Gastronomic Piedmont

Gastronomically, Piedmont is undoubtedly one of Italy’s most interesting regions. Its wines are superb, the food produced there is varied and the delicious cooking ranges from traditional country fare to creatively modern cuisine. Moreover, the region is the centre of the Slow Food revolution which is transforming gastronomy in Italy and beyond.

There is also another winning feature: many Piedmontese in the food and wine business have a desire to share their passion, and welcome interested visitors with generous amounts of their time and produce. In part this may be because visitors are relatively few, despite the high reputation which Piedmont enjoys. (That in its twenty-year history MRT had not sent a tour there until 2008, except to its capital Turin, is an illustration of this neglect.) 

For this tour we have bypassed Turin in favour of spending time in the countryside, seeing the origins of the food and wine and meeting the producers. But this bucolic exile is not at the expense of culinary excellence; you will find superb restaurants, from simple rustic trattorias where Granny’s recipes are still gospel, to Michelin-starred and innovative establishments, all serving some of Italy’s finest food.

The study and enjoyment of wines is a large part of the tour. Barolo is the dominant wine – noble, austere and complex, but the same nebbiolo grape is used for the dry red Dolcetto, the most widely produced wine in the Langhe, the elegant, tarry Barbaresco, and various other DOCs. We meet makers, chosen as much for their charm and communicativeness as for their wines, in some cases study their vines and the wine-making process, and taste the results. Among the foods we investigate, truffles are significant – Alba is something of a truffle capital – but the mountain cheeses, particularly the prestigious Castelmagno, make an equally powerful impression.

Landscape is another of the great pleasures of the tour. As its name suggests, Piedmont reaches from high pastures to alluvial plains, and much of it is used for agriculture (or small family-run farms). The Langhe hills are among the most beautiful in Italy, the flanks almost entirely carpeted with vineyards, the summits sporting castles, little mediaeval towns or ancient farmsteads.

 

ITINERARY

Day 1: London to Piedmont—fly at c. 2.30pm from London Gatwick to Turin and drive south to the market town of Bra, an attractive market town with some fine architecture—first of four nights in Bra.

Day 2: Bra, Alba, Serralunga—study the local wine-making process at the Ascheri winery adjacent to the hotel—truffle seminar and lunch in Alba, chief town of the Langhe—the castle in Serralunga is one of the most dramatic in Le Langhe—dinner in Pollenzo at a Michelin-starred restaurant—overnight Bra.

Day 3: Piozzo, Dogliani, La Morra—truffle hunting in woods around Piozzo—landscape of rumpled hills with a patchwork of vineyards, woods and pasturage between Dogliani and Murrazano—lunch in Carrù, famous for its bollito misto—tasting at Rocche Costamagna, a winery in the hilltop village of La Morra which has been in the family for 300 years, a well-known producer of Barolo and other Nebbiolo and Barbera wines—independent dinner in Bra (plenty of choices, including the hotel)—overnight Bra.

Day 4: Asti—the lovely little city of Asti, centre of another famous wine and food area, is set amidst the gently undulating Monferrato hills—Barbera and Dolcetto grapes predominate, but white wines are also produced, including the sparkling Moscato d’Asti—our gastronomic visits include a nougat producer—lunch is at an outstanding restaurant—time also to see something of the town: narrow, twisting mediaeval streets, grand Gothic cathedral, tower houses and 18th-century palaces—overnight Bra.

Day 5: Bra, Cherasco, Cuneo—most of the morning is free in Bra—option of visiting a traditional sausage maker or of a wine tasting—alternatively, there is the option of a guided walk of c. 6 km across the vine-clad hills of the Barolo region—leave Bra for Cherasco, a little walled town with good architecture and the Italian capital of snail farming—lunch at a family-run restaurant here followed by time to look around—in the castle at Manta there are some marvellous mediaeval frescos—reaching Cuneo, settle into the hotel before a demonstration of Piedmontese pasta making—first of two nights in Cuneo.

Day 6: Valle Grana, Castelmagno, Cuneo—the steep-sided valley of the river Grana is the sole source of one of Italy’s finest cheeses, Castelmagno—visit farms to see aspects of production—continue to mountain pastures (c. 1,700 metres) above Castelmagno pilgrimage church for a bread and cheese (bought today) and wine (acquired during the week) mountain-top picnic (wet-weather contingency planned)—back in Cuneo there is time to explore its magnificent Neo-Classical square, ancient arcaded streets and fine churches—dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant—overnight Cuneo.

Day 7: Rivoli—drive to Castello di Rivoli, one of the palaces the royal house of Savoy established in hunting grounds around Turin—rebuilt in the 18th century, though never finished, a museum of contemporary art has been installed here—lunch here at  one of the best restaurants in Piedmont, Al Combal Zero—on the way to the airport, briefly visit the recently restored and re-opened palace at Venaria—fly from Turin, arriving London Gatwick c. 7.00pm.


PRACTICALITIES

Price: £2,480 (deposit £250)—this includes:—air travel (economy class) on scheduled British Airways flights (Boeing 737)—private coach for excursions and transfers—accommodation as described below—breakfasts, 5 lunches, 1 picnic and 4 dinners with wine, water and coffee—all admissions to museums, etc.—all food and wine tastings—all tips for waiters and drivers—all taxes—the services of the lecturer—single room supplement £185—price without flights £2,340.

Hotels: Bra (4 nights, 4 stars): recently refurbished to a very modern but enjoyable design using locally-made materials as far as possible, enthusiastic service, comfortable, 10 minutes from the city centre—Cuneo (2 nights, 4 stars): excellently situated just off the ancient arcaded Via Roma, the decor is traditional and tasteful with dark woods and faux-Rococo wall paintings, helpful staff, good restaurant.

How strenuous? There is a fair amount of walking involved—participants on the optional 6 km walk on Day 5 need to be used to hiking up and down hills—surefootedness is essential for truffle hunting in the woods—average distance by coach per day: 51 miles.

Small group: the tour will operate with between 12 and 22 participants.
 

TESTIMONIALS

Comments from participants in 2009:

‘We liked all the meals and were glad you included a wide range of cuisines and restaurants.’
C & MS, Bristol

‘This was our first tour with Martin Randall and was one of the best we have been on.’
C & MS, Bristol

‘A very enjoyable trip. Good number in the group. Good food and wine, good company. Good trip for a solo traveller.’
JR, London

‘An excellent range from the best of small town restaurants to the sophistication of the Museum restaurant at Rivoli.’
DO, Cheshire