Anyone heading over to Italy?

[Ian S]

It's been a little quiet on this sub-forum recently.

Anyone planning or lusting after a trip to Italy this year? If so, what is exciting you?

Regards
Ian

p.s. for us, only a short trip to Torino last year, and little chance of anything in the 1st half of the year, but maybe a funghi hunting trip in autumn might be a tempter. Maybe Northern Piemonte, up closer to the mountains.

[winetastic]

Most likely Sicily / Etna in Oct or Nov, and having gone that far, it would be a shame not to drop into Barbaresco for a week as well. I have never been during truffle season, it will probably be a bit manic for my tastes but I feel I need to experience it at least once.

Thinking along the lines of up to 2 weeks in Sicily, visiting all the producers who are imported into Australia.

[Ian S]

Barbaresco and Barolo villages still not overpowered in truffle season, though the village of Barolo is inexorably heading in that direction. It can clash a little with harvest, but we've been lucky on visits at this time of year.

For the Alba truffle fair, try to get there early on the weekend, and do look at later weekends which are meant to be quieter. By early, definitely look to arrive before 9am (and parking is easy in the newish car park near the train station). Have a quick poke around the shops before heading into the truffle market (say) 10-11am. Street food can then be a sensible option (or book a table well in advance at anywhere decent), before grazing the large street market that's there these days (plenty of good artisan stuff). Food inside the truffle market isn't a great experience, but it might still appeal, and you can grab a glass of wine or two as well. My recommendation is to seek out the artisan food producers at both the truffle market and the street market... and take your haul back to your apartment for a wonderful moving feat over the following days. Including a truffle in this is of course very sensible.

Alternatively, if you find yourself near Bologna, there is a quaint little truffle festival at Pianoro for a couple of days in October/November. Small, local and convivial, which is the opposite of what the big truffle festivals have become. There are other truffle festivals large and small, and a search for tartufo+festa+region can often find them.

Regards
Ian

[Waiters Friend]

We had been planning a return to Tuscany this year, and especially around Montepulciano, but I fear my partner's work commitments may prevent this happening. I'll post if we are going, as I will be looking for suggestions.

Cheers
Allan

[Ian S]

I'd certainly recommend Montepulciano for a 4-7 day stay, and Politian apartments for a very good place to stay there. Got a few restaurant reccos, though it's getting to be a while since we've been there.

[via collins]

Arriving early at the Alba truffle market is a very good idea.

But somehow when I did this year before last, i found myself being offered Barolo wines at 9.10am.

Not what i had planned, but didn't kill me, so yeah, get in there!

[Ian S]

Under normal circumstances, I never drink any alcohol before noon. I recall being on holiday a couple of times and beers were ordered with breakfast, and I really couldn't wrap my head around the idea. A few sips and the beer was pushed aside, as I didn't enjoy it.

However the one exception I have to this (somewhat arbitrary) rule is wine tastings. I think 9am is the earliest I've ever started a (winery) tasting, but 10am more typical for a 1st winery visit of the day when on holiday, and 11am for a walkround tasting. I think it's the extra focus / attention that makes this feel ok, after all I'm awake and refreshed, so I'm as attentive to what I'm tasting as I'm likely to be. However drinking as part of simply relaxing just doesn't work for me in the mornings - I'm active and I want to do things, so alcohol as a relaxant really feels counter-productive.

[sjw_11]

Hey Ian, I am heading over to Piemonte for about 10 days in mid-August, staying in an apartment in Alba.

I have been to the area before but let me know if you have any recent tips, especially places to eat in Alba itself or any wineries you think are worth trying that maybe aren't the obvious candidates!

I plan a pretty laid back trip with plenty of lazing around.

[Ian S]

Hi Sam
Oddly we've had fairly average experiences eating out in Alba, so follow recommendations from others here. However the markets are good in Alba, with some very good fresh produce - I think langheroero.it website has an up to date listing of days of the week and locations. Hopefully the Porcini start arriving early. Also plenty of decent food shops along the two main pedestrianised streets that form an L shape. We tend to go for ever-changing salads, cheeses, fruit, some fresh pasta and bread when staying in apartments, plus of course wine and the apartments usually have good glasses / corkscrew befitting wine country.

Nearby Treiso is almost a 'can't fail' place to eat as all 4 restaurants have their own style, from very good trattoria (once over-hyped by journos, but it seems they simply carry on regardless), through solid traditional restaurant, relaxed wine bar and then Michelin chasing upmarket. Barbaresco itself much more variable. I believe Neive also has good places to eat, and all these villages are in easy drive or modest taxi fare range. Plenty of good walking around (and through) the Barbaresco vineyards.

Worth checking for events on the langheroero.it website, or call in at the wonderfully efficient tourist office in Alba. Italian festivals and events can be a joy.

Regards
Ian

[Ian S]

Wineries?

Barbaresco and around: Albino Rocca impressed, and remarkably also for their whites as well as their reds (Moscato d'Asti and Cortese were excellent). Ca'Nova in Barbaresco are somewhat ramshackled, but welcoming and the wines are good stout wines at very cheap prices. A strong argument they offer the best value. We've not visited Cascina Saria, but I'd like to if we return to the region. Also very fine value - perhaps a little more polish and their 2011 Langhe nebbiolo was as close to a house wine we've had - screaming value at GBP10 a bottle in the UK and still going strong.

Drop-in experience at Produttori del B cellar door is decidedly average, so if planning to visit, book in like anywhere else, but even then they appear to be a bit hit & miss

Are you hitting Barolo vineyards as well? If so Mauro Molino for a (rare) modernist estate that we like. Schiavenza for some very serious wines at fair prices with standard and riserva bottlings in each of the 4 (IIRC) vineyards they have holdings in, so a chance to explore the terroir. Their restaurant is cracking value for lunch - very slightly spruced up traditional which worked well. Monforte did us good for dining and Le case della Saracca a perfect example of early evening aperitivo with a huge help yourself buffet of food. Cascina Ballarin also very good under the radar producer with a super value nebbiolo (but they have twice forgotten about appointments so not the most organised!)

[Waiters Friend]

I'd certainly recommend Montepulciano for a 4-7 day stay, and Politian apartments for a very good place to stay there. Got a few restaurant reccos, though it's getting to be a while since we've been there.

I can certainly recommend a couple of restaurants in Montepulciano, based on very recent experience:

Godimento Divino
Le Logge del Vignola (Michelin star)

And to avoid:

Caffe Poliziano

The former had style and soul, the latter did not.

We stayed in a 600 year old house on a piazzetta just off the main drag, and only 50 m from 2 of these restaurants. The house has a terrace garden overlooking the countryside and protruding from the rock - a brilliant location and view.

[Ian S]

And to avoid:

Caffe Poliziano

Yes this place wasn't at all as expected. Painted out to be one of the great classic cafes, it seemed in genuine need of renovation/restoration. I saw the breakfast prices and what they came out as (ordered by some people sitting near us), and was amazed anyone would bother. The highlight was a fine selection of mignons (little cakes and biscuits) and it is for this alone I would recommend it - an early afternoon pick-me-up

Regards
Ian

[via collins]

Hi Sam,

Alba is such a superb place to be - striking distance with a fair chunk of the wine producers I most enjoy.

If weather is clement, and electric bike or scooter tour of the villages around Barbaresco never fails to please. I did my touring there on a bicycle which caused locals to question my sanity. As I get older, I kind of get their point. Near Tre Stelle there's a restaurant that a poster here tipped me to called OSTERIA TASTE [url]https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Re ... dmont.html[/url].

I thoroughly enjoyed an Osteria that was actually part of the Musotto railway station one stop out of Alba. Something so Italian about eating a three course meal based on fresh black truffles while the trains rattle the window every 20 minutes.

Have fun!

[sjw_11]

Wineries?

Barbaresco and around: Albino Rocca impressed, and remarkably also for their whites as well as their reds (Moscato d'Asti and Cortese were excellent). Ca'Nova in Barbaresco are somewhat ramshackled, but welcoming and the wines are good stout wines at very cheap prices. A strong argument they offer the best value. We've not visited Cascina Saria, but I'd like to if we return to the region. Also very fine value - perhaps a little more polish and their 2011 Langhe nebbiolo was as close to a house wine we've had - screaming value at GBP10 a bottle in the UK and still going strong.

Drop-in experience at Produttori del B cellar door is decidedly average, so if planning to visit, book in like anywhere else, but even then they appear to be a bit hit & miss

Are you hitting Barolo vineyards as well? If so Mauro Molino for a (rare) modernist estate that we like. Schiavenza for some very serious wines at fair prices with standard and riserva bottlings in each of the 4 (IIRC) vineyards they have holdings in, so a chance to explore the terroir. Their restaurant is cracking value for lunch - very slightly spruced up traditional which worked well. Monforte did us good for dining and Le case della Saracca a perfect example of early evening aperitivo with a huge help yourself buffet of food. Cascina Ballarin also very good under the radar producer with a super value nebbiolo (but they have twice forgotten about appointments so not the most organised!)

Thanks again Ian. We visited Albino Rocca and Schiavenza and really enjoyed both.

[Ian S]