Piedmont Wine Tours FAQ’s: Frequently Asked Questions about ItaliAnna wine & food Tours
During high season, it often happens that we have many requests for the same dates. If open to all joining parties, this can be arranged. We would follow the itinerary of the original bookers, making sure it is approved by all. This is a fun way to meet other wine lovers and travelers and will possibly keep the costs down. No children under 18 allowed if coming on a combined group tour.
Unfortunately we can not accommodate solo travelers but you can contact us and see if we can add you into another group. Perhaps you could contact the local Consorzio who may be able to organize bigger group tours for you to join http://www.tartufoevino.it
Yes! Italians love children and we can arrange cellar visits to particularly kid friendly wineries if needed. Obviously they will be discounted and only charged for the lunch or non-wine related activities.
Yes. If it is within the Alba, Barolo and Barbaresco area we can pick up and drop off at your place of stay otherwise we can decide on a meeting point that is convenient for both.
Yes. If you are coming from Turin we can pick you up in Fossano which is about an 1 hour direct train ride from Porta Nuova station. I would advise not squeezing in a day tour if coming from Milan whether by car or train. I would try to book a night in the area to have the best and most relaxed day tour possible.
Of course! In fact, it is almost an unspoken rule of courtesy to buy a bottle at each winery if you appreciated their time and wines (not mandatory though). The more exclusive wineries may not have wine to purchase because they are often sold out especially in the early spring. If you love the wines and think they are a great deal (don’t know for how long!) and you would like to ship them, we can provide you with a shipping service and take the accumulated bottles from the day and ship them off for you. We do not advise shipping wines in extreme heat or cold so we can hold them in our perfect cellar and ship them out when the weather is good. If not, damaged or spoiled wines are at your own risk. If you would like to keep the wines with you, you can ship them yourselves at the end of your stay or have a service come pick them up through a different shipper at a higher cost but we can still help you with that.
No. We pride ourselves on taking you to the wineries that we truly love and have grown to love over the years. The winery choices on our part are not at all selected because of business opportunities.
Because we work really hard to get to know you and design a customized tour for you, we usually request AT LEAST 2 weeks notice to best build your tour. About a month or two’s notice would be best especially during peak season so we can be sure to find you the right winery. On the other hand, if would like details too far in advance (6 months to a year) we would be happy to send you an idea of our itinerary but the wineries would be subject to change. Since we visit small – medium sized family run wineries, they may not be able to commit that far down the line and may not know what pressing work might have to be done in the vineyards. During October, wineries may be subject to change since the day of picking is always an unknown and different for different wine makers. We have to see what mother nature hands us. You will have confirmed wineries a few days before the tour.
It would be so romantic but unfortunately it is against the law in Italy. (That is a story in itself!) During harvest it is fun to see the grapes come in and maybe you can even watch first hand how they select the grapes.
Wine tour: Unless it is a real emergency danger situation the wine tours can go on rain or shine!
Chocolate: Unavailable during summer months
Truffle hunts: A complete refund will be given to you for the truffle hunt if cancelled due to rain. If an alternative activity is substituted the price will be modified with no penalty.
Well, I am pretty much a one (wo)man show so you will be dealing with me throughout the whole process! However, if I happen to come down with a health issue my Italian husband Claudio, is always ready to substitute and step in. He often fills in for me and is a real local! He is loved by all the visitors and can provide you with basic information about the region and the wines.
The wineries do not have a big stock of wines so normally it is best to organize a tasting like this at a local wine shop or enoteca! We can include this in our day with an added cost. You will be tasting Barolos and Barbarescos normally of the latest vintage and if you are lucky maybe something slightly older.
Usually the day goes from 9:30 (pick up) to 5:30/6 pm (drop off)
Sometimes people are disappointed when they see only 2 wineries on the itinerary but through experience, I know that this is the best way to taste during the day. A 3rd winery is possible (perhaps only a counter tasting) but no more than that. During the tastings, the families or staff members are very proud and passionate about their wines. They love to explain the process and show you their cellars so it would be a shame to rush them. This is what makes the day so special is to have quality time learning and talking about the wines. A normal winery tour and tasting may take 1.5-2 hours and Italian goodbyes always take at least 10 minutes of “ciao ciao ciao ciao” hugs and kisses.
We do our best to make sure you have a wonderful tasting experience and often times this means private. However, with such small wineries and in such a small area, the winemakers have to make the best out of their time and may include other requests which may have come in. Especially during peak season SPRING and FALL, we can not guarantee private tastings. If you would absolutely like a private tasting, please let us know and we can make special arrangements with an added cost.
Nope! This is not fancy Milan, you may even get your shoes dirty at some wineries. Wine country casual is fine!
It is tough in this area to avoid animal based products if you are a vegan but we certainly do our best! Vegetables will be easier to find in the Summer and Spring months and celiac disease is actually quite common here so most restaurants are totally fine with that. It is important to let me know beforehand so I can choose the best restaurant option for you!
Piemonte and especially the Langhe is beautiful all times of the year!
WINTER: Careful booking around Christmas time since most Italians take time off till the Epiphany which is on Jan.6th. Many wineries and restaurants are closed in January and February but it can be very beautiful to see snow perhaps in the vineyards and clear blue skies with the snow capped Alps in the backdrop.
SPRING: Everything is green and in bloom! Great time to visit although peak months are May and June and the area can get quite crowded. Book in advance if you are thinking of these dates. This could be a hard time to find Barolos and Barbarescos at some wineries if they are out of the previous year’s vintage and have not yet come out with the new one. Normally we can find a way around this!
SUMMER: Hot and humid! Summer is buzzing here in the Langhe and you are guaranteed sunny days and sitting out on the patios. There is even a huge music festival called Collisioni in Barolo in July. You can always jump down to the coast if you are getting to hot or book a hotel with a swimming pool or AC!
FALL: Probably the most picturesque and magical time of the year. The characteristic fog sits on the bottom of the valley, you can smell truffles in the air and the colors of the vineyards are like a patchwork quilt of greens, yellows, reds and oranges. On the downside, it is very hard to find available wineries and restaurants without booking far in advance.
Completely up to you! It is obviously nice to leave gratuities where you please and if you appreciated the service but you are not obligated by law!
You can leave a review (hopefully great!) on TripAdvisor here https://www.tripadvisor.it/Attraction_Review-g194699-d4468994-Reviews-Italianna_Tours_in_Piemonte-Bra_Province_of_Cuneo_Piedmont.htmlAnna Savino . It is always much appreciated!