The village is located in the Upper Monferrato on an elevated site in an area of great natural beauty, near the confluence of the Stura and Orba streams, and is part of the Capanne di Marcarolo Natural Park.
It lies very close to Liguria, so much so that its culinary traditions show more than a hint of Ligurian influence.
The village’s name, originally Taliolus or Talliolus, seems to refer to the intense logging activity that was already taking place in ancient times for timber production. Its history is known since the Lombard era, with documented evidence of monks from San Colombiano residing in nearby Belforte.
The year 976, as with many other Monferrato villages, marks the arrival of the Aleramici family, who were granted the fiefs by Otto I. Tagliolo shares the historical events of the region, with power contested over the centuries by the Malaspina, Cattaneo, Spinola, Doria, and del Bosco families, passing under the dominion of Genoa and then Milan. From 1498, Tagliolo became part of the Gentile family holdings, and in 1750, following the marriage of a Gentile with a Pinelli, it passed to the Pinelli Gentile marquises, whose descendants are still the owners of the beautiful castle overlooking the village.
This castle is one of the best-preserved in Monferrato. The oldest parts, such as the 38-meter-high square tower, may date back to the year 1000—or even earlier—when towers were used as observation points to signal the presence of Saracens. This tower was heightened in the 15th century during Genoese rule. In the inner courtyard, traces of a 14th-century tower and a drawbridge can still be seen. White and red herringbone decorations run along the entire façade of the manor, which has been continuously adapted to the needs of successive eras, especially during the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries.
The castle, still regularly inhabited by its owners, offers salons and rooms furnished with period furniture and is part of the “Castelli Aperti” (Open Castles) circuit of Lower Piedmont, making it open to visitors.
The ancient cellars house the excellent wines produced by the Pinelli Gentile family, a centuries-old tradition carried on with great passion and dedication.
The wines of Tagliolo, including Dolcetto di Ovada and Cortese del Monferrato, were awarded gold medals at the Paris World Exposition in 1900 and 1937.
Around the castle, there is a charming cluster of old houses set in greenery, including a “bigattiera,” where silkworms were once raised, and the church of Santa Maria opposite the old public oven. The village also spreads downhill beyond the road that divides it and includes the so-called “Executioner’s House.”
Outside the castle walls stands the simple 16th-century church of San Nicolò, with a bell tower entirely built of sandstone. Inside, an interesting ex-voto commemorates a favor received during the plague of 1630.
A short distance away are the Oratory of San Rocco and the church of San Vito, dating back to the 6th century, now serving as the cemetery chapel. In the town hall, thanks to a donation from an enthusiastic naturalist, visitors can view an ornithological collection featuring 800 specimens, along with some local mammals.
