Sunday 16 November 

We left Hic e Nunc around 17.00 and during a rainy and dark journey of around an hour, Elisabetta kept up the conversation as she used her phone for satnav, inviting feedback and reflecting on the events. When we arrived at Hotel Erbaluce in Caluso, we were greeted by Gennaro, using his English to tell us about his love of London and its museums and galleries. 

Having unpacked we set off on foot, crossing onto the newly created cycle path, walking a kilometre along the busy Via Torino into the old town in search of the Enoteca Regionale where Lorenzo Simone of Le Masche has arranged a series of tastings for David with 21 Caluso producers, beginning at 09.00 tomorrow.

Google maps brought us to the correct piazza, outside the chiesa, at the very top of the old town where a great bonfire was ablaze – the last event in a weekend celebrating San Clementi, the local patron saint.  Locals directed us to the grand Municipio building alongside, which houses the regional Enoteca.

 We headed back for supper in Grillo which has an impressive wine list including half bottles, and great food. We ate spinach and grilled vegetables, followed by fish and a piece of fassona. This is a restaurant which caters for all tastes; there were family groups eating pizza in the large canteen area behind the restaurant itself. Very versatile!

We returned to the hotel, damp but not wet, to join a group of youths glued to the very large screen, watching Italy lose to Norway in the World Cup first rounds. Mona will be pleased!

Monday 17 November 

After a modest hotel breakfast we arrived at the Enoteca Regionale in plenty of time, to be greeted by Bartolomeo, president of the consorzio, and in charge of the Cantina Sociale of Caluso.

He had prepared a large room, equipped with crates of glasses, a couple of spittoons, and a large table complete with a white tablecloth, where David will meet his fellow producers in the next two days. They are listed below. (Some of the photos were taken during our earlier visits to the region, and I regret that I didn’t manage a photo of all those who came)

9.00-9.40 Kalamass : Riccardo Boggio 

9.40-10.20 Muraje : Federico and Debra

10.20-11.00 Cantina Togliana – Gianni

11.15-11.45 Carema Produttore di Nebbiolo  – Mánlio (Cantiniero) 

11.55-12.35 Cooperativa Caluso – Bartelomeo 

12.35-13.05 Cantina Le Masche – Lorenzo – who created this fabulous timetable of meetings! Thank you

We enjoyed lunch at the recently opened and good quality caffe Simeone with Bartelomeo and Lorenzo; Vittorio joined us for coffee

14.30-15.10 Sorpasso – Vittorio

15.10-15.50 Cantina della Serra – Vittorio, shown below with Gian Marco of Montemaletto

15.50-16.30 Tenuta Roletto – Antonino Luculano

16.45-17.20 Cantina Rostagno 

It was a long day! We walked back to the hotel, passing the Michelin-recommended Gardenia which on any other day we would have enjoyed. But having spent the whole day processing the information and wines of 10 producers, much of it in Italian, David was tired. As he later remarked, ducking this opportunity must have been a first!  

We ate in Sardi’s the hotel’s ristorante, whose €20 set menu was more than sufficient, accompanied by one of Kalamass’ wines which he had left with us. Spaghetti; aglio, olio e peperoncini; salsicia, lenticche; peperonata; insalata mista, caffe. Basta cosi! 

Finding a taxi to take us to Turin airport was our next challenge! The hotel no longer provides them and they suggested Uber as the more likely operator. 

Overnight I hatched a plan. Caluso has a train station, albeit 1.7 km from the hotel but walkable – and the forecast is fair. To avoid an early and therefore anxious start on Thursday we will travel on Wednesday afternoon, after David’s final appointment, and stay in Hotel Diplomat on via Cernaia in Torino. With more than 24 hours notice, we were able to cancel Wednesday night in this hotel, having booked directly.

Tuesday 18 November 

We ate breakfast in Angelo dell’Luli, known to us on an earlier trip as the WI café. My asking for the Giardiniera (which is a vinegary dish) surprised our hostess. We reached the enoteca as our first appointment arrived. Yesterday people were sometimes late, today they were early! 

9.00-9.40 Orsolani – Luigi

9.40-10.20 Tappero Merlo – Domenico 

10.20-11.00 Crosio – Roberto 

11.15-11.45 La Masera – Marco

11.55-12.35 Donna Lia – Sylvia Bettinetti 

12.35-13.05 Cieck – Leah

14.30-15.10 Cella Grande – Tommaso

 15.10-15.50 Kissuma  (no show) 

15.50-16.30 Montemaletto ( Gian Marco sent bottles with Riccardo from Kalamass; photo with Vittorio)

Extra:  Giacometti – Bruno, based in Caluso itself, arrived on spec!  

We spent a pleasant hour in Simeone once more, until they closed at 19.00. We then walked as far up the old town towards the castle as we could to enjoy the views in the gathering dusk, and to have yet more exercise we walked to the station to witness the arrival of 19.19 to Chivasso and to establish the best routes to use with luggage. It was around 20 minutes from the old part of town. 

The only place to eat on a Tuesday in Caluso is Carū, where we had a very disappointing pizza three years ago. This time we were pleasantly surprised by the range of dishes, and shared the grande misto del mare antipasto, followed by a salad and funghi porchini and moule pasta; a strange combination but enjoyable, as was Kalamass’ nebbiolo. 

We returned to hotel in time to share a beer and to watch Scotland beat Denmark 4 – 2 to go through to the next rounds of the World Cup. It was a very dramatic game, as Scotland scored twice in the very last minutes to secure their place. 

Wednesday 19 November 2025 

The walk from the hotel pulling luggage took 25 minutes, slightly uphill but not as strenuous as I expected. We arrived with five minutes to spare, before Matteo arrived. So far so good!

10.00 Sopravento – Matteo

10.45 Ferrando – Roberto

We said our farewells and thank yous to Bartolomeo who has been the most assiduous host, and headed to Grillo again for some lunch, before walking to the station to catch the slightly late 14.19 to Chivasso, with a rapid change for the Torino train, also slightly late, fortunately. 

We arrived in the Hotel Diplomatic, relieved to be there, and pretty weary. In all David has spent nine consecutive days tasting the wines of 78 North Piemontese producers.

We rested until supper time, then headed for the excellent Enoteca Parlapà ten minutes walk away, arriving too early for service but with plenty of time to admire their vast collection of Italian wines.

The food was good, and Ettore Germano’s 2012 Prapò (despite its very murky colour and lack of decanting) was surprisingly good. See map below for directions.

Thursday 20 September

In January I had squirrelled away two unused bus tickets for the airport bus, and was pleased to put them to use for the 10.05 direct express, from stalle 13 at the bus station outside Porta Susa rail station, just a few hundred metres south from the hotel. 

The plane was on time; we arrived in Gatwick ten minutes early, caught an on-time Clapham train which arrived a couple of minutes before the down train to Andover. The fastest, most efficient and comfortable return journey ever!