Food. Wine. Culture.
October 18 - 25, 2020
Price: 4,045 euros per person not including airfare
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"One of the most fabulous trips we have ever experienced. The food, wine and small group setting made this trip feel like a cultural immersion experience. Our guides and hosts were knowledgeable and very accommodating. Canan and Umberto are the nicest folks you will ever meet. Loved getting to know them. Amy and Jana, thank you for an incredible experience. Hoping to go again soon!" - Karen❤️
While most of you may have heard of the famous Barolo or the Barbaresco and the delightful Moscato d’Asti, have you heard of these Italians (and in particular Piedmontese) such as Arneis, Barbera, Bracchetto, Nizza, Pelaverga, Ruche’, Timorasso, just to name a few. During this tour you will visit wineries and have wine tastings not to mention wine pairing dinners with these and other amazing Italians.
Join us in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy where we’ll explore the local history, culture and sights, immerse ourselves in the beauty of the region, and the wines! We offer an intimate, tailor-made tour of Piedmont out of our home base in Calamandrana, where you will enjoy the scenic country roads, visit local wineries and explore local cuisine. You’ll have a chance to visit ancient hill-top villages and historic towns, and learn about the special gems and secrets the region has to offer from our hosts, who are local residents and live there year-round (fluent in both Italian and English).
Just bring your open mind and sense of adventure – we'll take care of the rest!
Join us in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy where we’ll explore the local history, culture and sights, immerse ourselves in the beauty of the region, and the wines! We offer an intimate, tailor-made tour of Piedmont out of our home base in Calamandrana, where you will enjoy the scenic country roads, visit local wineries and explore local cuisine. You’ll have a chance to visit ancient hill-top villages and historic towns, and learn about the special gems and secrets the region has to offer from our hosts, who are local residents and live there year-round (fluent in both Italian and English).
Just bring your open mind and sense of adventure – we'll take care of the rest!
Your tour includes...
Accommodations: 8 days and 7 nights |
All Meals: Breakfast, lunch, & dinner, including a limited amount of wine; each day we will have a chance to taste Piedmontese cuisine at rustic farmhouses and fine restaurants, including a Michelin starred restaurant.
Wine Pairing Dinners: Each evening you’ll enjoy special tasting menus paired with excellent Piedmontese wines. We’ll also have 3 evenings with a guest sommelier form AIS Piemonte guiding us while we enjoy and learn about the wines of the evening.
Wine Tastings:Wine tastings at local wineries – from lesser known wines as Ruche’ and Timorasso to those you may already be familiar with such as Barbera, Barbaresco, Barolo wines & delicious local sparkling wines and more…
Nizza Event: We will have a special event with the producers of the Nizza wine to learn about this new DOCG of Italy, its rules, terroir and other secrets followed by a special tasting of several Nizza wines.
Excursions: Visits to historic towns of Acqui Terme, Alba, Barbaresco, Canelli, Costiglio D’Asti, Nizza Monferrato, La Morra…
Special Sparkling Wine Tasting: Visits to 2 UNESCO World Heritage Site listed underground wine cellars of Canelli, of course followed by a taste of their fine wines |
Pearl of the Region: Visit to a truffle house or join a truffle hunt! |
Transportation: Private transport from Turin Caselle or Milano Malpensa Airport (all participants must fly in and out of the same airport - flights will be arranged by Unwined); and for all of your tours included in your 8 day stay.
Guides and Hosts: Our hosts, Canan and Umberto, live locally in Calamandrana and are native English and Italian speakers. |
Costs: nonrefundable deposit of 1,772.50 Euros is needed to reserve your spot by 1/15/20 and the final payment of 1,772.50 Euros is due 7/1/20; cost does not cover flights, travel/health insurance, or in-between meal snacks.
Sample Itinerary
Depending on weather and other unforeseen challenges and/or in mutual agreement with our guests, we may alter the itinerary.
Day 1:
You’ve just arrived, so we’ll take it easy, but we won’t let you go to sleep right away. You have to fight that jet-lag! We’ll gather as a group to get to know each other and review the programme for our time together.
We’ll have a relaxing afternoon in Canelli including a visit to the historical underground wine cellars of Bosca Winery – a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is “part of the network of Underground Cathedrals, a temple of wine dedicated to its history and the hard work of man” followed by a delicious dinner at the restaurant at our temporary home, La Corte, as we relax and settle into our accommodations for the evening.
Day 2:
After breakfast, the ancient Roman city of Acqui Terme and its hot thermal waters will be our first visit today. During a walking tour of Acqui Termewe’ll get a chance to see the fountain with boiling water, visit the Cathedral of Acqui, and take a look at the remains of the Roman aqueduct. We’ll have a chance to taste the Brachetto d’Acqui and passito.
Lunch will be in Acqui Terme.
In the afternoon we’ll visit the cantina of Elio Perrone for a guided tour and taste of wines.
We’ll be in Calamandrana for a wine pairing dinner at La Violetta, a traditional local restaurant.
Day 3:
Morning visit Gavi and Timorasso tasting at Vigneti Massa.
In the afternoon, we will discover the secrets of truffle hunting as told by a trifulau (Piedmontese truffle-hunter).
We’ll have a sunset aperitivo at the Castle of Moasca and a wine pairing dinner.
Day 4:
After breakfast, we’ll visit the town of Barolo and Produttori del Barolo Cantina .
Lunch will be at Ciau del Tornaventoa wonderful Michelin starred restaurant with captivating views of the surrounding wine producing hills.
In the afternoon, we’ll take a ride towards Langhe Hills, the region where the Barbaresco winesare produced. We’ll visit the historic center of Barbaresco. Barbaresco has a wonderful medieval tower, with a newly renovated viewing terrace - they’ve recently installed an elevator so we’ll go up in style. Also, in Barbaresco we’ll have a wine tasting at the local cooperative of wine producers.
Dinner will be at La Corte.
Day 5:
In the morning we will visit the Cascina Castlet winery. Along with seeing their wine making operations and having a wine tasting, we’ll also have a chance to see the Big Red Bench, which was designed by Chris Bangle and installed at the winery. We will then visit theCastle of Costigliole d’Astiand discover the story of the Asinari family.
What’s a visit to Italy without pizza? Lunch will be at the La Barbera restaurant of the International cooking school in Costigliole inside the castle.
In the afternoon we will visit our second UNESCO World Heritage listed underground cathedral (wine cellars) of Canelli, tasting sparkling wines at Contratto winery. Weather permitting we will walk to the Canelli’s Castle, belonging to the Gancia Family, climbing along the ancient road of Sternìa.
Dinner will be at the Ristorante Enoteca di CanelliCasa Crespi .
Day 6:
In the morning we’ll visit L’armangia winery and have a tasting of their wines.
Lunch will be at Tanti in Nizza Monferrato.
After lunch we will stroll around Nizza and time permitting visit the clock tower of Nizza.
In the afternoon we’ll have a special event regarding the Nizza, which is a new DOCG of Piedmont. The Nizza Producers Association will inform us about this new wine, its territory and other secrets. Of course we’ll also have a chance to taste these fabulous wines.
A wine pairing dinner will be served at Tra la terra e il Cielo in Moasca.
Day 7:
We’ll visit the Roero region for their Arneis wines . We’ll visit 2 cantine and have
lunch in the region.
In the afternoon we’ll visit the ancient city of Alba.
After a break, for our final dinner together we will enjoy a delicious wine pairing dinner at the Ristorante Enoteca di CanelliCasa Crespi
Day 8:
Departure day: Depending on the time of your flight we’ll provide you with breakfast and/or lunch and transport you back to the airport.
You’ve just arrived, so we’ll take it easy, but we won’t let you go to sleep right away. You have to fight that jet-lag! We’ll gather as a group to get to know each other and review the programme for our time together.
We’ll have a relaxing afternoon in Canelli including a visit to the historical underground wine cellars of Bosca Winery – a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is “part of the network of Underground Cathedrals, a temple of wine dedicated to its history and the hard work of man” followed by a delicious dinner at the restaurant at our temporary home, La Corte, as we relax and settle into our accommodations for the evening.
Day 2:
After breakfast, the ancient Roman city of Acqui Terme and its hot thermal waters will be our first visit today. During a walking tour of Acqui Termewe’ll get a chance to see the fountain with boiling water, visit the Cathedral of Acqui, and take a look at the remains of the Roman aqueduct. We’ll have a chance to taste the Brachetto d’Acqui and passito.
Lunch will be in Acqui Terme.
In the afternoon we’ll visit the cantina of Elio Perrone for a guided tour and taste of wines.
We’ll be in Calamandrana for a wine pairing dinner at La Violetta, a traditional local restaurant.
Day 3:
Morning visit Gavi and Timorasso tasting at Vigneti Massa.
In the afternoon, we will discover the secrets of truffle hunting as told by a trifulau (Piedmontese truffle-hunter).
We’ll have a sunset aperitivo at the Castle of Moasca and a wine pairing dinner.
Day 4:
After breakfast, we’ll visit the town of Barolo and Produttori del Barolo Cantina .
Lunch will be at Ciau del Tornaventoa wonderful Michelin starred restaurant with captivating views of the surrounding wine producing hills.
In the afternoon, we’ll take a ride towards Langhe Hills, the region where the Barbaresco winesare produced. We’ll visit the historic center of Barbaresco. Barbaresco has a wonderful medieval tower, with a newly renovated viewing terrace - they’ve recently installed an elevator so we’ll go up in style. Also, in Barbaresco we’ll have a wine tasting at the local cooperative of wine producers.
Dinner will be at La Corte.
Day 5:
In the morning we will visit the Cascina Castlet winery. Along with seeing their wine making operations and having a wine tasting, we’ll also have a chance to see the Big Red Bench, which was designed by Chris Bangle and installed at the winery. We will then visit the
What’s a visit to Italy without pizza? Lunch will be at the La Barbera restaurant of the International cooking school in Costigliole inside the castle.
In the afternoon we will visit our second UNESCO World Heritage listed underground cathedral (wine cellars) of Canelli, tasting sparkling wines at Contratto winery. Weather permitting we will walk to the Canelli’s Castle, belonging to the Gancia Family, climbing along the ancient road of Sternìa.
Dinner will be at the Ristorante Enoteca di CanelliCasa Crespi .
Day 6:
In the morning we’ll visit L’armangia winery and have a tasting of their wines.
Lunch will be at Tanti in Nizza Monferrato.
After lunch we will stroll around Nizza and time permitting visit the clock tower of Nizza.
In the afternoon we’ll have a special event regarding the Nizza, which is a new DOCG of Piedmont. The Nizza Producers Association will inform us about this new wine, its territory and other secrets. Of course we’ll also have a chance to taste these fabulous wines.
A wine pairing dinner will be served at Tra la terra e il Cielo in Moasca.
Day 7:
We’ll visit the Roero region for their Arneis wines . We’ll visit 2 cantine and have
lunch in the region.
In the afternoon we’ll visit the ancient city of Alba.
After a break, for our final dinner together we will enjoy a delicious wine pairing dinner at the Ristorante Enoteca di CanelliCasa Crespi
Day 8:
Departure day: Depending on the time of your flight we’ll provide you with breakfast and/or lunch and transport you back to the airport.