We drove from Milan to Serralunga Thursday. Il Boscaretta is a nice resort hotel It’s owned by the family who runs Batasiolo, and I tried lots of Batasiolo wines over next few days., The Gavi was the best of the whites.I liked the Langhe Nebbiolo more than the Barolo. Avoid the Chard!
That night dinner at Guido, a 1 star Michelin in an old mansion. Pretty fabulous meal, I had trout (sauteed and smoked carpaccio), an incredible risotto with sweetbreads, and delicious veal cheek. Some great Champagne at good prices, but my companions didn’t want Champagne (sob).
2024 Valfaccenda Arneis
Lemon and blood orange, wildflowers, good acids. B/B+
2021 Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo
Red fruits (raspberry, cherry), touch of tar, well balanced, long. Great value at 40 euros on a Michelin list., B++
Friday we had a great visit at Vajra. Lovely facility, and incredible view from tasting room. We went through a nice lineup of 2022 Barolo.
Albe delicious and round, bright red fruits, you really could enjoy this now B+
Coste di Rose perfumed, incense, firm tannins. A-/B+
Bricco di Viole- structured but elegant. A great wine in the making A-
Ravera - a bit riper, plush, I like but not as much as the 2 preceding. But would happily drink (or cellar) B/B+
We also had the 2019 Ravera,opened day before but still a bit tight and muscular, a wine to age.
Francesca was a great hostess, informative and attentive. We also got to meet her dad,
Lunch at the gorgeous Belsit on hill in La Morra.
Egg with mushroom, red shrimp with squid ink gnocchi (tajarin ragu, ravioli)
2024 Grimaldi Arneis
Citrus, anise, and peach. Fresh, good. B+
Saturday a nice visit at Massolino (air was clear so a lovely view of the Alps was a bonus )
2024 Chardonnay- no malo tropical little oak, fun B
2025 Barbera d’Alba - a bit cheesy plummy, 14.5 abv, not my fave. B-
2024 Langhe - fresh declassified Barolo, good balance B+
2023 Barbaresco elegant red fruit rose petals accessible already, nice B+/A-
2022 Barolo drier firm intense needs time B for now, potential.
2022 Parussi full more supple tannins, floral black cherry, good but a little hot on the back end B
2025 Moscato - Moscato is just not my thing C+ for me, others enjoyed.
Lunch at More e Macine in La Morra
Chickpea balls with pumpkin sauce and yogurt, guinea fowl leg with vegetables
Also tried fried zucchini stuffed with ricotta, calamari with ‘njuda, lamb
2020 Luigi Pira Marenca Barolo
Really quite good, no obvious oak, silky texture, long finish. B+
2024 Simone Cerruti Langhe Freisa
Very perfumed, tangy, some hard tannins.B-
For our last night we ended up at DiVino in Serralunga. Tartar with white truffles (very inexpensive compared to some other places we had truffles), focaccia pizza, cured meats, salad with balsamic pearls
2012 Marcarini La Serra Barolo
Herby, tea leaves, red fruits, pretty ready. B+
2019 Bartolo Mascarello Langhe Nebbiolo
I’ve had lots of Bartolo Barolo, but never seen the Langhe before. I should search out! Lovely middleweight, red fruit, roses, violets,and tar. Drinking well already. A-/B+
Good way to finish Piedmont visit!
Next morning drove to Lake Como, where we were staying at the historic Grand Hotel Tremezzo. Insane views. We had lunch at the beach restaurant, I almost fainted at list - moderate Lugana or Arneis for 30 euros. Best deal on list was 375 ml of Felsina Chianti for 65 euros. Let’s have water! But we did find a bottle of bubbly waiting in our room. - Ca' del Bosco Franciacorta Cuvée Prestige 48ª Edizione Extra Brut. Actually pretty nice, tangy and long. B+/B
Dinner at Bistro N 26, down the street from hotel. Food was pretty good
Nice amuse - parmiagiano with anchovy sauce, lake trout with roe, pork charcuterie
Then I had carrot done “osso buco” style (sous vide, seared, filled with carrot marrow, carrot juice, carrot ice cream) while Betsy had scallop carpaccio with jalapeno (too hot). I had the trout (slow cooked, cured, roe), Betsy had a pasta.
Weird wine and service night though. They had a Pigato and a Vermentino from Liguria, I ordered the Pigato. They came back, said out of Pigato, tried to sell me a Tuscan Chardonnay. I said no, I’ll take the Ligurian Vermentino. They brought a Sicilian Vermentino, said out of the Ligurian. OK, we’ll try the wine from the opposite end
La Fogliata Vermentino (Terre Siciliano)
Musky, a little weedy, moderate tannins, short. C+
2020 Perlegia Vitanova Valtellina Superiore
Fresh red fruits, smoke, good length. B/B
The next day my brother arranged a boat tour of the lake (lovely old wooden inboard) We stopped at the dock of Passalacqua , a boutique hotel that shares ownership with our hotel. We went for a drink, and I prepared for sticker shock again. Well, the cocktails that others had were 30-45 euros, but I spied Ar Pe Pe nebbiolo for 30 euros and thought with setting not too bad. The when they brought it was the 2019 Ar pe Pe Grumello “Bocca De Piro” . OK with me!
Lovely nose, silky textures, aromatic fruit, a touch of smoke and lava. Great BTG/ A-/B+
For our anniversary we all went to La Figurada, on the hill above Tremezzo. Old school with warm service, like being in someone’s house. Speck, cheese, caprese, rabbit, ravioli with red wine or butter/sage, grilled vegs.
2016 Ar.Pe.Pe Sassella Riserva Vigna Regina (Valtellina Superiore)
Ar Pe Pe scores again! Red and black cherries, coffee, anise, grilled meat. Crunchy and lovely, A-
2024 Les Cretes Chardonnay
Green apple, citrus zest, white flowers. Simple but tasty. B
We spent the day in Bellagio, took ferry back and went to the Villa Carlotta gardens, then dinner at a simple place called Helvetica. I had salad and beef in a green pepper sauce, rest had pastas
2023 Einaudi Langhe Nebbiolo
Cherry, licorice, balsam, nice flavor profile but a little short. B-/B
2022 Nipozzano (Frescobaldi) Chianti Rùfina Riserva
Black cherry, leather, espresso, and a little oak. Good balance, rich style of Chianti. B/B+
Back to Milan. We saw the Last Supper, and I found it moving. Then we went to dinner at a very traditional place, Stendhal.
I had stuffed zucchini flowers and Wagyu, also tried Betsy’s mondeghili (meatballs) and osso buco with risotto, plus Doug’s anchovies.,
2024 La Tunella Ribolla Gialla ( Friuli Colli Orientali)
White nectarine, lemon peel, touch of almond. Good acids and persistence. B+
2020 Mamete Prevostini Marena Sassella Valtellina Superiore
Red and black plum, some vanilla notes, others enjoy but I find a bit more international than the other Valtellinas we’ve had on trip. B-
On plane home I thought about the Silver Oak, but just had the Taittinger La Francaise, always acceptable but least exciting of any of the Taittinger offerings,
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was the only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.