Piedmont Wine Tour with Truffle Market

Travel Program: Day 1, Thursday 15.10. 06:30: Departure from Selzach, Hugi Weine (parking available), heading towards Martigny, Great St. Bernard Pass, Aosta to the Casale region in Colombara. Lunch at Ristorante Balin with typical risotto variations. Visit and tour of the Torrone della Colombara rice farm in the rice-growing area of Piedmont. The Vercelli plain is an area historically dedicated to rice cultivation. Vast water basins create a magical and enchanting landscape that has inspired numerous artists and poets. This is where Acquerello rice is grown in an environmentally friendly manner. During cultivation, the water is always kept high, preserving a sensitive ecosystem and the typical fauna of the rice fields: frogs, dragonflies, and herons make their home here. Acquarello risotto is found in the best houses around the world. A brilliant combination of white rice with the essential nutrients only found in brown rice. Continue to Asti, then near Canale to San Damiano D'Asti. Visit to the RiDaRoca winery of the Rabino family, a young and excellent producer of expressive wines. The company was founded in 1994 and now owns 10 hectares of vineyards. Andrea Rabino, responsible for the wines today, is highly regarded on the national and international market. He excels at preserving tradition with new insights. Continue to Alba. 19:30: Check-in at Hotel Calissano**** in Alba. Free time in Alba. Alba is situated on the Tanaro River with its beautifully preserved old town, the Torri (noble towers), etc. Alba is the center of all important activities in Piedmont and is particularly famous for its white truffle. The Alba Cathedral was rebuilt in the Gothic style and features a bell tower with a view over the city. The Church of San Giovanni Battista houses artworks from the 14th century. The Federico Eusebio Museum, in addition to a natural history department, contains artifacts from prehistoric to Roman times. The many excellent restaurants in the small, picturesque town center are highly recommended. Day 2, Friday 16.10. 09:00: Departure via Neive to Mango, the land of Moscato. Visit to Cascina Fonda, a producer of the popular Moscato d’Asti. Continue via Alba to the Barolo growing area in Castiglione Falletto. Visit to Azienda Agricola Montanello by Alberto Racca, a small winery in the heart of the Barolo region. Montanello, also a top Barolo vineyard, is an up-and-coming winery with a long tradition. The Racca family has invested heavily in infrastructure in recent years. Lunch at the winery. Continue to Gallo to the Montanaro Distillery. Tour of one of the oldest distilleries in Piedmont. Return to Alba with free time. 19:00: Departure to nearby Castagnito for Az. Agr. Massucco. Tour of an impressive family-run business in the Roero region. Dinner at the family-owned restaurant run by Marc Lanteri, an excellent and renowned chef, and his wife Mary. Expect a culinary highlight accompanied by some wines from Massucco. Day 3, Saturday 17.10. Free time in Alba. Visit the Alba truffle market (“Mercato Mondiale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba”) opening at 09:30. The rare white truffle from the region around Alba is world-famous. Every autumn between October and November, on consecutive weekends (always Saturdays and Sundays), the Alba truffle fair “Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba” takes place at the Palazzo Mostre e Congressi. This unique fair is a must and a highlight of the year for gourmets from around the world, where regional delicacies such as wine, cheese, pasta, and baked goods are also offered. Products can be sampled or tasted at the Palazzo. Combined with a stroll through medieval Alba. Additionally, there is a large market (“Mercato”) throughout the city on this day. 11:30: Departure to Castagnito. In the heart of the Roero wine region, Cascina Vari offers a unique tasting of various wines from Piedmont. Present producers will showcase their wines. You can enjoy some stuzzichini (snacks) with them. After the tasting, you can look forward to another meal featuring Piedmontese specialties. All wines from the tasting can continue to be enjoyed during the meal. 15:00: Return journey via Bellinzona, through the Gotthard Tunnel and Lucerne to Selzach. 22:00: Approximate arrival in Selzach. Included services: - Travel in a comfortable coach - Regional lunch at Ristorante Balin including wine and beverages - Guided tour of the rice farm - Visit to RiDaRoca winery with aperitif - 2 overnight stays at Hotel Calissano**** including breakfast buffet - Visit to Cascina Fonda winery (Moscato d’Asti producer) including tasting - Visit to Montanello winery with tasting and snack - Visit to Montanaro Grappa Distillery in Gallo with tasting - Visit to Massucco winery with cellar aperitif - Dinner at Restaurante Marc Lanteri in Castagnito, including wine and beverages - Tasting with producers at Cascina Vari in Castagnito - Lunch at the restaurant of Cascina Vari Hotel: Hotel Calissano **** Via Pola 8 - 12051 Alba (CN) - ITALY Tel. +39.0173 364855 info@hotelcalissano.it www.hotelcalissano.it