This is the second post in my in my final series on travel. As I have previously stated about Italy, you will see more vines/ acre here than about anywhere in the world. They grow grapes EVERYWHERE! With 20 different wine regions and over 300 grape varietals, there’s A LOT to explore in Italy. Having covered the country in Posts #26, 28, & 31, I will no do so again here. Instead, I will focus on a couple of areas (my 2 favorite) to visit: one is Piedmont (in the north west), specifically Barolo & Barbaresco; the other is Chianti Classico (in the middle). Some of the info. I share this time will be more general and some will be specific, like last time.
In Piedmont, you want to go to Barolo & Barbaresco, two small areas near each other. This is where you will find the “Burgundies” of Italy. Barolo is the best & has only 5 communes. All of their Nebbiolos are aged for at least 3 years. Barbaresco is the 2nd best, has only 3 communes, and all of their Nebbs. are aged at least 2 years. In Barolo, try G.D. Vajra, Fratelli Alessandria, or G.B. Burlotto wineries. They are 3 of the best. In Barbaresco, try Marchesi Di Gresy. There are several others you could check out, but these are my favorites. In Chianti Classico, you are dealing with a larger area that has many, many wineries. These are my favorites: Antinori, Capraia, Castello Banfi, Brancaia, Baron Ricasoli, Mazzei, and San Felice. Most of them are essentially their own “village” with a restaurant (Osteria) and a wine store (Enoteca). They tend to be out in the “middle of nowhere” and have great views, some also have hotels or B & B’s. My favorite Osteria is at Mazzei, the nicest hotel is at San Felice, and the best tour is at Antinori. But, you cannot loose with any of these, they’re all great. If you want to try a different approach, try going to an Enoteca in one of the “bigger” hilltop towns. They have many different wines from near-by wineries and usually serve food. My favorite one in is Montepulciano, the Enoteca La Dolce Vita. It’s in a cave! They specialize in wines from that region, and have excellent selections. You can usually sample at least 15-20 different ones from their current menu, although I would not recommend doing so in one sitting. While there, you might want to check out the town, they have lots of cool shops.
Since you’re in Italy, you’ll probably want to play tourist, as well as drink wine. Personally, my favorite places to stay are out in the country-side of Tuscany (between Pisa & Florence) or in Chianti Classico. While in the northwest, be sure to check out Cinque Terre. The train from town to town is the best option for getting around, but hiking across the top of all 5 (if you are able) affords the best views, by far. If you do Pisa, be sure to drive to the coast & have dinner on the water. Florence is a must (1-2 days), as is Rome (3-4 days), and the Amalfi Coast (1-2 days). I would avoid Venice, it’s too crowded with cruise ship “day trippers” and is “floody” a lot more often than it used to be. If you are a “fashion hound”, then Milan is the place to go. Lake Como is also very beautiful, but is way up on the Swiss border (awesome view of the Alps). Getting around by bullet train is an easy way to get from town to town. If you are driving, watch out for “speed cameras” (they’re serious!) and ZTLs (Zona Traffico Limitato). The fines are steep and will follow you all the way back to the states. There’s a lot more one could say about Italy, but I’ll let you figure out the rest for yourself.
That should take care of this one. Next time will be the last in this series and most likely my last Post. So, be sure to come back and join me for France. Until then…….. cheers!