Seven days, Six nights
Santa Vittoria d’Alba, Monforte
Day One – Arrival in Santa Vittoria d’Alba: Hotel Castello Santa Vittoria
Our journey begins in one of the area's most impressive fortresses, the Castello di Santa Vittoria d'Alba. The Santa Vittoria, dating back to the 15th century, provides not only exceptional food and lodging, but one of the finest views over the most valuable wine country in Piedmont. Official check-in time is 2:00 PM though our rooms are often available earlier.
At 6:30 PM we meet for a welcome cocktail and dinner. From the dining terrace, dozens of castles glow in the evening light, pointing out our path through the area in the days to come. Here we will enjoy our first taste of a typical Piemontese meal, which may include Vitello Tonnato (veal in a tuna, caper sauce), on to Plin (homemade ravioli) or roasted wild hare.
Day Two – Cherasco; Hotel Castello Santa Vittoria
This morning, we set off down the hill, past hazelnut groves and into the lower village of Santa Vittoria. As have the inhabitants for many hundreds of years, we follow a dirt path up the hillside, high above the Tanero valley, where locals are often busy in the vineyards tending to this year’s sweet dessert wine, Moscato. Vistas of the industrial activity on the valley floor give way to the dense woods of the Roero region.
We will enjoy lunch in the fascinating town of Cherasco. Unusual for its time, Cherasco was built on a Roman grid system, and it is known as the city of peace because of the many treaties that were signed here. It is also well known culinarily for its chocolates and of all things, snails. Here you may sample snails cooked 5 different ways, or for those less bold, the local Toma cheese, bell peppers with the famous Bagna Cauda sauce (garlic and anchovy) or Tarajin (fine, homemade spaghetti). The white varietal, Favorita, is a lovely accompaniment. After lunch, we will tour the town, enjoy the vistas and stop in its most famous chocolate shop for a taste.
Tonight we head to the bustling town of Bra for dinner at the birthplace of the Slow Food movement, Boccon di Vino. Not only will our taste buds be treated, we will also get a glimpse of the worldwide effort being made to preserve local ingredients and traditions not only in Italy, but also from vanilla beans in Madagascar to clams in Cape May, New Jersey.
Day Three – Canale and the Roero; Hotel Castello Santa Vittoria
We begin our walk today high up on a hill in the hamlet of San Grato. This is a more isolated part of the Roero, comprised of deep woods and sporadic farms. We will make our way to the impressive Sanctuario dei Piloni, surrounded by a series of chapels nestled in the trees, that depict the stations of the cross through lovely terracotta sculptures. And then, we’re off the town of Canale for lunch. With its shaded galleries, bustling cafes and its famed Arneis white wine, Canale is a frequent weekend destination for visitors from Turin and Milan. Here we will be greeted by Vittoria Grassi, owner and cook at the Tre Galine Trattoria, with a hospitality that may be extraordinary elsewhere but is the standard among these warm and friendly people. Every morning, Vittoria handcrafts a delicious progression of antipasti such as ham pate and hen salad, fresh pastas, and her signature hazelnut cookies.
This afternoon we enjoy a loop walk through the vineyards producing the Arneis grape, a white varietal that has gained notoriety in recent years.
Day Four – Serralunga; Hotel Villa Beccaris
Just outside of the town of Bossolasco, the “Pearl of the Alte Langhe”, we begin our walk to the fascinating medieval village of Serralunga. The original town walls still stand, protecting the tiny ring of inhabitants within. Here we have arranged a guided tour of the fortress, which dates back to the 11th century. Unlike most of its neighbors, the castle of Serralunga was never a noble residence but rather a fortress home for soldiers who kept guard over the town.
An elegant lunch awaits on our restaurant’s terrace that overlooks the lush vineyards of Barolo, which stretch out in all directions. Stuffed zucchini blossoms and mushroom crepes will be complemented by our restaurant’s own vintages. Afterwards, we drop down on foot through these vineyards and stroll the Serralunga valley towards Monforte and our new home, the meticulously restored 16th century Villa Beccaris.
The Villa Beccaris sits atop the old village of Monforte and for dinner we descend its twisting alleyways to the restaurant Giardin de Felicin. This was the first fine restaurant to open in Barolo in the 1960’s and succeeded in taking local fare to a new level. Felicin the younger, just like all of our culinary hosts, will present us with course after course of extraordinary Piemontese dishes. A visit to his “secret” wine cellar will reveal the perfect whites and reds to accompany them.
Day Five – The Alte Langhe; Hotel Villa Beccaris
Today's journey takes us to Mombarcaro. Isolated on the highest hilltop of the Alte Lange, the long ridges that extend south toward the Mediterranean, Mombarcaro enjoys glorious vistas in all directions. A truly undiscovered part of Italy, the crests of the Alte Lange offer some of Italy's most enjoyable walking as the landscape alternates between sweeping panorama and dense groves of hazelnut trees. Our walk is every bit as spectacular as our destination as we wander first through the high open fields surrounding Bossolasco, and along untouched paths where we will more than likely run into a local farmer who will gladly stop to chat. It is here that the animals are raised that bring those fantastic meats and cheeses to our table.
We will visit one of these farms for lunch. Everything is produced on the premises here, from the cured meats, vegetables and mushrooms to the fruits seen on the trees outside. Even the delicate red Dolcetto wine! Locals flock to partake in this hearty fare; all created from the kitchen the size of a closet!
A panoramic downhill walk back to the valley floor is in store this afternoon before we head back to our Villa for a possible dip in the pool or a bit of relaxation.
Day Six – Barolo; Hotel Villa Beccaris
No exploration of the Piedmont can be complete without a tour of the villages of Barolo and their fine restaurants. This morning, we descend down through Monforte and continue on to the small hamlet of Barolo, which produces one of Italy's most admired red wines. Our walk takes us directly through the vineyards as we make our way to the Marchesi di Barolo, the area's oldest vintner. It was the Marchesi who, through meticulous grape selection and careful oak aging, elevated the wine of the nebbiolo grape to the prized status of Barolo. After an extensive tour of the winery and cellars, we are treated to an elegant lunch, the likes of which may include carrot flan or risotto in Barolo sauce, all prepared with exquisite care and complemented by the Marchesi’s most exciting vintages.
This afternoon, we wander through the Marchesi's most valued Canubi vineyards, which produce one of the region's finest Barolos before returning to Monforte. An additional stroll around the hills of Monforte is available before this evening’s special dinner to culminate our week of exploration together and seal in our hearts all the riches of Piedmont.
Day Seven - Departure
After breakfast, we have arranged for private transportation to take you on the 40-minute journey to Asti from which you can make connections to Turin or Milan. Your guides will gladly help you in coordinating your further travel plans.
We Look Forward To Seeing You In Santa Vittoria!
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