How to visit Le Langhe in Fall
Truffles, Barolo and more!
Ciao a tutti,
Come state? It’s been a while since I last wrote as it’s been a very busy two months of travel and leading tours. At the end of September I was leading our very first Untold Italy tour in Puglia, then there was the October Sicily tour with Karen La Rosa, followed by a week in Tuscany with the Tuscan Tourist Board. And now, I’m just back from having wrapped our first ever Untold Italy tour in Piedmont!
It’s truly the best time of year as white truffles are in season, the wine harvest is drawing to a conclusion, and the evenings are getting cooler making it perfect for digging into steaming bowls of agnolotti al plin. In fact, it’s the season that I moved to Piedmont back in 2019 for the vendemmia or ‘wine harvest’. This year, we had unseasonable warm weather and little rain (in fact Piemonte is in a drought) which means that white truffles are few and far between (they need moisture to grow) and the price is astronomical (we saw it for up to 7000 euros a kilo!)
Our group had such a fantastic time touring the region, that I wanted to share a little with you in case you’d like to visit with me next time (or plan an independent trip). My top tip would be to book accommodation and restaurants at least 2 months in advance to make sure you don’t miss out - this is high season in Piedmont and things were very busy in the Langhe region. If you would like to visit Piedmont with us next time, take a look at our May Piedmont Tour and October Piedmont Tour for 2023 now.
Best things to do in Langhe in the Fall
Go on a truffle hunt
Go wine tasting - the wineries all have extended hours during this period, just book well in advance
Visit the Alba White Truffle Festival (more below!)
Visit some of the fabulous castles in the region like Grinzane Cavour or Serralunga
Visit some of the beautiful towns like La Morra, Neive, and Monforte d’Alba
Enjoy local cuisine like battuta al coltello (carne cruda), tajarin and agnolotti al plin with freshly shaved white or black truffles
Enjoy a cooking class with seasonal ingredients and learn how to use truffles
Guide to the Alba White Truffle Festival
If you like truffles and want to embrace the buzz of activity in the area, then a trip to the Alba Truffle Fair is called for! It runs every weekend from early October to the first week of December but let me warn you, it is very, very busy so if you don’t like crowds then this is not for you. In the main courtyard, your ticket gets you access to the World Truffle Market where you can meet with the truffle hunters, purchase white or black truffles, do some wine tasting, or sample (and buy) truffle products like truffle salt, oil, cheeses, salami, and other local specialties like tajarin pasta and hazelnuts.
How to spend a day in Le Langhe
Limited time to spend in the wine region? It’s still worth the trip! Take a read of my guide to spending a day in the Langhe wine region and some tips for the best food and wine to try whilst you’re there.
That’s a wrap for now! I’m looking forward to welcoming in the Autumn/Fall season in Rome over the coming month and hopefully getting some cooler weather soon. Next week I’m heading to Veneto for a couple of days to visit some wineries on a press trip (stay tuned for more - I’ll share any good tips with you!) We also have some exciting Untold Italy tour announcements coming so look out for those.
Have a beautiful week and I hope this email filled your imaginations with the deliciousness and beauty of the Piedmont region.
x Liv