We are delighted to partner again with Elizabeth Schneider, Wine for Normal People Podcast host, best-selling author, and wine authority without the attitude. 

We’ve been fans of Elizabeth's podcast for years. Knowing our shared passion for wine - and Italy - we talked, met, and plotted to design the ultimate wine tour of Piedmont. Back in 2021, while Elizabeth was putting the finishing touches on her book, we started comparing notes to create an insightful and fun wine vacation in the unpretentious wine region of Piedmont. 

Edition one of this tour in 2022 was a success. It sold out almost immediately and we are back in October 2023 to welcome you. 

You can pay by credit card, bank transfer, and bank check. 

Payments are as follows:

• At booking 10%
• Balance due 90 days prior to departure 

We believe that to understand a region and its wine, you have to do more than just taste the finished product. Meeting the people, many of them family farmers with generations of experience, learning the customs and traditions of the area and viewing the topography of the land will give you an intimate and complete understanding of what’s in your glass and how it got there.

Following the inaugural May 2022 wine tour of Piedmont with Elizabeth Schneider, we will be back for an October trip (harvest time), possibly the best time to see and understand the complexity of fine winemaking as it is done in Piedmont. You will go behind the scenes to meet the people who produce Piedmont’s most famous and its lesser-known varietals, fully immersing yourself in the winemaking culture and engaging all five senses with the sights, smells and sounds of the area. Wine tastings, hands-on demonstrations, food pairings and discussions will give you a deeper understanding of the place and its traditions.

Many argue that Piedmont produces the best food and wine in all of Italy.

The Langa and Roero regions of Piedmont are in one of the most important wine production areas in Italy, and received UNESCO World Heritage status in 2014. This tour of Piedmont will take us to the heart of these regions and others, over rolling hills covered with endless vineyards and past ancient castles and hidden hilltop hamlets.

You’ll see how connected the local people are to the land, and how they take pride in everything they produce.

Vineyards cover most of the hills here and wines such as Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera and Nebbiolo are perfectly paired with dishes that will make each meal a gastronomic event. Towns like Pollenzo, La Morra, Canale, and Alba are perfect stops for a taste of what the region has to offer, where strolling through the cobbled streets and sitting in piazzas enjoying the Italian lifestyle is a great way to end your day.

• UNESCO World Heritage Site: vineyard landscape of Langa-Monferrato-Roero

• Villages of Barolo and Barbaresco, the namesakes of two world-famous red wines

• Visit of Banca del Vino (wine bank)

• Stunning rolling hills covered with vineyards and quaint medieval villages

• Views that stretch as far as the Alps

• Castle-topped villages, which lend a historic and romantic feel to the area

• Some of the best regional food in Italy, including truffles, cheese, and hazelnut Gianduja chocolates

• New and established DOC’s and DOCG’s

• Canelli Wine Cellars, the so-called “cathedrals of wine aging”

•.The view from the medieval tower of Barbaresco

• Meetings with producers and local experts who are behind the

local wine scene

• A professional tour guide throughout the program

• All accommodation in two 4 star hotels

• All breakfasts, four lunches and three dinners

• Eleven wine tastings

• All transfers, ticket entrances, and gratuities

• Shuttle at the beginning and at the end of the tour

• Assistance with door-to-door wine shipping

• All of the wine at group lunches and dinners

• Walking tour of Alba with local guide

• Dinner at a Michelin-star restaurant

We also include the finest Piedmontese Barolo and Barbaresco wines of the best vintages, as well as truffles included with one dinner

Villa Tiboldi Relais

The main complex was built in the 1750’s as a farmhouse, but in the early 1900’s it was rebuilt into a vacation home by the owner at that time. Villa Tiboldi was purchased in 1995 by the Damonte brothers, owners of the Malvirà winery. The stunning setting and elegant rooms are all part of the Villa Tiboldi experience. A fine restaurant, a beautiful garden, and a pool are part of the amenities. 

Hotel Calissano ****

Comfort and elegance in Alba in the heart of the Langhe. Set in a former 19th-century winery, this modern hotel lies less than 1 mile from the Romanesque Alba Cathedral and near the central Piazza Ferrero. The elegant rooms feature flat-screen TVs and hardwood floors. There's also a gourmet restaurant with indoor and terrace seating, a bar, a fitness room, as well as a conference room, and a business center.

The tour starts with a pickup at Grand Hotel Sitea in Turin (time tbd) on Oct 1.

We'll drive from Turin to Pollenzo at Slow Food’s Banca del Vino (1 hr). We’ll start with an overview of the main DOC and DOCG’s of Piedmont paired with local charcuterie and cheese (Slow Food presidia). Don’t think for a second that wine (even Barolo) overpowers a meal. It rather complements it. 

We start from a special site: Corte Albertina in Pollenzo received official recognition of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 as part of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy.  It now houses the University of Gastronomical Sciences, founded by the internationally-recognized Slow Food Association. 

Slow Food began as a sophisticated parody of McDonalds’ arrival in Italy (Slow Food vs. Fast Food) and has grown into an international crusade for the preservation of culinary traditions, biodiversity and “the right to good taste.” 

Slow Food has played an important role in rasing awareness among producers on the importance of locally sourced ingredients linked to the tradition and that holds true for indigenous grapes that have been "protected" or brought back to life for us to enjoy.

We arrive at Villa Tiboldi - our hotel for the first part of the tour - which is a beautiful villa and farmhouse among the hills of Canale d'Alba. 

Today we explore the wine production areas of Roero. 

Roero is located along the left bank of the River Tanaro, across from Langa. It is not as well-known as Langa and wine tourism does not drive very many people there. Yet, there are several excellent producers that are worth paying a visit to. You’ll get to taste different versions of nebbiolo-grape reds and you’ll be introduced to lesser-known whites such as Favorita and Arneis.

Today’s lunch is a picnic in a vineyard at a wine producer. It’s your chance to understand sun exposure and get closer to the soil, touch it, and smell it. Elizabeth will explain how important soil and minerals are and what's their impact on the body and bouquet of a wine.  

In the afternoon, one of the most important Roero producers in Canale d’Alba will host us for a comprehensive overview of the wines of Roero. 

Relax and enjoy the premises at Villa Tiboldi, a true gem in Roero hospitality. 

Dinner is at one of the finest restaurants in Piedmont and one that we always look forward to experiencing. The wine list is, of course, a celebration of Piedmontese fine winemaking. Chef Davide Palluda will delight us and surprise us with his own interpretations of regional cuisine. Welcome to Piedmont!

This morning we visit Canelli whose name is synonymous with Italian sparkling wine.

The most important attraction of the town is its underground wine cellars (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and its wine is the Asti Spumante "metodo classico." A guided visit to the wine cellar will lead to wine tasting.

Next, we meet a family producer over the hills of Nizza. Piedmont winemaking is still a family affair and winemakers consider themselves first and foremost farmers. A practical example is Eredi di Chiappone Armando Winery. We’ll spend most

of the day getting to know the Chiappone family and their work and, of course, we’ll get to taste their production that is represented by the Nizza DOCG as flagship (barbera is the leading grape). If you like Barbera you will fall in love with Nizza.

You must also dare try their own barbera grappa. 

Barbera is the most grown grape in Piedmont and its status has been elevated by forward-thinking winemakers who were considered mad for simply considering wood-aging for it. Elizabeth will explain the characteristics of Barbera as opposed to the "aristocratic" Nebbiolo. 

Do you feel like moving after all of that wine? We are leading an easy hike in the "Rocche del Roero." It's a landscape characterized by deep "wounds" in the ground.

Created by an interesting erosion phenomenon, the rocche are like an open book about the geological history of Roero: a true eden for paleonthologists, bothanics, and...wine-high hikers. 

We make it to the Langa wine area past nebbiolo vineyards, where no doubt you will see local workers in the fields caring for the vines. 

We reach the village of Barolo and its castle, once home to the Countess Giulia Falletti di Barolo (a central figure in the birth of Barolo wine). The Castle of Barolo is also home to a unique wine museum (www.wimu.org) that opened after renovation by architect François Confino. We recommend a visit to the museum because it offers a very good explanation of local wine production and farming traditions. During our drive among hills and ridges, you’ll go past a number of famous Nebbiolo vineyards such as Bartolo Mascarello, Voerzio, Borgogno (to name a few) known worldwide for their Barolo wine production.

La Morra is considered the balcony of the Langhe because of its wonderful views of the entire area. Take your time here and have your cameras ready! Today we have a cooking class and dinner at the Marrone Family Winery. Time to enjoy life and taste some Barolo on the terrace! The Marrone family will engage everyone at this tasty wine experience with wine pairings for each Piedmontese course.

This morning we visit Grinzane Cavour (with its landmark castle housing a regional wine cellar), Diano d’Alba, past yet more vineyards, and Alta Langa (the highest and wildest portion of this territory). 

In the backdrop, hazelnut-topped woodland covers the northern side of the round and gentle hills. These hazelnuts are harvested by the ton and transported to the Ferrero factory in Alba to make the famous Nutella spread, as well as Italian Gianduja chocolates, which you should of course try! 

Our first producer visit is in the municipality of Diano d'Alba. Diano is a Dolcetto stronghold. Dolcetto's secrets will be unveiled at the Abrigo family winery and Elizabeth will certainly share her thoughts about this versatile red.  

The next stop takes us back to the Barolo area but in the village of Castiglione Falletto where we will be hosted by one of the "classic" producers. 

The area southwest of Alba corresponds with the Barbaresco wine production area. The small, elegant and original village of Barbaresco, situated between Alba and Neive, will be today’s highlight.

As you approach the village, the imposing 12th-century tower stands out in the landscape. Almost square-shaped, its height originally reached 36 meters, and therefore was in a strategic position overlooking the Tanaro Valley below. The tower is what is left of an imposing fortification once crowning the hilltop where Barbaresco rises. We’ll meet one of the most reputable producers of Barbaresco (for sure the one responsible for the birth of Barbaresco). A second producer in Neive will host us for a light lunch and wine tasting. Marina Marcarino is a great friend of Elizabeth. However, that's not the only reason we visit. She is an incredible peson and "stubborn" with much to share with us as a winemaker who understands that unless the plants are in harmony with the envrironment winemaking is pointless.  Today's views are stunning, and Barbaresco is an authentic representation of how tradition continues to deliver excellence. Free time in the afternoon to explore Alba, the fashionable capital of this wine region. We’ll gather again for a walking tour of Alba with a local guide.

This morning after breakfast you will get a group private transfer to the Turin Airport unless you have opted to extend your stay and visit the Saturday outdoor market in Alba.