Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt: Vineyards calling

Rome, April 2: He is best-known for his role as the battered brawler Tyler Durden, but now Brad Pitt is to move from the underground world of Fight Club to elite wine club as he becomes the latest film star to express an interest in owning a vineyard.

Pitt, 42, the star of Ocean’s Twelve and soon to be a father with his girlfriend, the actress Angelina Jolie, has viewed two estates in the Italian countryside during a secret visit. He was shown around the 20-acre properties, which both have vineyards and produce their own wine, while he was in Italy last month for the Winter Olympics.

Pitt was in Turin for the end-of-games party thrown by the US magazine, Sports Illustrated, and the brewer, Budweiser, that was held in a glass pyramid on the banks of the Po.

Before the event, he stayed at the Fontanafredda estate at Serralunga ? a 45-minute drive from Turin ? which is set in 100 acres of land. It is surrounded by vineyards which make some of Italy’s most famous wines ? reds, such as Barolo and Dolcetta D’Alba, and the classic white, Gavi. Jolie was not with him for the brief stay.

He spent the night in the royal suite ? the estate was owned by the King of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, who started the tradition of wine-making there more than 130 years ago.

Monica Tavella, a spokesperson for the estate, said: “Brad’s visit was kept very secret, and only a handful of people knew that he was staying with us. He had asked for utmost secrecy.

“He was very interested in the whole process of wine-making... he was also very knowledgeable.” She said Pitt asked to be shown two working vineyards, near Fontanafredda, which were for sale. “He seemed to be interested in buying,” she added.

Although staff at Fontanafredda refused to discuss which estates Pitt had seen, local officials were more forthcoming. The actor viewed Cascina Cucco at Serralunga, according to the town’s mayor, Luigi Cabases, and then looked at Poderi Aldo Conterno at nearby Monforte ? both of which are worth more than 6 million euros (?4.2 million).

The estates are 90 minutes’ drive from Lake Como, where Pitt’s close friend and Ocean’s co-star, George Clooney, has a waterside villa at Laglio ? where it was rumoured recently that Pitt and Jolie were to be married.