Review By Steve L. - Minneapolis, MN - US (September 2025)
An Ideal Trip for Lovers of Italian Food, Wine and Culture
This trip immersed us in the culture, food and wine of Piemonte with a wonderful group of like-minded people who were seeking exactly that experience. It was fantastic!
| Written By: | Steve L. |
| Rating: | |
| Location: | Minneapolis - MN - US |
| Review Source: | Website |
| Type of Traveler: | Couple |
| Itinerary: | Barolo |
Full Review
If you want to see the greatest number of famous Italian tourist attractions in the shortest amount of time, this is not the trip for you. If you want to immerse yourself in local Italian culture of the Piemonte region and to sample and learn about the food and wine of the area, then I highly recommend the trip.
I studied in Florence during college forty years ago, and I have returned several times with my family. We had seen many of the major tourist sites and cities already, but we had never visited the Piemonte region. With vineyards nestled a few kilometers south of the Alps, the area is stunningly beautiful.
I am an Italian wine lover, and I was eager to learn more about famous wines like Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera and to discover new and obscure wines. Our sommelier guide Alessandro was a great source of information. We sampled no fewer than 26 different wines. All of them were delicious, and many are not easy to find.
Our primary guide Chiara was a source of joy and laughter every day. She kept us all on schedule, but we never felt rushed. She was attentive to our needs and was flexible if we wanted to modify our plans.
We also enjoyed the Mangialonga, which is a special feature of the Barolo tour during the last week in August. It is not a casual stroll through the vineyards. Instead, it is a long and somewhat challenging hike through both the town of La Morra and the surrounding vineyards, with refreshing stops along the way to enjoy the local food, wine, views and music. At a one of the stops a full-blown dance party with a DJ took place. It was difficult to persuade my wife to move on from there to the next station of the Mangialonga.
The CDV team planned a surprise 35th wedding anniversary celebration for us and a 40th anniversary for another couple. We were presented with inflatable crowns and sparkly tiaras to mark the occasion. It was very sweet and fun for all of the guests.
|
| Sample Photo from this Itinerary |