Itinerary
Day 1
Meet your group at Turin airport or railway station before departing for Verduno about a one hour drive away. You stay in a stately, yet down to earth hotel that was once the summer home of Italian King Carlo Alberto in the 1840s. Or you may stay at a lovely, four star villa hotel with gardens and a swimming pool in the hill town of Monforte.
Dine in a typical restaurant, drinking great local wines and eating authentic Piedmont specialties.
Day 2
10:00 a.m. Explore the La Morra area. Drive along its winding country roads and gaze at spectacular views of the verdant Barolo wine valley below. You get a warm welcome at a winery like Rocche Castamagno in La Morra, where you taste their wines on their terrace with panoramas of poetic hills.
Enjoy a light lunch in a great restaurant or wine bar nearby.
2:30 p.m. Drive down the hill to Gigi Rosso, a medium size, family run winery, where the very hospitable owners await you. This charming couple is an encyclopedia of facts about Barolo wine and tells you everything you always wanted to know about Barolo as you tour their winery and drink their wines together.
4:30 p.m. Drive back up the hill to experience two wineries, long time next door neighbors, who share stunning wine country views. Mauro Veglio is a smaller family run winery where the knowledgeable, gregarious wife takes you through your wine tastings and shares her family's wine stories with you around their cozy tasting room table.
Next door, visit the well known Elio Altare winery, one of the main "modern style" Barolo producers who use barriques. With one of his daughters, you' tour their cellars, taste their wines and as you relax around the table, you may hear the inspiring story of Elio Altare's comeback that made him the mentor for Barolo wine makers today.
Tonight you'll dine at another fine restaurant, like the Real Castello that offers internationally acclaimed dishes like an onion tatra, risotto pink with Barolo and guinea hen with rosemary and bunet, a cocoa pudding with crushed amaretti.
Day 3
10:30 Drive up hrough the magnificent Barolo wine country hills to the Barbaresco wine country. Outside Barbaresco, you arrive at a small, family run winery for a tasting and light lunch with their fine Barbaresco wine with the effervescent Grasso family.
2:30 Drive into the small hill town of Barbaresco to experience a very different wine adventure at the large Produttori Barbaresco, the co-operative Barbaresco winery of about 60 producers, whose wines sell internationally, for a tour and tastings.
4:30 p.m. Outside Barbaresco, visit the small Ca Nova, a family winery with typically old style traditions and hospitality. Around the wooden table in front of the fireplace, with the quiet but very hospitable owner, you relax and taste his great wines.
Dine at one of our favourite restaurants surrounded by hills of vineyards near Barbaresco. Effervescent Chef Ester welcomes you like old friends. You savor exquisite plates like rolls of roasted peppers with tuna stuffing and topped with a savory parsley sauce delicate, hand made tajarin pasta, rabbit with Barbaresco sauce and yummy desserts like semifreddo with strawberries.
Day 4
10:00 Drive to the small city of Alba, and visit the famous Pio Cesare winery, one of the biggest producers of Barolo whose excellent wines sell all over the world.
Enjoy a light lunch in Alba, a bustling small city with a delightful medieval heart where you have time to explore. Browse gastronomy shops with intriguing names like “Peccati Della Gola” or “sins of the throat”. Grab a cappuccino in the main piazza with its imposing cathedral dating back to 1486. This is the life, Mama-style!
3:00 p.m. Escape back to the wine country hills to visit another great Barolo winery for a private tour and tasting.
8:00 Drive to the pretty little town of Barolo, where modern Barolo wine making began. At the Brezza family's wine cellar, the father or son of the warm, friendly family takes you on a short tour before you sit around a long wooden table lit by candles in their cellar. As you taste their wines together, the conversation wanders from wines to family to philosophy of life.
Upstairs dine in their restaurant and eat wonderful, classic Piemontese dishes like Brasato al Barolo, a veal roll simmered in vegetables, herbs and lots of Barolo wine. Divine desserts like semifreddo of torrone (hazelnut nougat candy) with chocolate sauce prove irresistible to you.
Day 5
You reluctantly depart for Turin or for Alba's train station and leave your new Piedmont friends, taking with you heartfelt memories of all the laughter, sensual experiences, beauty, food and wine you shared together.
2010 Tour Dates
Any time on request for two people or more--ask us for dates you like.
Prices per person
Prices are in Euros and subject to currency exchange fluctuation.
For group of 2 people or more:
Staying at historic hotel, former summer home of King Carlo Alberto in the 1840's.
1995 Euros. (approx $2595 Cdn, $2550 US) Single supplement: please ask
Staying at 4 star, very nicely decorated villa hotel with pool
2155 Euros (approx $2800 Cdn, $2755 US)
Included:
- 4 nights at the hotel with private bath and continental breakfast
- visit and wine tastings at 8 wineries
- 3 light lunches and 4 multi course dinners
- private transport
- local guides
- pick up and drop off at Alba train station
- 1/2 hour Italy trip planning consultation with Mama Margaret
Not included:
wines with your meals so you can choose which wines you want to drink.
Extend Your Italian Trip!
Contact us today about extending your Italian holiday at
margaret@italycookingschools.com
or 800-557-0370 within North America and
604-681-4074 in Vancouver, BC Canada or internationally.