Why Go To Barolo – Piedmont’s UNESCO Wine Region

 

Why go to Barolo? Most people go to Barolo to drink wine produced in its namesake appellation.  I  did enjoy the wine, but what I really loved the sense of place surrounded by vineyards.  Each morning the first thing I saw were the Alps in the distance and Monviso—it is said that Paramount Pictures designed their logo based on this mountain. I’m not sure about that but it’s believable.

 

 

But wait…Why Go To Barolo?

Barolo is a small village located in the municipality of Barolo in the province of Cuneo, in the region of Piemonte (Piedmont), in far northwest Italy. To complicate it a bit further, it is located in the wine country referred to as the Langhe. It’s a UNESCO landscape and the region is collectively referred to as Langhe – Roero – Monferrato. 

 

 

Barolo is world famous—often referred to as The King of Wines. It must be made from nebbiolo grapes grown in the Barolo region. Nebbiolo is grown in other parts of the world but not nearly as successfully as in Piedmont, Italy. Barolo is a robust, red wine, that can be aged a very long time—as much as twenty years and in some cases longer than that. This is one of the reasons it is so popular.

This New York Times article explains more about the history of Barolo and why it’s so popular.

 

Other reasons to go to Barolo

You don’t need to be a wine connoisseur to enjoy Barolo. If you appreciate beautiful landscapes, culture and good food, you will like Barolo.  The people of Piemonte are rumored to be a bit aloof, and not as friendly as in other regions of Italy. That was not my experience–I found them to be lovely people with a great sense of humor and a ready smile.

 

The whole area (Langhe, Roero, Monferrato) was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014. By chance, I was visiting the village of Barolo on the anniversary of the UNESCO designation. I was asked to participate in this commemorative video to celebrate and promote tourism in the area. There are clips from the ceremonies and concert that day, as well as some great shots of the landscape. My five seconds of fame appear at the beginning of the video. 

What to do in Barolo

Castle Falletti

The castle is thought to be from the 10th century and was originally a fortress for defense against invading Hungarians and Saracens. It was later taken by the commune of Alba, which then passed it on to the Falletti family where it became the home of the Marquis di Barolo, Carlo Tancredi Falletti, and his wife Juliette Colbert, also known as Giulia di Barolo.

 

 

The Enoteca Regionale  (wine cellar and tasting room) is also housed in the Falletti Castle.  Here, you can sample wine from each of the eleven Barolo DOCG zones. DOCG is an Italian wine designation indicating the highest quality and strictest standards of production. In theory, you cannot get any better than a DOCG wine. Surprisingly the price for wine tastings was very reasonable.  A few of the top wine villages are La Morra, Castiglione Falletto, Monforte d’Alba, and Serralunga d’Alba. 

Corkscrew Museum

On the way to the Castle, you will see the Corkscrew Museum. It will be almost behind you and to the right, but you really can’t miss it. The Corkscrew Museum also offers tastings.

The Corkscrew Museum, Museo dei Cavatappi, offers 500 specimens from the 18th century to today, of various artistic periods, countries, and types. The display is designed to trace the birth and evolution through the centuries of this accessory of everyday use. 

Cantina Marchesi di Barolo

In 1814, a lovely French noblewoman, Juliette Colbert, daughter of the Minister of Finance for King Louis XIV, married the Marquis Carlo Tancredi Falletti of Barolo.
Juliette is responsible for the wine known today as Barolo. Her interest in the land and the vines helped to put Barolo on the map, though I’m sure she had no idea it would become the cult-like wine it is today.

Approximately 100 years later, another wine-making family, the Abbona family,  bought the winery and vineyards of the Marquis di Barolo from a non-profit, the Pia di Barolo. (The Marquis and Juliette did not have any children and the estate was donated to Pia di Barolo) Today, the Abbona family continues the tradition of producing world-renowned wines.

 

 

We took a short tour of the historical cellars, admiring the ancient barrels and other relics of the wine trade. There’s a wine library with over 40,000 bottles of wine dating as far back as 1859! If you’re really into how wine is produced, this is a lovely tour. 

 Cantina Marchesi di Barolo also produces Barbera, Barbaresco, Moscato, Gavi, and several other wines. Be sure to try them all! The winery is open for tastings daily from 10:30 – 5:00 pm. I recommend making an appointment in advance.

 

 

Aside from Marchesi di Barolo, there are a couple of other wineries with tasting rooms: Bartolo Mascarello, Rivetto, Josetta Saffirio, and Azienda Agricola Brezza. Most producers can arrange a tasting for you, you will just need to call in advance. Not all are set up for spontaneous tastings. 

This link has a list of other restaurants and tasting rooms in the town of Barolo.

Where to eat in Barolo

La Foresteria at Marchesi di Barolo
Piedmont is a great place to enjoy an elegant wine dinner. After your tasting at Marchesi di Barolo,  dine at La Foresteria, the restaurant above the winery. The atmosphere is very elegant and the staff will make you feel like a rock star.

Several menu options allowed you to sample three to five regional dishes.  I chose the five-course menu so I could try everything.

Marchesi di Barolo food and wine pairings

 

 

Piemonte is the home of the slow food movement, and this is a great place to sample regional dishes perfectly paired with wines produced by Marchesi Di Barolo. 

Chef Valk is a native Piemontese and takes great pride in preparing dishes that are not only full of flavor but are works of art, as beautiful to look at as they are to eat.

I consider myself a fairly adventurous diner but confess that some of these dishes did not sound at all appetizing to me. However, there is no way to write about food and wine if you don’t partake.  I learned a lot that day, about flavors and the preparation of food. I’m still talking about this meal – it was that good. 

Keep reading to learn about the traditional foods of Piemont and the meal at La Foresteria

The five-course menu consisted of:

Veal in tuna sauce
Wine: Gavi di Gavi 2014
This is a dish that I thought I would not like and ended up loving. The tuna sauce is more like a very light mousse on top of a paper-thin slice of veal. Delicious!

 

 

Carrot flan
Wine: Barbera Peiragal 2013

 

 

Agnolotti del Plin (a local pasta), with butter and sage
Wine:Barbaresco Serragrilli 2012
This is a dish I ate more than once while visiting Piemonte. 

 

 

Brasato al Barolo (beef cooked in Barolo wine)
Wine: Barolo del Comune di Barolo 2011.

 

 

A trio of small desserts:  Panna Cotta with a light, dark chocolate drizzle; Moscat Zagara Jelly with berries and fruit (this was my favorite), and Bunet, a typical Piemontese dessert that is a sort of chocolate and amaretto pudding.
Wine: Moscato di Asti Zagara 2014.

Coffee, tea, and bottled water were included in the meal.

 

 

Other places to eat in the area

I also tried a small restaurant called Il Buon Padre which serves fresh local food at a very reasonable price. I had lamb chops one night for only 14 euros. The traditional pasta Agnolotti del Plin was 9 euros. 

Another traditional and famous dish in Piedmont is anything made with truffles. In this region of Italy white truffles are called white gold and they are delicious.

Where to stay in Barolo

There are more options than you might imagine, though not all of them are in the Barolo village itself. Here is a great list of accommodations.  Booking.com is also a good option. 

Stay at an Agriturismo

Prefer to wake up with the roosters over an alarm clock? Then try staying at an agriturismo. What is it? An agriturismo is a working farm with some rooms used for accommodations. Usually, the owner or farmer also lives there, or at least in the area. I think it’s a great way to get to know the area more intimately. If you’re looking for 5-star luxury, this would not be the place. Sometimes even wifi is hard to get. But what you lack in wifi connections is more than made up for by the fresh food, usually grown on the farm.

 

 

I stayed at Ca San Ponzio,  just four kilometers from the town of Barolo.  Family-owned for several generations, today Ca San Ponzio is owned and managed by two affable brothers, Maurizio and Luciano. 

Each morning a lovely breakfast with plenty of fresh fruit, homemade flourless hazelnut cake, and an assortment of regional cheeses and meats are available, along with fresh coffee and an assortment of cereals, juices, and occasionally boiled eggs.

 

In the afternoon, you can sit by the fireside, or if the weather is nice, people sit outside on comfortable lounges, enjoying a glass of wine and antipasti from the brothers’ entoca. If you fancy a nip late at night, you can help yourself to a glass of wine and pay by the honor system.

I stayed five nights here, but I discovered that many people passing through the area stayed for one night only. Depending on when you go, you’ll want to book in advance. For example, I was there at the height of the harvest season and they were full. You’ll want to book in advance then.

Both Maurizio and Luciano are happy to help you plan your time in Barolo and provide reliable information on the area. In addition, there are plenty of books and information for tourists in the reception area.

The best way to see Barolo 

If you’re going to be here for more than a couple of days and you plan to cover a lot of ground (explore more than just the village of Barolo), you’ll want a car or a guide. I chose the latter because I don’t enjoy driving. There are also scooter rentals at various places. Now that I know the area a little better, I think a scooter could be a great way to explore all the little hilltop villages and admire the scenery.

 

 

How to get to Barolo 

I flew from Dallas to Milan’s Malpensa airport, then took the train from Milano Centrale to Torino Porto Nuovo station. In Torino, I took a train to Asti where a guide from Meet Piemonte picked me up at the train station, and took me to my Agriturismo. in the village of Barolo, as well as organizing a tour of a truffle farm, a winery, and the town of Asti. You could also take the train to the city of Alba. Here’s the link for TrenItalia.

Torino (Turin) also has an airport. Once you are in the area the best way to see it is by car. 

Both Meet Piemonte and Girls Gotta Drink offer Barolo Wine Tours.