Food, Wine and Travel Blog

What is the most famous grape of Piedmont? Piedmont and Nebbiolo. The two are as inseparable as Burgundy and Pinot Noir; a noble and longstanding marriage between grape variety and terroir. Planted across the Langhe hills to the south and east of the river Tanaro, Nebbiolo is grown to perfection by the best producers, who […]

What is Barolo Chinato? Barolo. It’s a word that elicits instant excitement from sybarites and collectors – Nebbiolo finds its most dazzling expression in the Langhe hills, on the calcareous soils found east of La Morra and surrounding the village of Barolo itself. At its best, Barolo is a tannic masterpiece of finesse and balance; […]

What could be more romantic that enjoying glorious autumn recipes in cozy surroundings, paired with a glass of something spectacular, of course? For as the days shorten and the temperature drops, our thoughts turn to hearty, rich dishes like venison and guinea fowl, roast chestnuts and that most decadent of gastronomic indulgences – truffles. Indeed, […]

In the space of just over fifteen years, a remarkable resurgence in the quality and quantity of luxury wine hotels has left the discerning oenophile seriously spoilt for choice. Pioneers like Rioja’s Marques de Riscal and Jean-Michel Cages, owner of Cordeillan Bages in Bordeaux, have given the industry a much-needed boost with their natural talent […]

In the right hands, a winery can be far more than merely a functional center for processing grapes and producing wine. After all, making great wine is as much an art form as a science – so why shouldn’t a winery reflect the inherent beauty of wine-making? The world’s greatest architects, from Sir Norman Foster […]

When is best to Visit Wine Country People always ask us, “when is the best time to come to the wine country?” and the answer we always give is May or June for good weather and fewer crowds and, of course, September and October during the harvest time. Often, however, those months might not correspond […]

Chocolate first made its way to Italy in the 16th century, soon after Spanish explorers imported the cocoa bean from the new world. Although it was first used only as a drink for the privileged, it didn’t take long for the chocolate to earn a beloved place in Italian desserts. These days, you’ll find Italian […]

Italy’s wine country is spectacularly varied from the dramatic valleys of Piedmont overshadowed by the Alps, to the fairytale wine roads of Chianti (complete with castles, medieval villages, and cypress-lined country roads), to the volcanic vineyards near Sicily´s Mount Etna. Wine lovers coming to Italy are spoiled for choice when it comes to beautiful vineyards, […]

We heard about a lively and unusual fair (translated as “the fat ox fair”) in Piedmont, and sent our Italian specialist, Simona Piccinelli to check out this amazingly popular event near the Barolo wine country. Simona´s notes- Ever since 1910 (although there is evidence that  ox markets and fairs were held weekly from as far […]