Gourmand’s dream: a trail through Piedmont, Emilia and Tuscany

A thirteen-day grand tour of taste, with a full immersion in the Langhe, the most renowned viticultural region of Italy, with tastings guided tours at the best wine companies and the Barolo Wine Museum. Then two stops in Emilia, in the cities of Parma and Bologna, Italy’s gastronomic capitals, where we’ll take cooking classes to learn everything about pasta and do tastings with local wine producers. The wine tour ends in Tuscany, on the hills of Chianti. Florence, Siena, and Arezzo are but the vertices of a triangle full of marvels, with attention on beauty, art, extra-virgin olive oil and, naturally, wine.

Our wine tour begins in the heart of the Langhe, in a hilltop estate surrounded by vineyards. A few kilometers away from Alba and Barolo, the village that gave its name to the Italian wine par excellence. We will visit the Wine Museum, located in the amazing castle that overlooks the town, with instructions on vine species, tastings and, finally, a dinner accompanied by Arneis, Gavi, Dolcetto, Barolo, Ruché, Barbaresco and Moscato d’Asti—the purebreds of the region.

From the Langhe to Turin, Italy’s first capital, renowned for its architecture, the Egyptian Museum, its luxuriant botanic garden, chocolate, and cheeses, but also the elegant shops of the historic center. We will attend a cooking class that will introduce us to the secrets of centuries-old Piedmontese cuisine and its French influences. Who wishes will be able to indulge in an afternoon of relaxation golfing on the hills or with a few hours in an exclusive spa. The more adventurous will enjoy treading through the woods accompanied by expert truffle seekers and their hounds.

Parma will be our first stop in Emilia, with all its treasures—from Romanesque architecture to culinary and wine arts. The local wines—Bonarda, Lambrusco, Malvasia—will be coupled with the products of Italian excellence: Emilian meats (prosciutto di Langhirano, Salame di Felino, culatello di Zibello), Modena’s balsamic vinegar and Parmigiano Reggiano. Our exploration of Emilia will continue in Bologna. In the city that still accommodates the oldest university in Europe, everything is tasty, with a streak of lust that reminds of Renaissance splendor. Not to be missed: an evening cooking class with the sfogline, veritable pasta artists.

The tour of Tuscany will begin in Monteriggioni, a fortified village built by the Sienese in the thirteenth century, with fifteen towers standing out all around the town walls. We will be welcomed by the warm embrace of the Chianti Classico, the Nobile di Montepulciano, the Brunello di Montalcino and the Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil. Our wine tour, with instruction on species techniques, will be punctuated by moments of relaxation with excursions, wine tastings and trips to Firenze, Siena, Arezzo, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, Pienza, and Montalcino.

Alfredo Ravanetti