7 Day Piedmont Culinary Delights

Beautiful Barbaresco

Meet your guide this morning and together, set out to discover the Barbaresco region.

The Barbaresco wine region is located northeast of the city of Alba. Similar to its more famous sibling Barolo, Barbaresco is made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes and the DOCG status is awarded to vineyards on the best south-facing slopes. However, in contrast to Barolo, the climate in Barbaresco has less of a diurnal shift and the soils are mostly limestone-based resulting in grapes that ripen earlier and wines that are less tannic and more approachable at an earlier age.

There are many family-run estates that produce rich and spicy, yet elegant Barbaresco. Some of our favorites that we will consider for today's visits include:
• Albino Rocca - A small producer who produces wines characteristic of the area. Now run by the founder’s three daughters the estate is small but ambitious: In addition to five Barbarescos, they make the Langhe standards—dolcetto, barbera, moscato—as well as a lovely cortese, quite rare in these parts.
• Moccagatta - A family-run property with excellent wines. Owned by the Minuto family since the mid-1800s, the Moccagatta wines are also named after the hill on where they are located.
Bruno Rocca, Paitin, all family-run properties with excellent wines.
• Ca’del Baio - a fourth generation family winery, you will be able to sample from a range of highly valued varieties such as Moscato, Chardonnay and Riesling, and of course, Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto. The most prestigious vines used to make Barbaresco are between 25 and 40 years old.
• Sottimano - Located in the village of Neive, this 18 hectare estate follows the philosophy of using natural yeasts, long macerations, and a one year long permanence of ‘sur lie’ for the malolactic fermentation- tactics they have used for decades. Although they are famous for their Barbarescos, their wines have been featured multiple times in a variety of internationally recognized publications.

Stop for lunch today at Rabaya, a rustic-chic venue for classic Piedmontese cuisines and local wines with a vineyard view from the panoramic terrace.

Throughout the day and in between tastings, you will have the opportunity to visit the beautiful villages of Neive and Barbaresco.

Return to your hotel and the evening is at your leisure.

Piedmont Cooking Class

Today, meet your driver who will bring you to a traditional Piedmont house for a true culinary experience. Start the day with an espresso or an apperitvo and meet your fantastic chef. Today you will learn about the local culinary traditions and various techniques that have been passed down through generations. You’ll roll up your sleeves for this hands-on experience, then dine on your efforts at lunch.

A local, talented chef will lead you through the construction of a multicourse meal. Don your aprons and prepare a selection of traditional Piemontese dishes, including an appetizer, fresh pasta, gourmet sauces and a delicious dessert such as the wonderful Bonet. Throughout the class, you will be offered the chance to experience further tastings of regional food and wines, including Barbaresco DOCG.

Sit down to proudly enjoy the traditional home-cooked Piemontese meal you have completed, paired with wines from the surrounding vineyards. After your meal and saying goodbye to your hosts, return to your hotel for the rest of the day at leisure.

Barolo Discovery - the Wine of Kings

This morning, check out of your accommodation. You will be met by your private, local guide at your accommodation. Set out together to discover the Barolo wine region, arguably the most famous DOCG in Italy.

Located southwest of Alba and with UNESCO World Heritage status, Barolo DOCG has an exceptional terroir. The Barolo area consists of 11 communes, with only vineyards on the southern facing hills given DOCG status. Known affectionally as the “the king of wines and the wine of kings”, Barolo is produced from 100% Nebbiolo grape. The magnesium-rich soil is made of either limestone or sandstone and the climate is continental, with an extended summer and autumn enabling the fickle Nebbiolo to achieve perfect ripeness. It is one of the first varieties to bud and the last to ripen, with harvest taking place in mid-to-late October. Barolo wines are structured, rich and full-bodied, with a strong presence of acidity and tannins. They are known for their complex aromas which can include notes of rose, tar, dried herbs, and leather.

Throughout the day you will have be welcomed to a number of estates for a visit and the opportunity to taste a range of Barolo wines. Some the producers we will consider are:
• Prunotto - Located in Monforte D’Alba, you will be blown away by the peaceful panoramic views of the rolling hills and valleys of the property. The winery represents the perfect balance between tradition and innovation using state-of-the-art technology to express and interpret the many nuances of this historic territory.
• Paolo Scavino - A local producer in Castiglione Falletto. Enjoy a tour of their beautiful property followed by a tasting of several Barolo DOCG wines from their amazing different Cru vineyards and vintages.
• Aurelio Settimo - Located in the La Morra commune, just above the village of Barolo, Aurelio Settimo has 7 ha of vineyards in the famous hamlet of Frazione Annunziata and produces very fine Barolo cru from Rocche Dell’Annunziata.
• Elio Grasso - Located in Monforte D’Alba, this estate has 18 hectares of vineyards surrounded by 24 hectares of forests and meadows . The family business decided to return to their wine making roots in the 1980s, and now produces Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, and Chardonnay. The wines are aged for several months before being released from the cellar, and although have serious aging potential, are able to be enjoyed young.
• Azienda Agricola Sukula - A boutique, family-run winery located in beautiful Serralunga d’Alba. With less than 5 hectares of land, every grape and every bottle receives hands-on attention. Their two flagship wines, the Meriame Barolo and Barbera d’Alba, are hidden treasures.

There will be time for lunch today at a restaurant such as Cascina Schiavenza, known for their typical, tradition-rich dishes of the Langhe. Alternatively, you may prefer Cantina Communal Con Cucina, a more casual setting which brings you local prestigious wines alongside Langhe cuisine prepared in the traditional way.

You will be transferred to your hotel in Monferrato in the late afternoon to enjoy the evening at leisure.

Monferrato Wines and Truffle Hunt Experience

Meet your guide this morning and together set out to discover the beautiful Monferrato region, known for Barbera d’Asti DOCG, including a special truffle hunting experience.

Monferrato is a wine region that lies in the southeast corner of Piedmont. They follow relaxed rules allowing the blending of native varieties with international grapes and are sold under the labels Monferrato Rosso and Monferrato Blanco. Varietal wines, however, make up most of the production and are dominated by Barbera, Freisa, Grignolino, and Dolcetto, as well as Cortese, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc for the whites. They are known for their fresh, tangy fruit, and balanced acidity, and are slightly less complex than some of their neighboring Piedmont wines. In Monferrato, you will also find UNESCO World Heritage cellars, that produce high-quality dry sparkling white wines made in the classical (champenoise) method.

Begin the day at a truffle hunter’s farmhouse, where you will learn about truffles, the optimal growing conditions and how to find them. You will then meet the specially trained truffle dogs and go into their private woods to search for truffles. A truly unique and memorable experience!

After ’the hunt’ sit down to lunch at the farmhouse, which will be a traditional home-cooked Piemontese meal served with fresh White Truffle and wines. The truffle hunter is also an avid winemaker and a visit to the cellar can be arranged if of interest. Here you can try a selection of wines from the Monferrato region, including some high-quality Barbera D'Asti DOCG wines.

This afternoon we will consider a tasting or two, time permitting, at quality estates in the Monferrato region. Some of the producers we will consider include:
• Marchesi Alfieri - a family-owned estate now run by three sisters, which has been producing wines for over 300 years. See the historic 17th-century wine cellar, and immaculate gardens, and explore the elegant castle grounds of the property followed by a tasting.
• Michele Chiarlo - A traditional winery run by a father and his two sons who produce some of the best Barolo, Barbaresco, and Gavi crus in the area. Enjoy your tasting as you take in the extraordinary natural scenery of the vineyard-speckled hills of Castelnuova Calcea.
• Cascina Castlet - An environmentally friendly winery which has belonged to the Borio family for generations and promotes ethical farming. Learn the history of their wines, their unique names and the stories that inspired them.

You will be returned at your accommodation at the end of the day.

Piedmont Vermouth Discovery

Today, check out of your accommodation. Your guide will bring you on an enchanting discovery of the sweet vermouths of the region. We will make our way to Turin, where Vermouth di Torino has been a recognized designation in the EU since the early 1990s. Stricter regulations to preserve the style went into effect in 2017, in large part thanks to the push of several producers in the region who came together to form the Vermouth di Torino Institute. Today, a bottle with “Vermouth di Torino” on the label must adhere to the following rules: 50% of the base white wine and at least three of the botanicals used must be sourced from the Piedmont region, it must be bottled between 16% and 22% ABV, and it must contain artemisia (wormwood).

We will consider visits at the following producers this afternoon during your discovery:

Giulio Cocchi Spumanti and Bava Winery
Cocchi Vermouth di Torino is a historic sweet vermouth from Italy’s Piedmont region that raises the bar for aromatized wines. Flavors of rhubarb, bitter orange, cocoa, and baking spice make it complex enough for boozy cocktails, but it’s also gentle enough to sip solo or enjoy in low-ABV drinks. Vermouth di Torino is a collective heritage of Piedmont, which sees the royal Savoy court as the first big promoter of a product which, mainly starting from the late XVIII century, generated a flourishing industry which led Piedmont to become the Kingdom of Vermouth. Storico Vermouth di Torino is still produced according to the original recipe of Giulio Cocchi. This vermouth belongs to the category of the sweet vermouths, or Italian vermouths, sweet and amber as indicated in the manuals of the late XIX century. Storico Vermouth di Torino Cocchi has been the protagonist of the international rebirth of the top-of-the-range vermouths and the renovated interest of the great barmen for the denomination Vermouth di Torino so that it is also familiarly denominated “Cocchi Torino”.

Bordiga
This classic vermouth type is based on Piedmontese white wines, including some Moscato, and infused with a wide range of different botanicals, many of them grown in the Occitan Alps near the winery. The flavor of this vermouth is complex and vivid, with an excellent balance of sweetness and bitterness. Some vermouths taste strongly of a single botanical, but the interplay of components here is distinctive and delicious.

Antica Torino
Vittorio Zoppi and Filippo Antonelli founded the Antica Torino company to produce and rediscover traditional Piedmontese aromatized wines, liqueurs and spirits, creating new recipes inspired by traditional ones. Their first product could only be a vermouth, the symbol of the city’s excellence and elegant lifestyle. Vermouth Rosso derives from constant work at the distillery and from continual experimentation and tasting, with the aim of creating an organoleptic masterpiece. Research into the recipe took many months and many versions of the product to arrive at the definitive one inspired by the most ancient Savoy recipes. The ingredients include home-grown herbs such as absinthe, rhubarb and gentian, grapefruit peel, vanilla pods, rosemary and red thyme, which country-dwellers have always used to aromatize their wines. Thirteen botanicals in all, entirely natural (with no ready-made dyes), processed individually and on a cottage-industry basis, whose complete list remains a secret according to the best Piedmontese tradition: each vermouth, in fact, has its own formula, jealously guarded within the family.

You will be taken to your Turin hotel for a relaxing evening and dinner at your leisure.

After checking out of your accommodation, meet your private driver who will transfer you to the airport for your departing flight.