Sunday 23 July

The journey to Gatwick was easy despite the late July spate of train strikes, and our passage through check-in and security was surprisingly rapid given this was the first weekend of school holidays. Lunch was at Wagamama’s. 

The plane left on time, and the car hire (Drivalia, within the airport’s foyer) efficient. We were on the road in a so-called mini SUV made by dr – Chinese parts but assembled in Italy –  by 20.00 and at the Monastero Somaschi by 21.00. Young Davide checked us in, and supplied three botles of cold beer to accompany our Pret supper picnic, purchased in Gatwick. The room overlooked the Stura valley, facing Bra. We were to learn more about the monastery later from Fabrizio, Sarah Matteodo’s husband, whose happy school years had been spent there. 

Monday  24 July 

There has been a wedding at the weekend, and the young b-team were on duty for Monday breakfast – which was a close rival of the legendary offerings of Il Girifalco in terms of the range: not only fruit and cakes but grilled aubergine, courgettes, tomatoes, many cheeses – even if the the service today was gauche…

The weather was overcast, frustrating the photographer, keen to practise with the Gimble (to alleviate camera shake on the videos needed for the nascent instagram account, as instructed by Laura, overseer of the social media book promotion campaign.) Sporadic if very light rain let down some of the oppressive humidity, but it was a clammy uncomfortable day despite the low temperatures. 

Today, mercifully, the atrocious heat storm that had poleaxed southern Europe for a fortnight abated, causing horrendous if short-lived wind storms, flooding and massive hailstorms which impacted Milano and Lombadia and many other parts of Italy badly, but skirted Piemonte. 

We spent the morning in the area around the station in Bra, hoping to pin down Ascheli (the last remaining winery of ten in the past) and its ristorante, but both were closed. Instead we ate in a delightful small but very attractive osteria quite near the station, Peccati Ripieni where the food was entirely made on the premises to traditional recipes from local organic produce. We headed back to Cherasco for an appointment at 16.00, seventy metres from the hotel at the Cantina Fracassi with the 88 year old Umberto Fracassi who still presides over the closed up Palazzo of his aristocratic forebears, with the cantina below. 

Umberto had been reluctant to meet us at first, puzzled why we should be interested in his ‘unfamous’ wines. Sarah Matteodo (who we had first met a year ago on a wet day in Ca’ del Baio helping to host an American group, and subsequently last autumn in Cherasco with her family enjoying aperitivi) had organised the visit, and was keen to join in, perhaps in the hope of adding this location to her own tourism circuit. Her mother works with Umberto in his office, and much of our conversation with Umberto revolved around his family (parenti serpenti came in useful – again!)

His is a long history of aristocratic ancestors, and included his complex experience as an italian boy with a german nanny, whose father was a partisan in Val d’Ossola while his Cherasco home was the billet of the occupying germans. The Commandant even taught him to ride… 

Fabrizio Matteodo picked us up in the hastily cleaned family car and we drove again to Bra (above) for aperitivi and snacks. Their children were either on a trip in the (very hot) south, or staying over with school friends’ families while we were out. They plan a visit to the UK next week to see Stonehenge, and one of their young at Language school in Bournemouth; we hope to see them. Fabrizio dropped us at the hotel, and reminisced about his very happy school days weekly boarding at the Monastery which served as a seminary as well as a mainstream secondary school. 25 years ago he played ping pong in what is now the Theatro salotto and football in the car park! 

Tuesday 25 July 

The weather improved slowly as did David’s gimble experience though the light was still hazy and the air humid. We learned that yesterday’s storms in Lombardia had caused major damage in Milan and elsewhere, as the heat storm broke dramatically and cooler air finally displaced it. 

After several previous vain attempts, David had managed to secure an appointment at Pio Cesare, (above) the only wine cellar actually in Alba, which (not surprisingly, given the lack of place and their position in the wine town) discourages visitors by high charges. We had an excellent tour of their historic cellars, with the Roman boundary wall of old Alba running the length of the cellar, and saw an ancient bottle conveyor plus seriously old bottles.

There followed an extensive tasting with the delightful Silvio, the hospitality manager, and briefly met the late Pio Boffa’s nephew, Cesare; Federika, Pio’s daughter, was unavailable; the ‘boss’ in Silvio’s words. They plan a massive extension with a connecting tunnel beneath the busy Bixio inner ring road; work was already underway.

Alba seemed even more prosperous than last year though it appears that late July is ‘low season’ and the town was not crowded. We tracked down the little outdoor theatre behind San Domenico which would be our destination on Friday evening for the Hungarian Orchestra, and ate well once again in L’Osteria dell’Archo  (close to this installation shown below called Alba) before returning to Cherasco, via Novello and more gimble practice; hereafter known as gimbling! (Not unlike gambling – the same uncertain outcomes) 

We ate in one of the few open ristorante – Vittorio Veneto (Monday and Tuesdays are clearly fasting days in Cherasco!) alongside a group of Americans being guided by a competent Italian-speaking Belgian. Having been truffle-hunting, they move on tomorrow to Verona and Venice to join a cruise ship… Unusually they were driving themselves.

Wednesday 26 July

We celebrated David’s birthday with an early breakfast and speedy getaway to meet Sergio Germano at 09.00 in his Alta Langa vineyards near Cigliè well south of Dogliani. Sergio was hugely helpful when we visited the Ettore Germano winery in Serra Lunga and had encouraged David to visit this fast-growing addition to the Langhe wines. He has cultivated here since 1997 and its simple lifestyle reminds him of his childhood in Serra Lunga before the sophistications of today. He has a small building which shelters equipment on one floor, and houses simply a kitchen, a loo and a coffee machine below. The soils are sandy and stony; his chief enemy is the thirsty badger against which he was building wire fences; I only hope they’re deep enough! 

We left at 10.30 to drive north to Sordo on the Castiglione side of the Barolo road, where 22 year old Paola met us, and proudly showed us the handsome wooden arched tasting room and offices before taking us underground to the cantina proper. The tasting was generous, and she explained more of her own journey – high school in Alba with its emphasis on wine-making; starting a degree which coincided with covid and resulted in remote study at home. Not unreasonably the appeal of learning on the job from the experts around her was more appealing and she now follows all the processes in the winery. Her knowledge of the wines is very impressive. Her father has already stepped back and hankers after the life of a retiree. She has a long haul ahead of her! 

From Sordo we hurtled to Marrone where Denise, the oldest of three adult daughters presides over a newly built ristorante atop the existing winery (where the madre’s early hospitality was first available, with tables between the botti). Food and wine go hand in hand here. Marrone senior is still in charge and each daughter has her part. We had a delightful tasting and simultaneous lunch as Denise’s guest, crowned by a birthday peach dessert.  

There are so many stories in the Langhe of relatively humble origins, skilful or fortuitous buying of land in the 70s and 80s and multi-generational involvement. The investment now is vast, but then so are the returns for this extraordinarily prosperous region. The future is up, nevertheless, even though climate changes literally alters the landscape, and drives change.  This year’s hail damage is shocking!  

After a very full day we headed towards Neive, and found the Langhe County House just beyond Neive, en route for the first of the Suoni dalle Colline di Langhe e Roero concerts in Castagnole delle Lanze where we were treated to an oboe and two fine harps and three very accomplished performers in the small square of the Municipio behind the church. Despite a broken harp string, quickly and efficiently repaired, the music was excellent. The encore – Gabriel’s Oboe by Enrico Morricone – caught me out despite it being an obvious party piece for the oboe. I felt very sad for Andrew. 

Thursday 27 July 

Today we met Stephano Ricagno and Francesco Monchiero for lunch at the Enoteca of the Vignaioli Piemontese on the via Alba in the Castagnito direction, but first a slower morning as we processed last night’s upset, and decided which photo opportunities beckoned. In the end, we visited the Renasio sub zone to gimble the steep vineyards in which Arneis was first grown commercially. A typical steep, narrow, windy road above Canale delivered us to the ridge of the hill from which the views were magnificent.

Equally striking was the extent of the hail damage on the few rows running along the brow, while less than 10 metres across the white road the rows were unaffected. In some areas of Roero the vines were completely stripped of leaves as as fruit. 

We spent a cheerful hour with Lucrezia Scarsi  at the Monchiero Carbone Cascina in Canale whose wine pouring was gimbled and whose brief interview went surprisingly well in the new upstairs tasting room with its elegant botto and large amphora, visible from the courtyard below. Theirs is the perfect example of a traditional cascina, bedecked with flowers, and containing state of the art wine equipment and a huge cantina beneath the courtyard. 

At the enoteca we ate with Stefano while the others of the committee finished their business, joining us at 15.00. By then I had enjoyed Conterno’s Vino Rosato made from Gattinare nebbiolo as well as some Alta Langa. It was amazing to be joined by Andrea Ferrero of the Barolo consorzio and the very modest director of the Gavi consorzio, as well as others whose paths we have crossed. Discussions about launches, translation and publishers began in earnest. It will be very interesting to see what transpires.

After a quick visit to the Santuario Madonna dei Boschi on the advice of Lucrezia in order to see more easily the vineyards of Valmaggiore, (much admired but not yet as appreciated as they deserve) we returned to the Langhe Country House to change for this evening’s concert. But first we managed a swim in the very pleasant pool, David making a quick entry while I went in very slowly. We drove to Priocca where we suffered our only failure so far – the two ristoranti of this unprepossessing town were closed and the pizza place crowded, though the bancomat allowed us to take two lots of €300 out on two cards. Result!

The local bar rescued us with piadini and what looked like local brew beer before the jazz pianist and bassoonist began. The journey home was bizarre – following a raised rail track for many kilometres on the eastern side of the Tanaro. No matter!

Friday 28 July 

Slow morning in which David began the responses to Rebecca’s latest email with the proof-reader’s comments and the index to check. We went for lunch to an old favourite – La Luna nel Pozzo – in Neive, with the two increasingly elderly men serving and a very young rather shy waitress looking on.

Today we had been invited to a former student’s wedding in Hampshire which I was sad to miss – but we toasted the happy couple’s health and future happiness nevertheless….

We had an appointment only 70 m away at 15.00 at the Castello di Neive; Roberta was an excellent guide through the cellars and wines, then followed a tasting with the wine maker, including a 1979 (courtesy of the importer who had been tasting the evening before!)

Back to change before going to the De Gustibus enoteca run by Alessandro in Alba. He was doing good business, and genuinely pleased to see us. We took our places at exactly 21.00 in the little amphitheatre to hear the very energetic Hungarian orchestra, with continuous very fast renditions of much loved and much appreciated pieces. The Albarese clapped and sang along to what felt like an old fashioned band.

Saturday 29 July 

Swam again after clearing our room and eating breakfast, then occupied the breakfast area for David to continue his corrections and for me to try to salvage the broken zip of my beautiful Fedon travel back pack with a safety pin, needle and thread. Tricky! But it should now make it home ! 

We finally left well after 13.00 to drive to Grinzane Cavour to visit the remarkable castle with its spectacular 360 degree views of the Langhe. We ate Carpione (a cold veal or chicken escalope pickled in sweetened vinegar, with egg and salvia) in the Vinaria at its entrance, before tackling the Museo.

Dust is gathering slowly on the exhibits but it is realistically modest (tourists have short concentration spans) and clear. Life in the Middle Ages was only comfortable for the aristocracy! 

We drove the rural route to our next destination, stopping first at Diano d’Alba where a dramatic barbecue was being set up to accompany this town’s Saturday cultural offering: a concert.

Then down a precipitous back road (via Romino) of my choosing (!) to head cross country towards Castiglione Tinella in Monferrato where we were to stay for the two nights of the weekend.

It was a windy 35 minutes but a glorious reminder of the sheer size of the territory to the east of Alba where Langhe and Monferrato meet. We passed the unfinished Gaia Alta Langa winery at Vezze Tinella looking unloved and rough. The very steep slopes of the Moscato vineyards are extraordinary; and their volume is mind-blowing. We arrived at the Albergo in Castiglione Tignella in the early evening.