Italy

Looking east over Pianello quarter

As a wine-lover you are sure to have heard of Montalcino and its famous wine Brunello. No? Well then, come and join us for a little virtual tour. And even if you do know this small enchanting winegrowing area and its medieval hilltop town, tag along.

Don’t forget your wine travel case if you are visiting Piedmont for the Annual Alba White Truffle Fair.

You have probably noticed that we’ve been talking a lot about Piedmont - and specifically the winemaking areas of the Langhe and Roero in the past month. That’s because it is the area’s high tourist season with the annual Alba White Truffle Fair.

The Alba White Truffle Fair takes place each weekend from October 10 to November 15.

Located in Alba’s centro storico (historic center), the fair offers visitors an opportunity to explore the fabled Alba White Truffle as well as other typical products of the region –especially the wine.

A list of some of the best places to eat, drink, and stay in the Langhe.

This week we are talking Italy, and more specifically the Italian northwest region of Piedmont. We've asked expat and local resident Valerie Quintanilla why Piedmont is a must for wine lovers thinking about visiting Italy.

The first time I heard about the Piedmont wine region (Piemonte in Italian) was during a business dinner with an Italian colleague in the United States. I had a trip to Italy planned with wine as my focus. I gushed about visiting the Valpolicella to experience Amarone and of course Tuscany — because back then I thought wine travel in Italy was not complete without a trip to Tuscany.

As she shook her head a disapproving click-click came from her mouth. “No, no. If you want Italian wine, you go to Piemonte,” she said.

I had never heard of the region. My eyes widened as she described a rural wine mecca in the hills of Northern Italy, surrounded by the Alps and steeped in wine making traditions. I knew I had to go there.