A three-night trip meeting in Torino, Italy's first capital city, followed by the world-class wines, food and breathtaking UNESCO world heritage scenery of Langhe-Roero-Monferrato.
The trip fee is €1695 per person based on two sharing. There is a €250 single-occupancy supplement. The price is all-inclusive except for flights and insurance.
This trip is a deep dive into the world of the Langhe-Roero-Monferrato. Your guides are James MacNay, an Italian Wine Ambassador, Barolo/Barbaresco expert and Piemonte resident, with contributions from Cinzia Long, a professional cheese taster and legendary cook.
We meet in Torino, an elegant city of the Savoie dynasty, steeped in wine and food, and Italy’s first capital. Fly from Gatwick with BA, or to the Milano airports.
Our journey takes us to the rolling, vine-clad hills of the Langhe-Roero winemaking area. We spend two nights at a beautiful working winery, visiting Barbaresco and Barolo winemakers, with the addition of a private Masterclass tasting of Monferrato wines, led by James.
Our final day returns us to Turin centre or airport (subject to timing) for your onward travel. Alternatively, extend in the handsome city of Alba to enjoy its history, architecture, shops and world-famous gastronomy. From Alba there are regular trains direct to Torino centre and airport. Please let us know if this is of interest.
This unique trip costs €1695 per person, based on two sharing. There is a single-occupancy supplement of €250.
This trip is for groups of 8-16 people. For fewer or more guests, contact us to organise a quote through our bespoke Italy Su Misura programme.
This trip is all-inclusive apart from flights, insurance and your arrival transfer to Torino centre.
This means all other transfers as described; an experienced and professional guide; three nights b&b accommodation; typical, high quality meals with wine; four winery visits and tastings; two ‘extra-curricular’ visits; and a Cinzia Long legendary picnic with tutored cheese tasting.
We stay in two excellent accommodations – one in the centre of Torino, and the second a working winery in the Barbaresco hills.
Nowhere in Italy is as proud and committed to the regionality and tradition of its cuisine as Piemonte. Add to this the country’s largest concentration of DOC and DOCG wines, including Barolo and Barbaresco. This trip is a heaven for lovers of food and wine.
Cinzia chooses all of the menus, to paint the full picture of the finest typical regional cuisine.
In addition, she prepares one of her legendary picnics and tutored cheese tastings, which we enjoy amidst the vineyard scenery.
We happily accommodate dietary requirements, but please do indicate your requests on the form when we send it.
We visit and/or have the chance to taste the following DOCG appellations: Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, Roero Arneis, Carema, Dogliani, Moscato d’Asti, Ruchè da Castagnole Monferrato, Nizza, Alta Langa; and the following DOC’s: Verduno Pelaverga, Langhe Nas-Cëtta, Colli Tortonesi, Monferrato, Piemonte, Langhe, Asti; and the following grapes: Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Arneis, Pelaverga, Nas-Cëtta, Ruchè, Grignolino, Moscato, Timorasso.
The Alps and Langhe-Roero-Monferrato hills are especially beautiful in Spring and Autumn/Fall.
While temperatures are usually warm, they can be on the cooler side. Inclement weather can occur, so bring warmer clothes and waterproofs.
The summer months are uncomfortably hot, with views restricted by heat haze, so we do not recommend visiting at this time.
We meet in Torino city centre on the first morning, with an afternoon/evening drop-off at Torino centre or airport at the end of the trip.
BA fly several times a week between Torino and Gatwick.
Easyjet fly daily from London Gatwick to Milano Malpensa. There’s a regular coach transfer from Milano Malpensa to Torino Porta Nuova, which is convenient for your hotel. Otherwise you can take the train via Milano Centrale or Milano Porta Garibaldi.
There are regular TGV services between Paris and Turin.
Torino and Alba are both wonderful cities which merit further exploration. If you want to book extra nights in either or both, let us know.
All the wines we taste are available to order in the UK at preferential rates through MacNay Travel & Wine.
Price lists and order forms are included with your tasting sheets.
To book, or if you have any questions, email james@travelandwine.co.uk.
MTW require a 20% non-refundable deposit payment to confirm your place.
Payment of the balance is due sixty days before the trip commences, and this can be made in one or two instalments.
Check into your four-star hotel in Torino city centre. The hotel is 200m from Porta Nuova station. If you are arriving by car you can make use of the manned underground car park beneath the hotel (circa €35 / 24h). Enquire with us if you would like to extend your trip by arriving a day or two early.
Early arrivals might like to join Cinzia for her ‘Taste Torino’ gastronomic tour in the afternoon, visiting foody locations and sampling delights including Bicerin, the city’s historic coffee and chocolate drink. Preferential rates for MTW clients – enquire to book.
Whenever they’re in town, James and Cinzia enjoy an ‘aperi-tasting’ at a famous Vermouth bar, followed by dinner at one of Cinzia’s favourite Piola, the characterful eatery first established for the factory workers of the city’s industrial heyday. They would love to see you for one or both. These places are small, so let us know with plenty of notice if you’ll be joining.
After a fine buffet breakfast we check out and hit the road.
Our first destination is a winery in the ‘Roero’ growing area. Here the sandy soils and steep hillsides of the left bank of the Tanaro give us world-class Arneis and fruity, satisfying expressions of Nebbiolo and Barbera.
From here we take a short transfer for a light lunch.
After lunch we transfer 20-minutes to check in to our b&b, in the Barbaresco hills.
In the afternoon, relax and enjoy the b&b and the iconic vineyard scenery. The b&b has a pool (unheated…) and James can lead a 5km-7km circular walk for anybody interested.
Dinner is in a famous, traditional Trattoria a short drive or walk from our b&b.
No need to travel far after breakfast, as we meet in the winery courtyard for our next visit and tasting. Our hosts guide us through their winery and maturation cellars, before an extensive guided tasting of their wines. These include at least three versions of Barbaresco DOCG, of which two are from named vineyards, or MGA’s, as they are known here.
We transfer to a beauty spot in the Monferrato hills for a legendary Cinzia Long picnic lunch and cheese tasting, followed by James’s Masterclass tasting of Monferrato wines.
There is time to relax and freshen up in the b&b, before we take the short drive to the handsome city of Alba. Here we can wander the streets and stop in to a bar, caffé or one of the myriad elegant stores for some shopping.
Our evening meal is in one of our favourite Osterie in the city.
We bid farewell to our hosts and take a short drive to a viewing platform high above the Barolo growing area. Here James gives an introduction to this famous appellation, describing the history and pointing out the eleven Barolo villages and some legendary MGA’s (vineyard sites).
A coffee stop is followed by another short drive into Barolo town itself, where we tour an important winery. Our comprehensive tasting explores the influence of site and vintage on wines, and we have the chance to try some prestige cuvées and vintages.
Lunch is in a pretty Bistrot in the town centre.
From Barolo we return to Alba to drop off anyone who has booked an extension here. Then onwards to Torino centre for onward travel, city extensions, and/or the airport. Please discuss your onward travel timings with us beforehand.
