Jennifer, Julia and I had a wonderful time when my Uncle S and Aunt Deborah came to visit us this past March. That’s why we were thrilled when they mentioned that they would like to come back to Italy again this fall. They wanted to do a bit of traveling and invited us to join them on their adventures, using our condo in Como as a “home base”. They had sketched a rough itinerary and just wanted a little help filling in the blanks – assistance I was happy to give. They knew that they wanted to spend some time with us here in Como, some time in Piemonte and Emilia-Romagna (two regions adjacent to our region of Lombardia) as well as a quick jaunt down to the historically significant city of Pompeii and another to Venezia.
S and Deborah standing near the divide of Lake Como
Jen and I share the responsibility of planning our trips – researching restaurants, activities and hotels. But they’re usually in three or four day stints and one location at a time. This time, I had to navigate through a two week itinerary, complete with activities, restaurants, hotel stays and all at new locations each day. Putting the puzzle pieces of their trip together was a challenge not for the faint of heart. Jen and I dug in, and by the time S and Deb landed in Milan, we had an itinerary that we were both proud of. I think all of us agreed that it came together quite nicely. Of course, the key ingredient was the company, mixed with a little food and wine!
I manned the grill for a family feast on their second night. I’ll get Franco to smile for one of these pictures, yet…
S enjoys a little grappa after our meal
S gives us a thumbs up as he displays our first two days worth of “work”
We divided the trip into the three things that Italy is best known for. Part I was wine. Part II was food. And part III was history. Jen and I accompanied S and Deb for parts I and II (our personal favorites) and let them venture off on their own for part III. This clean break in adventures divided the trip quite nicely and will also allow me to easily organize these blog posts into two parts. Easy breezy, vino-squeezy. However, before we hit the open road, we spent a day here on Lake Como in one of our favorite towns – Bellagio (if you’ve been reading this blog for a little while, you’ve seen us here many times before). The unique beauty of the town is like nothing else on the world.
The weather was absolutely beautiful the day we drove to Bellagio
I teach my uncle how to take a “selfie” (after explaining what a “selfie” was)
Bellagio from above – a unique vantage point. Bellagio divides Lake Como into the two “legs”
Jen and I pose for a picture
S and I take a picture together
My two girls
Bellagio is a beautiful town at the center of Lake Como
A boat rests after bringing passengers from another lake town
“Hey… I think I’ll make this my profile pic”
Jen and S stand near the wine bar where we had lunch
The Italian flag blows in the wind alongside the European flag
Piemonte (Piedmont) is a region in northwest Italy that borders France to the west and [our region of] Lombardia to the east. The capital city of Piemonte is Torino, which was once the capital of all of Italy and the springboard for the unification of the country. Of the twenty regions in Italy that each produce wine, Piemonte is probably the most well-renowned for their vintages. The rolling hills and mild climate result in some of the world’s best wine – the Barolos and Barbarescos produced here are often the prize jewels of wine cellars the world over. These wines, made primarily from the nebbiolo grape age very well, and in fact improve and develop richer and more powerful flavors as the decades pass. It was easy that to recognize that this portion of our trip was going to be entitled simply, Vino (wine).
The rolling hills of Piemonte are a perfect place to grow grapes
They look delicious now… just wait until they are turned into a Barolo or Barbaresco
S stands in front of a field of grape vines early in the morning
A father and his son load grapes onto a flatbed during their harvest
The finished product of our five nights together in the condo – wine was definitely a theme central to their visit
We spent the first day of our road trip in the small village of Barolo. During our drive to Barolo, S imparted some of his knowledge about the famous wine, which I’ll now share with you. Historically, Barolo wines were very rich on tannin and therefore could require as many as ten years to soften enough to drink. The long fermenting time and aging process in large, wooden barrels causes this complexity in the wine. The problem with this method is that it is very time-consuming and therefore expensive. A newer breed of producers have cut the fermenting time by as much as 2/3 and age the wine in smaller, French oak barrels. This allows the consumer to drink the wine much earlier and appeals more to the more modern, international palate (it creates a fruitier wine). As an aside, the more modern palates that prefer “big”, fruitier wines is often attributed to world-famous wine critic, Robert Parker (often referred to as the “Parkerization” of wine). The differing styles in Barolo has created a controversy between “old” and “new” – a conflict often referred to as the, Barolo Wars.
Castello di Barolo stands proudly overtop the town with the same name
I ♥ Barolo!
After a wonderful lunch at Osteria Cantinella, I had pre-arranged for a tour and wine-tasting at Marchesi di Barolo. This particular cantina boasts a very genuine and interesting history (I encourage you to click on the link and visit their website). It was explained to us that this particular winery was where Barolo itself was born – we even saw the original cask that was home the world’s first Barolo over 200 years ago. Our tour began in one of the cantina’s vast rooms where they were aging wine in botte di vino (wine casks). These barrels were made from oak from several countries. S and Deb saw some of the barrels were made by an American cooper (barrel maker) they know in Napa Valley. Small world! We next moved into the Marchesi’s private family cellar, where an impressive collection of wines rendered us all speechless. As we descended down into the heart of the cantina, we saw the juice of fresh “crush” flowing though long winding hoses, attached to the floor above where tractors were dumping the grape fresh from the “harvest”. This was exciting for all of us, knowing that we played a small part in the 2014 vintage (primarily by not tripping over the hoses and spilling the precious nectar on the floor). After the tour, we enjoyed a tasting of some of their finer wines – a wonderful way to casually spend the afternoon.
We merely had to follow the signs to reach our restaurant
Our group is eager to dine at Osteria Cantinella
S and Deborah stand just outside Cantine dei Marchesi di Barolo
Jen and I take a picture here as well
Tractors were coming in out along with us, bringing grapes fresh from harvest
A display in the interior courtyard shows an old fashioned way to transport the wine from town to town
Julia also doubles as an expert Truffle Farmer
We smile in front of the old fashioned barrels and wagon
French oak botte in the first room we visited
Julia and I listen to our tour guide
Barolo can age in the bottle for many years, most Barolo shouldn’t even be opened for at least 10 years
Going into the personal cellar of the family… quite the collection
Some of the much older bottles are on display – these are no longer for drinking (hence the vertical position)
The oldest bottle in the cellar is from 1859 (not drinkable) and the oldest that is still drinkable is from 1938
A private tasting area
Some of these large barrels date back as far as the 1950’s
Downstairs the juice from the crush flow into these large steel vats through long hoses
These large barrels are made by hand and are very expensive
A basket that was once used for the harvest many years ago is now used as decoration
Tractors dump the grapes they collected at harvest into a machine that crushes them
Our guide showcases one of the bottles that we would be tasting – this a Barbaresco
Deborah and Julia start a dance party
But we weren’t done – we still had another tasting on the books. We next went to Borgogno – a producer of fine wine since 1761. We opted for the more comprehensive vertical flight, consisting of six different wines. I cannot accurately describe to you the pure bliss one can discover whilst sipping on some of the worlds best wines, with fun people who’s company you really enjoy and basking in the glory of a napping baby. We tried our best to “play it cool” but I think perhaps got a little rowdier than we even realized. You have to give us a break, we had each had several glasses of wine at this point. Between me and S (mainly, S) – we bought so much wine that they included two of the four tastings and threw in canvas bags, custom wood cases and bottle openers. If you find yourself in Barolo – duplicate our exact schedule of eating and drinking – it was an amazing day.
We walk through Barolo on our way to Borgogno (the tall white building)
One of their old trucks now sits on display in the cantina
A wonderful place to taste wine, surrounded by all the amazing bottles that can be acquired with the simple swipe of a card
S and Deborah share a laugh
Jen explains what a “selfie” is and shows her how to do it
I wouldn’t call Deborah’s first attempt “successful”
“Here, let a pro show you how it’s done”
Deborah’s second attempt was much better – I think she’s nailed the “selfie”
For 83 years, Alba has been host to the Fiera Internazionale del Tartuf Bianco d’Alba (International White Truffle Fair of Alba). This year, the festival is open for five weeks, from the 12th of October until the 17th of November, spanning across the entire city. There are hundreds of events (including a donkey race, music concerts and food & wine tastings), vendors set up in markets throughout the city, celebrity chefs dropping in all over town, cooking demonstrations and of course – thousands upon thousands of truffles. Admittedly, we were undertaking a “food” related activity in the “wine” portion of our trip – but we have learned that nothing pairs with the worlds most exquisite wine better than one of the world’s most elusive and desirable food items.
Last year’s poster for the event
S gets close the grapes of a small producer selling his wine
Some black truffles displayed for sale
It is the season for truffles as well as mushrooms – there were some fine examples for sale
A cheese vendor showcases his various goat, cow and sheep cheese
This artisan hand crafts items out of olive wood – Deborah got several spoons
Deborah laughs as S takes a picture of the window display at a pasticceria (pastry shop)
Family photo in one of the markets
The city is flooded with thousands of visitors each day during the month-long event
Like many of the world’s finer foods, a truffle may seem strange to many people (caviar = fish eggs, foie gras = goose liver, etc.). A truffle is in fact, a fungus – but nonetheless, affectionately referred to by many as the diamond of the kitchen. It is no wonder that this event is considered the Sundance Film Festival of the culinary world. The likes of Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich and dozens of other celebrity chefs make appearances each year. Lesser known restaurateurs can be seen in the main truffle tent, intently smelling every single truffle and purchasing thousands of euro’s worth of this little, spongy item. They will use the ingredient in various recipes (soups, stews, meat dishes and anything else their creative minds can concoct), but primarily – they will shave the truffles over pasta, table-side.
A collection of white truffles in the front – black truffles are in the background
Truffles are small, hard to acquire and require the perfect soil conditions to achieve a proper balance. Italy is regarded as the foremost area for the natural cultivation of truffles (and the ultra-elusive “white truffle” grows in the Langhe area, specifically Alba as well as Tuscany and Abruzzo). As popularity and demand has increased, other countries have tried to cultivate white truffles (including Slovenia, Croatia and now even China). It is commonly accepted that these areas produce a lesser-quality truffle. One of the benefits of purchasing your truffles within the main enclosed tent at the festival is that you are guaranteed a certified, locally cultivated truffle. Many of the merchants selling their truffles were the actual farmers themselves. Today, farmers mainly use Truffle Dogs to sniff out the truffles. Historically, Truffle Pigs were used (because of their acute sense of smell and innate ability to find truffles) – but their love of the delectable treat often had them eating the merchandise before the farmers could snatch them from their snouts. The Truffle Dogs have to be trained to find the goods, but are much easier to control. We sniffed out some of our own truffles and plunked down €50 to acquire two small truffles and a truffle shaver.
White truffles for sale – they are not cheap!
Deborah catches the scent of a beautiful specimen – that truffle probably cost around €300 ($400)
I give the truffle a smell as well
This guy really knows how to do it and shows us – it’s all in the wrist and perfectly timed nostril flare
We found this guy selling roasted chestnuts outside
After touring the markets, we had lunch at Ristorante Vigin Mudest
Ever heard anyone say, “this sauce is so good I could drink it”? Well, when S says it – he really means it
I became the “garbage disposal” of the group, finishing everyone’s plates (3 plates and a bowl)
Julia hugs her great aunt and uncle after lunch
Before we left Alba, Julia insisted on ripping her shoes and socks off
Our final stop in Piemonte was a visit to Asti, a city that has been occupied since the Neolithic Period and today boasts a population of about 75,000 inhabitants. Unfortunately, we caught the city on a Monday… during lunchtime. This meant that virtually every museum, shop and attraction was closed. We ate a makeshift lunch of pizza and flatbread on park benches before heading for home.
Julia built a throne of her own from some firewood at our agriturismo
Cattedrale di Asti (Cathedral of Asti) dates to 1309
Ruins of an ancient tower that had been built into a more modern home
A couple days later, we took our prized truffles out of the refrigerator and cooked tagliatelle con olio with shaved truffle. It was a delicious lunch that nearly put us in a content, comatose state – a good way to tease our pallets for Part II of the trip. We would depart the next morning for Emilia-Romanga. If Part I was entitled Vino, then Part II of their trip would definitely be called Cibo (food).
This is what €50 ($68) worth of truffles looks like
I shave the white truffle on my pasta
Jen takes her turn
Deborah is happy to shave her truffles
S looks great when he’s shaving truffles
Now that looks great!
It tasted great too
Even Julia got to try some truffles
We visited Varenna after our truffle lunch
That night we all went to dinner at Ristorante Simposio to celebrate Claudia’s birthday – still can’t get Franco to smile
Sometimes living abroad is hard. Like when you miss a good friend’s wedding in upstate New York – an event that turned out to be the social gathering of the year (according to Facebook pictures and word of mouth). Thankfully Dave and Jill completely understood when we declined to come. Or when one of your best friends tells you that he’s planning on “popping the question” via email, because there’s really no easier way. Those are the types of conversations that should be reserved for a late night in a neighborhood bar, complete with lots of back pats and free rounds for the groom-to-be. Thankfully, Josh was great about keeping me in the loop, sending us pictures of his wonderful proposal to Abby in Charlestown earlier this year (and even calling us via FaceTime shortly afterward). So, yeah – living abroad can be hard when you miss these special moments in your friends and families lives. However… when we’re able to host our friends and family here, we are always grateful for the experience abroad.
Abby, Josh, Jill, Dave, Jen and Julia
For that reason, we were absolutely thrilled when we heard that Josh and Abby were going to come visit us. We coordinated the timing of their trip so that they would be visiting during a beautiful time of year and the start of Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. As soon as they booked their airfare, I reserved our train tickets to Munich, which I’ll write about in the upcoming post.
Josh and Abby in Varenna
Shortly after learning of Josh and Abby’s visit, we got even more good news. Our friends Dave (aka, Dr. Dave) and Jill were also going to be in Europe at the same time and wanted to spend time with us here in Como. I mentioned that we would also be going to Oktoberfest and they were able to arrange it so that they could join us there too! While they didn’t stay with us in either locale, they coordinated close quarters so that we could spend time together.
Dave and Jill in Brunate
When Josh and Abby arrived in Italy, we opted for a new strategy. We decided to be “low-key” for the first day. We even allowed them the option to take a nap, if they wanted. In the past, we have cooked massive meals, whisked people immediately to downtown Como and forced them to stay awake in order to stave off jet-lag. However, we’ve learned that visitors often forget their first day – it’s simply too much, too fast (especially in a comatose state). So when I got them home safe and sound, we simply walked across the street to one of our local favorites, Quattro Staggione. Even though the food is Italian (shocker), the restaurant is fashioned after a German beer garden. Jen and I decided that it would be a good start to get us in the mood for our upcoming trip to Germany. We capped the night off with more food and drinks and they hit the sack early, ready to begin their world-wind trip freshly rested.
The plan the following day was to meet Dave and Jill at our place, before heading to Antichi Sapori – the best pizza place in all of northern Italy. They were driving down from Switzerland and ended up getting lost – opting instead to meet us at the restaurant. When they finally arrived, we rushed through our meal so that we could reach our next destination quickly… an activity that had me as giddy as a nerd at Comic-Con. I had arranged for something that I’ve wanted to do since we moved here – a privately rented boat to drive around Lake Como. I’d looked into it in the past, but only found prohibitively expensive companies or boat operators that drove you themselves. I wanted to be the one to get behind the wheel and really open’er up . On a previous visit to Tremezzo, I discovered a company that was not only reasonably priced – but also gave you free reign of their boats (with surprisingly little information in exchange. Luckily for them, I do actually have my boating license). Josh grabbed some wine and beer and we got on the water ready to enjoy the sights and sounds of Lake Como from the middle of the lake itself!
I pull the boat away from Tremezzo – Josh and Abby settle in for the ride
Julia loved the wind in her hair
The towns along the lake are even prettier to see from the water
I stop driving to pose for a picture with Jen
Josh and Abby enjoying time aboard our boat
Dave and Jill on Lago di Como
Julia gives us a smile
Family photo in front of Bellagio
The “girls”
The “guys”
Isola Comancia – I’ve never been so close
Julia decides to hang out with the boys and helps me drive
I relax in the back with a beer and my girl…
…who promptly lost interest in me when Josh took over driving. Guess she likes men with power
The entire crew on the dock after we returned
After a fun-filled day on the lake we made it home with enough time for Jen to cook a wonderful meal. We had all the usual suspects (cheese, salami, olives, salad, bread, etc.) with osso buco served over a risotto milanese as the star of the show (Abby had her first taste of veal and her first taste of bone marrow all in one sitting). We also had several bottles of wine to accompany the meal. After the food stopped coming, we broke out the traditional grappa. Usually, grappa signals the end of the meal and drinks – but not with this crew! After grappa, I took the guys down to my cantina (wine cellar) and brought back a special bottle of whiskey I had gotten in Scotland earlier this year. The girls opened another bottle of wine and the party continued. Eventually, someone decided it was a good idea to go to the bar next door and close the place down… it was not a good idea!
The late night started out innocently enough…
…and then turned into this…
…and some of this!
After breakfast the next day, Dave and Jill came back to our place and we all went into Como together. We walked around Como for a bit and then took the funicolare (cable car) up the mountain to the small town of Brunate. We had a phenomenal lunch overlooking the lake as well as Como. Later that night, it was another favorite for us – Ristorante Simposio in Inverigo Hotel, a four-star hotel near our home. We were excited to order the zuppa di mare – a mixed seafood dish that [at this particular restaurant] is absolutely huge. The six of us shared the dish as an appetizer, couldn’t finish it and were full before our entrees arrived. And they claim that this dish is for two!
We relaxed in the restaurant’s garden with some vino rosato while we waited for our table
The group enjoyed a wonderful lunch with a great view
Photos compliments of Julia
Hanging out at one of the panoramic spots in Bruante
The zuppa di mare that we’ve always wanted to order, but never had enough people
Dave ordered branzino arrostito al sale (branzino roasted in salt)
The following evening we would depart for Germany on an overnight train (Dave and Jill drove separately in their rental car). But we had all day to fill, so we formulated a plan to go hiking in Switzerland. Our home is close to Lugano, Switzerland – a wonderful city surrounded by beautiful Swiss mountains. Dave and Jill researched a popular climb and so we set out for a vertical ascent that would reward us with wonderful views of the Lago di Lugano and the city below.
Lago di Lugano – the city is on the left of the lake
Josh and Abby along the hike
Dave downplayed the vertical climb of the hike – both Jill and Josh have recently had major reconstructive knee surgery
Of course, the next part of this adventure was our time in Germany – but that warrants it’s own post. So, I’ll conclude this portion of blog with the remainder of Josh and Abby’s trip. After we all returned from Munich, they ventured off on their own to Venice and Verona before returning home to Como. We wanted to spend their last couple days exploring towns along Lake Como and made the decision to discover a new town together (we’ve been to many of the popular lake towns, but there is still so much for us to explore). I’m glad that we agreed to explore together, because Josh and Abby helped us find Varenna – one of our new favorite towns along the lake. We spent all day exploring the town and the castle, Castello di Vezio.
Varenna is a beautiful new town that Josh and Abby helped us find
Josh and Abby cuddle for a picture
Family photo by the water
Josh shares his bench with Julia and she shares some gelato with him
“Mom, smile like this!”
Good place for a photo
“You guys go on ahead, I’ll just hang out here”
Vivid placard on the wall of Chiesa di S. Giorgio
“Cheese!”
“On top of the world!”
Even though Castello di Vezio is privately owned, it is open to the public all year round. The castle, which dates back to 1169 – boasts a wonderful collection of collection of birds of prey, including a fantastic horned owl and some magnificent hawks. There is a garden of wooden statues and totems carved by local artists such as, Luigi Gambato. But most interesting were the “ghosts” that greeted you at the gates (a shocking image as you round the corner) and adorned the caste’s walls and towers. They are made from white chalk each summer by using the frames of willing tourists that sit and allow the artists to sculpt around them. We spent our final day in Como and then bid Josh and Abby a fond farewell as they boarded their plane headed back to Washington DC.
Julia helps Josh pick his final outfit – she models one of his shirts
A tower of Castello di Vezio
The castle was in amazing shape for being nearly 1,000 years old
Beautiful doorways and walls
The trees on the castle grounds were stunning
The ghosts of Vezio offered a strange and haunting welcome
Everywhere you turned, you were being watched
Josh tests the sturdiness of an ancient walkway
Julia ascends the stone steps of a tower with me
The fortress was located with an open view of the lake – located centrally across from Bellagio
The main tower of Vezio
Oh, who’s that poking out on top of the tower?!
I embarked on a climb to the top alone
Looking down I saw a couple of familiar faces
They had an impressive display of birds – this falcon put on a demonstration with a Falconer
This was another Falcon in a different part of the castle
Looking down on the town of Varenna from high atop the cliffs
We discovered the castle’s ancient prison
Josh descends into the depths
Julia is having way to much fun in jail
The prison was just carved out tunnels in the stone
Julia borrows a free ride on their last day in Como
I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing a bit about some of the great times we had with close friends. Keep an eye out for the upcoming Oktoberfest post – the fun we had there wasn’t quite so innocent…
On May 4, 2013 a tornado touched down in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. A path of chaos was carved throughout the area best known for a city that inspired a processed meat in the US nowhere near an authentic representation of it’s namesake – Bologna.
One day prior, a different type of tornado touched down in the Lombardia region just north of Emilia-Romagna. Our friends, Nathan and Danielle landed in Milan and a whirlwind of food, fun, wine was about to begin – our own path of chaos would be carved throughout northern Italy.
Our very good friends, Nathan and Danielle
I picked them up at the airport while Jen stayed home to prepare a proper welcome – an Italian pranzo (lunch) done right. We greeted them with an aperitivo (an alcoholic beverage used to stimulate the appetite) and then began stuffing them with salami, prosciutto, lardo (cured meat – basically just pork fat thinly sliced), cheese and olives. Then it was on to the pasta course, with a simple red sauce before our secondo, veal Milanese. Next of course were the salads and then dessert – fresh fruit and pastries we bought that morning. Plenty of wine flowed throughout the meal and we finished with grappa. The only problem… our large lunch had an effect opposite of our intention to keep them awake and perky in order to stave off jet-lag. They were both crying out for a nap, but we were merciless with our plans. We whisked them to downtown Como, where we walked off lunch and eventually made our way to a bar for happy hour outdoors under the sun.
Our next day (and pretty much every day following) was even more action packed than the first. We woke up early and headed to Como to catch the “fast-ferry” to Bellagio. The hydro-foil was going to bring us half-way up Lake Como to one of our favorite towns. Bellagio is often referred to as the Pearl of Lake Como, a very fitting nickname. The beauty of the town inspired the grand casino and resort in Las Vegas that shares the same name. We arrived at the pier a few minutes too late and watched as the faster hydro-foil departed without us. We booked tickets for the next ferry, the slower boat that would take two hours to reach our destination. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as we positioned ourselves in the open bow of the boat (we later learned the faster boat was entirely enclosed) and spent a full two hours marveling at the beauty of the lake. It also helped pass the time that we drank individual portions of boxed wine (imagine a juice box with wine as opposed to juice… “don’t take mommy’s juice-boxes, little Johnny”).
Nate and Danielle on the boat
Danielle gave Julia her first piece of gum (which she swallowed in seconds)
The whole crew
Some towns we saw along the lake – love the light coming through the clouds
Isola Comacina (an island in Lake Como)
Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo
The town of Tremezzo
Julia having fun with Danielle onboard
We’re HERE!
We arrived at Bellagio cheerful and ready to explore. But the internal Italian clock had already set in with our guests and it was just past noon – nearly time for lunch (without exception). We headed to Aperitivio et Al, where we had already made reservations. We ordered antipasto and then moved on to our main dishes. We ordered an extra dish for the table to share, a local specialty called pizzoccheri. Jen and I have enjoyed this unique local pasta many times over the years and they prepared the dish quite well here.
Bellagio from the opposite side of the lake
A baby in a stroller is no match for two strong guys!
Antipasto
Selection of cheeses
Danielle served our grappa
One of my favorite streets in Bellagio – right where ate
The girls having fun
“SAY WHAAAT?!”
The flowers in Bellagio are stunning – even Julia was taken aback
After lunch we set out to explore a bit before heading to Villa Serbelloni – a beautiful resort that sits directly on the lake. We commandeered a perfect spot in the corner of their terrace and ordered a round of the popular Italian afternoon drink, Aperol Sprtiz. As we finished our drinks, Nathan and I mulled over our next order of business when Danielle came back in true “Sweet D” fashion – two Cuban cigars in hand and two waiters in tow, carrying a bottle of champagne (for the girls) and two beers (for the guys). I guess we weren’t going anywhere anytime soon, which was just fine with us. Eventually we departed in time to catch the ferry (this time we made it to the fast boat) and headed back home for a late dinner.
Villa Serbelloni
A view from one of the hotel’s terraces
Nathan became giddy at the view
This is what he was looking at
Julia soaking it all up
The gang’s all here
Having fun with Daddy
The girls with their sprtiz’s
The aftermath of our afternoon
Another view from the hotel
Sunday (day three) was a continuation of the first two. I had prearranged a wine tasting in the Piemonte region – an area in the northwest of the country that produces some of the world’s best wines. Several weeks back, my father-in-law sent me an email about a three day event that was divided between six venues (mostly private villas and castles), spread among four villages and serving hundreds of the best Barolo’s, Barbaresco’s and Diano d’Alba’s (to name a few). The only problem – it was reserved for professionals in the wine industry. I was dismayed to learn that I may be prevented from attending a seemingly perfect day of free wine tasting. I viewed the registration form anyways and decided that it wouldn’t hurt to let them know I was a wine importer and therefore worthy of a badge (along with my three “co-workers”). It isn’t that far-fetched of a tale, as I would love to get into the trade and figured I could do some networking in between sips. The ruse worked and we had a day planned to experience some of the best wine in Italy.
Grandi Langhe DOCG Wine Event
The three hour drive to the Langhe province flew by and we were welcomed with warm weather and bright blue skies. Our anticipation built as we passed rolling hills and fields of vines dotting the landscape in perfect lines like ants on their way to a picnic. We arrived in the town of Monforte d’ Alba and teetered our way down the small cobblestone street toward the location of our first tasting, Palazzo Martinengo. The venue was wonderful and I was amazed to see how many local producers were in attendance, eager to showcase their wine and talk about their grapes’ unique prowess. I had a blast chatting in a combination of English and Italian, evaluating how the local terroir affects the flavor of each wine. It was no small coincidence that I chose this particular day of the three to attend the tasting – the first venue was featuring only Barolo’s (the most sought-after of all the wines in the region). We enjoyed a lunch on the terrace – steak tartare, pasta (of course) and some other goodies before moving onto the next venue.
Monforte d’ Alba
Inside the event
Lunch was served on the terrace
Badges and glasses ready
Danielle goes in for a taste
These guys must be big time wine importers – I mean, look at those pink shirts!
Stepping out for a bit
What a day!
As we piled into the shuttle we noticed some dark clouds moving in. By the time we arrived at Tenuta Abbene, a heavy rain had broken through the clouds. I was particularly bummed, because this venue was stunning – a private villa set back behind a long driveway. Situated behind many hectares of grape fields and atop a hill that produced a view of the entire valley. The event had planned this portion of the tasting to be outside – a plan that was wasted because everyone was crowded inside a small space to avoid the blistering cold rain. Eventually we decided the rain wasn’t letting up and opted to drive home, but not after stopping at one of our favorite restaurants, Antique Sapore for Como’s best pizza.
The villa – shot from the safety of cover
More of the outdoor space we weren’t able to enjoy
Hiding inside
Danielle fashioned a couture raincoat out of a garbage bag
Monday, we needed a break before our next big trip (we were leaving for Venice the next morning) and so we enjoyed a slow morning before headed to our absolute favorite dining establishment… Franco and Claudia’s home, just upstairs. She prepared a wonderful lunch which we all thoroughly enjoyed (I even caught her in a picture… a rare feat indeed).
Everyone for lunch – Franco… SMILE like you like us!
Preparing the food in the kitchen
Afterward we took a nice long drive, winding our way up the lake past some more of our favorite towns and ended up in Menaggio.
Walking around Menaggio
Walking along the lake
I was helping Julia attract the ducks so she could “pet them”
Family photo
River that leads to the lake
Soaking up the scenery
Can you believe that we just happened to be sitting like this?!
Just like Nathan and Danielle’s visit, we have a lot packed into this post and so I will conclude this first part and resume again next with our exciting trip to Venice. Ciao for now…
