The Family
The history of the farmhouse, the history of our family
Ours is a large family, with a long tradition behind it.
We are descendants of Marquis Amati – Ingolotti and from our ancestors, in addition to the farmhouse, we inherited the innate fascination for its surrounding lands where we come from.
Casale Amati was, and still is, our treasure chest of traditions, holidays, stories, discoveries, nature and so on.
For all of us – grandparents, sons and nephews – the best memories here in the farmhouse in Ortonovo are the ones centred around long and cheerful days spent in the big garden and the open-air lunches with omelettes made using freshly picked wild garlic flowers served on long tables together with relatives, teachers, friends and musicians. The ice-water swims in the Parmignola’s creek, collecting walnuts and hazelnuts, the grape harvests, the mornings spent in company, the games played in the green, the walks…
About 20 years ago, the joy generated from sharing and promoting the territory brought us at the beginning of this adventure to the world of hospitality.
The first two to have transformed this big old farmhouse into a holiday house were Manuela and Roberto, a geologist and a retired math teacher, that nowadays take great pride in seeing their sons and nephews carry on the history of Casale Amati.
Federica, a teacher, takes care of the decor and runs the house with passion.
Her brother Enrico, computer programmer and marble sculptor, is the one that dedicates himself to the garden and to the numerous different plants that a third-generation uncle of the Panfilo Ingolotti, planted there in the early 1900s.
Livia and Valerio Massimo, the daughter and son of Federica, are currently university students but, between lessons and exams, they have a lot of fun giving a helping hand to keep the farmhouse ticking over.
Last, but not least, Mrs. Rina must be considered part of the family, a witty and nice old woman who knows the history of this farmhouse better than anyone else, since she has been living here for all her life.
If you are up to it, she can reveal to you the secrets about how the process of olive oil making was back in the day.