LAND OF BAROLO

On this 6-day gourmet wine tour, sample Piedmont’s culinary delights: white truffles, mountain cheeses, and, at center stage Piedmont’s stunning array of wines, with Barolo and Barbaresco at the pinnacle.

Highlights:

• Private wine tastings at the Marchesi di Barolo, Elio Grasso, Giacomo Bologna & more

• The annual truffle fair & medieval festival

• Lunch at an artisan cheese farm

• Fun, hands-on cooking lesson at the company owners’ medieval townhouse

Day 1 – A Day at the Races

Today Alba launches its annual truffle market with a medieval festival. 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. Dinner spotlights the French-influenced cuisine of Piedmont, some of the most elegant in Italy. D

Day 2 – Say “truffle”

A truffle hunter and his hound will demonstrate how dogs sniff out the precious tubers. Next we delve into wine history at the Castle of Barolo, the birthplace of Barolo wine. In the afternoon, we taste some premium Barolo at two wineries: Massolino in Serralunga and either Elio Grasso or Fantino Conterno in Monforte and. Both townships are known for more structured Barolos, rich with tannins for long aging. Dinner will feature local fare like agnolotti, veal with delicate tuna sauce (vitello tonnato), and bread sticks – a piemontese invention. B, D 

Day 3 – Mountain Cheese and the King of Wines

Our first stop is Sandrone, a modernist leader, or the small family-run winery Silvio Grasso. Lunch then takes us to the high hills, or Alte Langhe, where we’ll have a buffet lunch at an artisan cheese farm, feasting on freshly made mountain cheese and salumi. In the afternoon, we visit Pecchinino, a leader in the new DOCG zone of Dogliani. There’s free time afterwards to explore the wine shops of Alba, a lovely medieval city. B, L 

Day 4 – Barbaresco & Barbera d’Asti

Today we focus on the other B’s of Piedmont: Barbaresco and Barbera. We’ll start at the Produttori del Barbaresco or Marchesi di Gresy. Both make benchmark Barberescos and several cru, or single-vineyard Barbareschi. After lunch, we head to Barbera territory and Braida, the estate of Giacomo Bologna, the man who single-handedly revolutionized Barbera. After hearing Barbara’s Cindarella story, we’ll drive to our second hotel in southeastern Piedmont—the land of Gavi wine. The hotel is on the property of Villa Sparina, a leading producer of Gavi. B, D

Day 5 – Gavi di Gavi

This morning, we’ll visit the town of Gavi and 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. Our farewell dinner is at the hotel’s elegant restaurant. B, D

Day 6 - Buon Viaggio!

A shuttle to the Arquata Scrivia train station (between Milan & Genoa) and assistance with your travel plans. B

For more details, see website.