From a successful entrepreneur in Austria to an award-winning winemaker in Piedmont—this is the story of IL SOGNO and its founder, Rudi Längauer.

His roofing and façade construction company in Austria was renowned for quality and reliability. The death of his wife and the offer to sell the company reinforced Längauer’s desire to make a fresh start.

He set out in search of the right place to bring his dream to life. Five years—and more than seventy properties visited—later, he found the perfect estate in 2012.

And so the dream—Il Sogno in Italian—became reality and, at the same time, a guiding vision. In collaboration with experienced oenologists, the Austrian began his new life in organic winemaking.

For Rudi Längauer, making wine is far more than a hobby. His ambition is to inspire with something truly exceptional. Alongside Barbera and Cortese, he planted his estate with Merlot, Syrah, and the indigenous variety Freisa—choosing a path different from the traditional one. In this region, cuvées are the exception; wines are typically produced as single varietals.

His unconventional decision to craft cuvées initially caused puzzled head-shaking among neighboring winegrowers. Some even considered him a dreamer who would never sell his wines. Yet success proved him right, and today even long-established vintners acknowledge that what l’austriaco—“the Austrian”—is doing here is truly remarkable.

National and international awards have confirmed the path taken by Rudi Längauer. Today, his wines are increasingly regarded by sommeliers, merchants, and restaurants as a genuine insider’s secret.