Montferrat ( or ; ; ; ) is part of the region of
Piedmont in Northern
Italy. It comprises roughly (and its extent has varied over time) the modern provinces of
Alessandria and
Asti. Montferrat is one of the most important wine districts of Italy. It also has a strong literary tradition, including the 18th century Asti-born poet and dramatist
Vittorio Alfieri and the Alessandrian
Umberto Eco.