magnificat is also an excellent choice for events that welcome many guests. Events that have been hosted beneath its magical vaults include Christmas gala dinners, a conference organized by Confagricoltura presented by Bruno Vespa, a gala dinner by the National Association of Oenologists and a number of charity dinners counting over 500 guests. In Summer, the Magnificat welcomes the over 1200 grape-growing families for the yearly Festa del Moscato, an ode to agriculture and the collaboration between the families and the company.
