It is the light.  Beautiful, glorious streams of light pierce through the broken clouds and reflect off of the glistening airport tarmac.  This is the most striking thing that I notice upon arrival in Milan, Italy. 

I am gearing up for a journey that will take me through some of the greatest wine regions on this planet and I am excited.  A fairly terrifying three hour drive to the south west on the autostrade culminates with my arrival in the city of Barolo.  The suggestion of 110 km/hour acts more as a minimum requirement than a speed limit.  I fly past the famous towns of Asti (where the popular bubbly Moscato d’Asti is made), Alba (famed for its hearty wines made from Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo grapes) and Barbaresco (the revered, slightly more feminine style of Nebbiolo).  I am searching for the winery of Batasiolo near the town, but road weary, hungry (and thirsty), I cannot find the Bofani vineyard guest house anywhere and it is starting to get dark. 

Miraculously, I find the number for my contact and host Angelo, and through a mixture of mutually decided upon, massacred French, we agree to meet in the main square of Barolo.  Somehow, he tracks me down and guides me to the winery’s guest lodging; a converted 12^th century nunnery.  I assume (correctly) that they have since all moved on.

Me in Barolo

With the fading sunset bathing the valleys of vines in an earthy terracotta red, we venture up the hills to one of the famed communes of the Piedmonte region, Grinzane Cavour.  A little unsure if this is our destination at first, we park outside a 11^th Century castle, but I follow Angelo’s lead and start to climb up a series of stone circular staircases.  Halfway up, we push aside a large red curtain, and there, in the middle of the Castle, is a stunning restaurant (Ristorante Castello di Grinzane) framed in stone with arrow slit windows.

Famous Tower of the city of Barbaresco, Piedmonte

This was truly a breath-taking introduction to the beauty of this gem of an area hidden in the hills of Piedmonte  (literally “foothills” of the Alps).  The relief of arriving, accompanied with my first flavors of the region – Veal capparcio, polenta wafers, salamis, prosciutto, cingale (wild boar), truffles, ragout, fresh taglietelle pasta, porcinis, and tastes of white wines from Arneis, Chardonnay, Gavi di Gavi, reds from Dolcetto, Barbera and single vineyard Nebbiolo based Barolos from 1997, 1999, and 2001 (all tremendous vintages), have me mesmerized, satiated and excited for more…     

Cheers,

Patrick