The name of the village, which is recorded as far back as 1290, may originate from the forename Albinius, but the mention of a ‘Vallis Albignana’ in the twelfth century suggests that it may derive from the appearance of the land, with its whitish soil. The village, which originally belonged to the Marquises of Monferrato, was besieged and taken by Asti in 1292, but then given back to the Monferrato family the following year. The history of Albugnano is bound up with that of the Abbey of Vezzolano.

Albugnano lies on a hilltop. Its economy is based mainly around agriculture, namely wine production (DOC wines: Freisa d’Asti, Malvasia di Castelnuovo don Bosco and Barbera d’Asti). Pride of place goes to the wines made with Nebbiolo grapes: Albugnano DOC, Albugnano superiore DOC and Albugnano rosato DOC. At present Albugnano rosato DOC is the only rosé wine in Piedmont which qualifies for DOC status.

At the foot of the hill where Albugnano lies, in a lush green setting, lies the famous, centuries’ old abbey of Santa Maria di Vezzolano, one of the most important Medieval religious monuments in Piedmont. A distinguished example of Romanesque/Gothic architecture, it is a solid, attractive building, dominated by a bell tower, with a beautiful cloister in a different style which blends in well with rest of the complex.

EVENTS

On the second Sunday in June the feast day of Sant’Antonio da Padova is solemnly celebrated to give thanks to the saint for bringing an end to a disease which was afflicting local herds of cows in the seventeenth century. The procession sets out from the parish church, with various stops on the way for auction sales to raise funds for the event. In the afternoon there is a parade through the streets and refreshments for all.