June 2-7, 2008 June 2 -7, 2008 Piemonte
5 Night Luxury Ensuite Accommodations
Exclusive Wine Tastings
Vintner Gourmet Dinners & Wine Pairing
Castle Cooking Lesson & Dinner
$3200 per Person, Based on Double Occupancy
Exclusive of Airfare, Includes Partial Ground Transportation
This Vagabond Gourmet luxury tour of a lifetime begins in Piemonte located in the northwestern region of Italy when June is abuzz with gastronomic activity and we think it is the best time for a food and wine lover's visit. Imagine sitting across a bountiful dinner table, filled with regional foods, with the winemakers themselves?
“There has never been a better time for drinking Italian wines than right now” says our educator and Italian specialist, Mark
Lasky who is joining us on the tour. Italy has enjoyed several years of great harvests and people are realizing how fantastic the wines from all over the country are. . Italian wines are being produced at the highest quality levels in years so having an insider's knowledge to lead us the way is priceless.
This is a food lover's paradise and there is something here to tempt every taste bud. Occupying a large area that borders on France and Switzerland, Piemonte's cuisine is heavily influenced by the French. While the Alps loom magnificently on the eastern and northern borders and the valleys are speckled with picturesque lakes and hills. The greasy slopes and Alpine valleys are also home to some of the world’s finest cheeses and many hallmarks of Piemontese cuisine include truffles, rice, butter and cream. From the starters to the dessert, Piemonte's cuisine is known for its exquisite flavors and ancient recipes. All befitting the “King of Wines”. Dining well is guaranteed.
Day1- Piemonte Arrival & Welcome Dinner
Piemontese’ gourmet delights are as world-class as the famous wines. Our first dinner is paired with favorite selections of our host, Giacomo, who takes great pride in his knowledge of the local wines. Typical of the changing seasonal menus are items like Cold Veal Roast with Tuna & Caper Mayonnaise, Potato, Porcini Mushroom and Goat Cheese Timbale, Quail in Herb Infused Barolo Chinato, Salad of Foie Gras and Sautéed Duck Breast with Citrus Vinaigrette, or a Zucchini Flower and Veal Sausage Risotto.
Day- 2 “Astesana”
This wine lover’s extravaganza begins after a hearty gourmet breakfast buffet with fresh egg dishes, warm croissants, homemade breads, salami, coppa, cheeses, fruits, muesli and cakes.
A private coach leads us on a magical journey along the spectacular, beautiful hilly roads of the Langhe and surrounded by the vineyards of Barolo and Barbaresco.
The Wine Road has taken the old name of Astesana and follows eight scenic routes, all running along peaceful secondary roads with magnificent panoramas from hilltops called "the hills of quality". There are over 300 wineries many private, and Mark's relationship with several of the finest is what this great wine adventure is all about. Unlike other wine producing regions, the welcome mat is not always out but with Mark the door is open.
Grapevines may crisscross the whole Italian peninsula, but many Italians-even proud natives of other wine-producing regions-consider Piemontese wines to be among the country's best. Listening and interacting with them about life in the vineyards. Hear and feel the passion and taste it in their wines.
These are real down to earth people who produce some of the most amazing wines on the planet. Small producers like Castello di Neive and Claudio Icardi will welcome you into their hearts as well as their homes. If you traveled in Italy you know a visit with friends never complete without eating something together. One thing is certain...you will not go hungry this week!
Relax after our return at the Castello or enjoy a walk in the beautiful gardens prior to dinner. Our host Jay and his chef partner wife, Denise are legendary for their outstanding cuisine and hospitality.
Denise and Jay’s love of stellar food and wines shines in their imitate dining room. Not only do we to enjoy Denise’s cooking but join her in the kitchen for insight into ancient Piemontese recipes but how she adds surprises and shows a playful side to her creations wish dishes like her “half-moon ravioli stuffed with tiny pink shrimps, zucchini and fresh basil served with a zucchini cream and finished with a drizzle of hot pepper oil. Her sinful homemade gelatos like the tarragon, pistachio brittle, and black pepper Barolo granita are just one reason why they are known for culinary excellence.
Day 3- La Morra and Alba
Enjoy another gourmet breakfast, then we journey again on the on the fabled "Strade del Vino” to the extraordinary Oddero Vineyards where winemaking traditions have passed from grandfather's to sons.
It’s impossible to give a precise date when the business was established as the vineyards and the farmhouse have always belonged to the Oddero family. Documents, memories and photographs take it back to the brothers Lorenzo and Luigi, born in the early Nineteenth century. It is thanks to them that the Nebbiolo grapes of La Morra were first vinified, and they continue to make some of the most highly respected Barolos
After we go a little further to the town Alba and the capital of the famed white truffle fair. The narrow streets of Alba are filled with irresistible bakeries, specialty food boutiques, wineries, cafes and restaurants to explore. We suggest your first stop is at the baroque tea hall for a caffè corretto, a wonderfully syrupy espresso "corrected" with a splash of grappa at the glitzy Antico Caffè Calissano.
Lunch is on your own at one the cities quintessential outdoor cafes then pay a visit to the famous shop of Tartufi
Morra- the grandfather of 20th Century white truffle commerce. The fragrant smell of truffles greet you at the door appropriately decorated with photographs of mythic sized truffles the hunters, and the most famous of the truffle hunting dogs.
Dinner this evening is at one of Piemontese gastronomic food shrines. La Contea
is owned by people who take their forefathers philosophy and recipes very seriously.
Their love of tradition and quality of life all revolving around food is one
we happily share. A table waits just for us in this quaint old county house.
The Piemontese adore their complete meal, the table is graced by infinite antipasti,
the best beef in Italy, eaten raw, fine cheeses, anchovies, pickled fish, "crostini" and
seasonal vegetables with Bagna Cadna. After agnolotti or polenta with rich truffle
sauce we move to meat courses. The region is a meat lover’s paradise with abundant
game and fish so this is one meal not soon forgotten.
Day 4 – The Heart of Langhe
After breakfast we continue to explore more the Langhe and meet other winemakers who are part of the royal Barolo legacy.
The Dante Rivetti family is well rooted in the hills of the Langhe. Generation after generation the family has strengthened the commitment to the vineyard and to the farming heritage, especially “the one in “Brice di Neive” facing the sunny side of the hill where the sun warms the grapes. Passionate about the methods of production, the Barbera d’Alba and “Alabarda” are two excellent examples of this family’s dedication.
Another deeply committed producer is Giacomo Borogno whose Barolo was the chosen wine for many important occasions. One of particular note was banquet in honor of Czar Nicholas II of Russia during his visit to the Castle of Racconigi at the beginning of the century.
Later in the afternoon we’ll return to the Castello di Sinio and join Denise for an informal cooking lesson prior to dinner. Denise is a not only a skilled chef but loves to impart her wisdom of the culture, history and how it all relates to the “cucina tipica”. Add a generous amount of laughter and great company to this recipe.
Another sumptuous wine dinner waits in the Castello di Sinio’s intimate candle lit dining room. Our menu is carefully planned using the freshest seasonal ingredients and will include many of Denise’s’ signatures items, like her pasta with a sauce of rabbit and tomato and black olives from Liguria, rack of lamb crusted with mustard and pistachios and perfumed with orange, or the locally raised Fassone beef of Piemonte. Desserts are decadent here like the chocolate amaretti soufflé with peach sauce or Denise’s rich custard made with caramelize goat milk with a crunchy hazelnut crust and caramel sauce. All paired perfectly with fabulous wines and of course the outstanding cheese board of Piemonte famed cheeses like the legendary Castelmango.
Day 5- Medieval Villages, Castles and Cooking
There are so many beautiful places to see and around every corner is another glorious view but nearby are two of the most beautiful examples of medieval architecture in the Langhe area; the castles of Grinzane Cavour and the fortress Serralung d ‘Alba. Perched on hilltops you can really get a feeling of ancient times and the history of these noble families and their feudal conflicts.
Mondovi is spectacular too as is the little gem Cherasco, also known as the snail or lumache capital of the world. Snails may not be your fancy but the Baci di Cherasco, or "Cherasco Kisses” certainly will be. This elegant pasticceria has been in business for 120 years and remains a must visit for chocoholics.
A lunch at the Osteria de la Rosa Rossa includes terrific snail dishes—one with wild mushrooms, another with tomatoes and chilies. We discovered that the Osteria also turns out some memorable plates that don't involve lumache, such as a gnocchi made with a velvety sauce of cream and Castelmagno, or a beautiful plate of cured leg of lamb with arugula, sweet cherry tomatoes, drizzled with fruity extra-virgin oil.
Another must see is the mystical Sacra San Michele where some say the sounds of chanting monks still seem to linger in the air. Coupled with beautiful art, enchanting stories about angels and the breathtaking panoramic view over mountains you can’t help but fall in love with this magical land.
Our final evening in Piemonte we visit a very special and charming hideaway where sumptuous foods are meant to not be hurried but savored along with their fine wines. This philosophy is the founding stone of the Slow Food Movement and why foodies near and far make a pilgrimage to Castle di Verduno for their food and wines.
Lesson & Dinner at Castello di Verduno
Once upon a time a King named Carl Alberto bought a summer castle for no other reason than to guarantee a constant supply of excellent wine. Today the charming, shabby chic Baroque castle is well loved and tended by a three sisters who split the chores. One runs the vineyard still producing prize winning wine, one cleans and the other cooks. In the kitchen we get to join in the fun with the one who cooks while tonight’s feast is being created.
Everything is homemade by Chef Lisetta Burlotto and her talents have earned her an international fan and .high marks in the Slow Food hall of fame.
Day 6- Departure
The Wine Leader
Mark Lasky’s passion has always been food and wine. As a boy growing up in New Jersey, his Sicilian mother along with his grandparents taught him all about family traditions with respect to cuisine and culture. With 15+ years in the wine industry and currently store manager at West Palm Wines in Tampa, Florida, Mark is also a member of the Guild of Sommeliers and is a wine educator at The Tampa Wine Institute
There are very few Italian wineries that welcome impromptu tours, and the ones that do generally don't make wines you'd go out of your way to drink. Thankfully, we have Mark to lead us.
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