VARIATIONS OF NEBBIOLO
The Nebbiolo grape variety finds its perfect habitat in Piedmont: thanks to the mild and sunny microclimate, ideal for its cultivation, it is the 'queen' grape of our region. Starting from Nebbiolo as a base, an important ancient grape, different types of wine are obtained, which are peculiar in taste, perfume and intensity according to the different territories where the grapes ripen.
Day 1: Arrival on Lake Maggiore, hotel accommodation and overnight stay.
Day 2: Domodossola and Prünent wine.
The morning is dedicated visiting the historic centre of Domodossola, an ancient commercial crossroads on the border with Switzerland already in Roman times and the ideal starting point for countless excursions in the Ossola Valleys. Today it offers a modern town centre, with its market square, medieval alleys and arcades, and renovated historic buildings. Not far from the centre stands the Sacro Monte Calvario, a Unesco heritage site and a marvellous testimony to 17th century religious architecture. In the afternoon, departure for the Ossola village of Oira and visit to the small historic dairy. This is followed by a visit and tasting at the "Garrone" family's wine cellar, whose Prünent and Tarlap wines are the product of an ancient indigenous Nebbiolo vine, which gives the wine a particular "wild", at times sour flavour.
Day 3. Orta and the wines of the Novara hills.
With our local guide today we discover Orta and its lake of the same name. Here the visitor is enchanted by the old-world charm of this town: the narrow medieval streets, old, frescoed houses and wrought-iron balconies provide a magical atmosphere. The small island of San Giulio, home to a monastery of Benedictine cloistered nuns, appears shrouded in mystery and can be reached by boat from the main square. We continue in the afternoon towards the Novara hills. The special feature of this area is the 'super volcano' that once existed here and thanks to which the soil has remained rich in precious mineral salts that give the wines a robust and distinctive taste. Their organoleptic properties are in fact very similar to those of the Sicilian Etna. A visit to a typical wine cellar and wine tasting, labeled Gattinara and Ghemme, awaits us.
Day 4. South of Piedmont region, Wine Museum and Barolo tastings.
Departure from the hotel in a southerly direction to reach the famous Langhe region. Meeting with the local guide and visit of the ancient palace of the Marchesi Falletti di Barolo, home of the WIMU, an innovative museum dedicated to wine. This is not an exhibition of bottles with faded labels but a true emotional journey into the history, culture and tradition of wine!
A tasting of excellent Barolo is not to be missed. We then proceed with a panoramic tour of the Langhe and Roero with stunning views of the terraced hillsides cultivated with the area's typical vines. Arrival at the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5 . Alba, Pollenzo and the Langhe area.
In the morning, a guided tour of the town of Alba, the ancient town of a hundred towers, today famous for the fair of the fragrant white truffle that takes place every year in autumn. Of the 100 towers, only a few are still visible in the centre, but they are enough to give the old town centre the medieval atmosphere of times gone by. Worth a visit is the central Via Cavour with its famous “Loggia dei Mercanti” and the Cathedral of St Lorenzo. In the afternoon we continue to Pollenzo, a hamlet of Bra, where the medieval castle of the same name stands. Today Pollenzo is home to the University of Gastronomic Sciences, the first university in the world entirely dedicated to the culture of food, as well as the headquarters of the wine bank at the “Albergo dell'Agenzia” wine cellars.
History, culture, art and taste in the splendid natural setting of the Langhe hills to be enjoyed during a guided tour and tasting of typical products.
Day 6: After breakfast return home.
Price starting from Euro 578,00 per person / minimum 25 participants
Duration: 6 days/ 5 nights
The package includes:
- N. 3 nights with half board in a 3* hotel in the lake area
- N. 2 nights with half board in a 3* hotel in the Langhe/Roero area
- N. 4 full day guide services as per programme
- Return transfer with motorboat Orta-S.Giulio Island
- Touristic train transfer Orta San Giulio
- Guided tour of WIMU Museum and tasting of Barolo wine
- Tasting of wines and local products as per programme in Oira, Ghemme and Bra/Pollenzo
