Land of Barolo
Kings, castles, and regal reds
For wine and Italian cuisine at its most
elegant, it doesn't get any better than Piedmont. But this gourmet tour
is also rich in history, as the story of Barolo is intertwined with
kings, prime ministers, and marchesi. It's also rich in culinary
delights: truffles, mountain cheeses, and hazelnuts are regional treats
spotlighted on this tour. But at center stage is Piedmont's stunning
array of wines, with Barolo and Barbaresco at the pinnacle.
2008 dates: [6 days/5
nights]
October 5-10 Cost: $2,795. Single supplement $350
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After shuttling from the train station to the Langhe hills, we'll devote the day to Alba's medieval festival and truffle fair. The centerpiece is a donkey race, which dates back to Alba's defeat by Asti in 1275. Today the palio is accompanied by a medieval parade, artisan food fair, and truffle market spotlighting Alba's famed white truffles. We'll have time on our own to enjoy the festival and watch the palio. Dinner spotlights the French-influenced cuisine of Piedmont, some of the most elegant in all of Italy. D |
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 Day 2
- Say "truffle" We spend the morning with a truffle hunter and his hound. Walking through hazelnut groves, we'll see how these canines are trained to sniff out the precious tubers growing at the roots of trees. Next we delve into the history of Barolo, which is intertwined with the ruling class of Piedmont in the 19th century. We'll have a tour inside the Castello di Barolo, home of French-born Marchesa Guilia Colbert, who first created Barolo wine. In the afternoon, we taste some premium Barolo at two wineries in the DOCG zone's eastern communes: Massolino in Serralunga and either Elio Grasso or Fantino Conterno in Monforte. Both of these communes are known for more structured Barolos, rich with tannins for long aging. Dinner will feature local fare like agnolotti (a variation of ravioli), veal with delicate tuna sauce (vitello tonnato), and bread sticks -- a piemontese invention. B, D |
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Our first stop is either at Sandrone, a modernist leader with a devoted following, or else the small family-run winery of Silvio Grasso, which makes a delicious "Super Piedmont" blend as well as single-vineyard Barolos. Lunch then takes us to the high hills, or Alte Langhe, where we'll picnic at an artisan cheese farm, feasting on freshly made mountain cheese, salumi, and other regional goodies. In the afternoon, we will spend time in the commune of Dogliani, a brand new DOCG zone where the most structured Dolcetto comes from. We'll visit Pecchinino, a master of this fruity wine. There's free time afterwards to explore the shops of Alba, a lovely medieval city whose storefronts are brimming with local delicacies like truffle butter, chocolate, and chestnut honey. Tonight is dinner on your own at one of Alba's many fine restaurants. B, L |
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 Day 4 - Barbaresco & Barbera d'Asti
Today we focus on the other B's of Piedmont: Barbaresco and Barbera. We'll start in the town of Barbaresco, visiting either the Produttori del Barbaresco or Marchesi di Gresy. Both make benchmark Barberescos and feature several cru, or single-vineyard Barbarescos. After lunch, we'll head to Barbera territory near Asti and have our afternoon tasting at Braida, the estate of Giacomo Bologna. This was the man who single-handedly revolutionized Barbera, transforming it from a rustic table wine into a wine of great character and finesse. Then we'll drive to our second hotel in southeastern Piedmont-the land of Gavi wine. The hotel is on the property of Villa Sparina, the leading producer of Gavi wine. B, D |
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This morning, we'll visit the town of Gavi. Here shop windows proudly display Gavi di Gavi wine, as well as light-as-air almond cookies. We'll visit the 11th C. Fortress of Gavi, which once guarded the salt roads from Genoa to Milan. Then we'll head to the medieval townhouse of Dolce Vita's owners for a fun, hands-on cooking lesson. On the menu: bagna cauda (vegetables with a creamy garlic/anchovy dip), risotto al Gavi, and tiramisu. We'll also raid the cellar for a sampler of Piedmont wines. Afterwards, we'll tour Villa Sparina's estate and 17th C. cellars, followed by a tasting of its award-winning wines. Finally, our farewell dinner is at the hotel's elegant restaurant, which spotlights regional fare and Gavi wines. B, D |
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Day 6 - Arrivederci! A shuttle to the Arquata Scrivia train station (between Milan & Genoa) and assistance with your travel plans. B For more tour photos, click here | ||
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