CAN YOU JOIN US?
Double Occupancy in Classic Double Room: $5750 per person (Increases to $6000 on April 1)
Additional Fee for Sole Occupancy: $675 (Aka Single Supplement)
Deposit is due now $500 (Deposit is refunded only if trip is cancelled) (Deposit is non-refundable should trip go forward)
Price includes:
- 6 nights at Hotel Corte Gondina in classic double room with breakfast included;
- City tax for 6 nights;
- transportation with private bus for all the daily excursions + 1 transfer to dinner on Day 6;
- bottles of water available on the bus;
- professional tour/wine guide for 6 days;
- visit to 6 wineries including wine-tasting at each place (including an older vintage at each place when possible);
- welcome wine tasting at Hotel Corte Gondina upon arrival (4 different wines with some snacks);
- 1 welcome dinner (wines included) on Day 1;
- 3 lunches at restaurants or wineries (wines included);
- 1 gala dinner at 1-Michelin-star restaurant on Day 6 (white truffle shaving on 1 course and wines included);
- private hands-on cooking class followed by lunch (wines included);
- private white truffle hunt;
- chocolate tasting in Cherasco;
- cheese & wine-tasting in Bra;
- tour organization by Tasting Tours;
Price does not include:
- transfers upon arrival and departure;
- tour guide the day of departure;
- meals not included in “price includes”;
- white truffles at meals and at cooking class (price depends on the season);
- extras (e.g. drinks) at hotels;
- tips (not mandatory);
- any other extra.
- City tax for 6 nights;
- transportation with private bus for all the daily excursions + 1 transfer to dinner on Day 6;
- bottles of water available on the bus;
- professional tour/wine guide for 6 days;
- visit to 6 wineries including wine-tasting at each place (including an older vintage at each place when possible);
- welcome wine tasting at Hotel Corte Gondina upon arrival (4 different wines with some snacks);
- 1 welcome dinner (wines included) on Day 1;
- 3 lunches at restaurants or wineries (wines included);
- 1 gala dinner at 1-Michelin-star restaurant on Day 6 (white truffle shaving on 1 course and wines included);
- private hands-on cooking class followed by lunch (wines included);
- private white truffle hunt;
- chocolate tasting in Cherasco;
- cheese & wine-tasting in Bra;
- tour organization by Tasting Tours;
Price does not include:
- transfers upon arrival and departure;
- tour guide the day of departure;
- meals not included in “price includes”;
- white truffles at meals and at cooking class (price depends on the season);
- extras (e.g. drinks) at hotels;
- tips (not mandatory);
- any other extra.
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Meet us in Barolo - we always travel on this weekend each year - we say "Have Thanksgiving with your family - eat left overs on Friday and then fly on Saturday to meet us in Barolo on Sunday... and we will take it from there."
This trip focuses on top quality hotel, food, wine, and is not a large group... we may have as many as 14 and travel with as few as 8. The price is a great value for a trip of a lifetime... and some have taken this trip with us multiple times because we always see different producers, eat in different restaurants and revisit our favorites. I would dare to say that no one is making better wine in the world today that those in Barolo.... the food is world class and it is amongst the most beautiful places on earth.
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*All producers named maybe changed to accommodate this calendar - should the produce change, it will be another great producer - some are small, some are famous, some are new discoveries... we promise all will be part of an excellent adventure.
Day 1 (Sun 1st) – Arrival in Barolo Region
🏨 Independent arrival at boutique Hotel Corte Gondina in La Morra, Langhe area... a favorite destination of Learnaboutwine.com - our 6th trip to this hotel. The breakfast is amazing - La Morra is a great host town... and we love it. If you have done this trip with us before - do it again... we think you will enjoy it even more.
🍷 In the late afternoon, welcome aperitif/wine tasting (4 different wines)
🍽️ Walk together to Locanda Fontanazza to enjoy your first Piedmontese dinner (wines included).
🏨 Overnight at hotel Corte Gondina.
Day 2 (Mon 2nd) – Introduction to the “King of Wines”
🚍 Private coach will take us for the day.
🍷 First Barolo tasting Poderi Oddero
🍷 First Barolo tasting Poderi Oddero
🍽️ Traditional lunch with CASTELLO DI VERDUNO winery in Verduno
🍷 Visit and tasting at 2nd winery in the eastern part of Barolo region Ettore Germano - great producer of Alta Langa and Nascetta
🏨 Back to hotel Corte Gondina, evening and dinner at leisure (Ian will be organizing an optional and additional dinner out at More e Macine trattoria - we will pull together a great wine experience off the wine list)
🍷 Visit and tasting at 2nd winery in the eastern part of Barolo region Ettore Germano - great producer of Alta Langa and Nascetta
🏨 Back to hotel Corte Gondina, evening and dinner at leisure (Ian will be organizing an optional and additional dinner out at More e Macine trattoria - we will pull together a great wine experience off the wine list)
Day 3 (Tue 3rd) – Wine, Cheese & Chocolate
🚍 Private coach will take us for the day.
🍫First stop will be in the town of Cherasco, a beautiful baroque town known for snail
farming and fine chocolate production. Stop at the historic chocolate boutique
BARBERO CIOCCOLATO where you could try and buy different kinds of chocolates,
including the renowned baci di Cherasco (Cherasco’s kisses).
🍫First stop will be in the town of Cherasco, a beautiful baroque town known for snail
farming and fine chocolate production. Stop at the historic chocolate boutique
BARBERO CIOCCOLATO where you could try and buy different kinds of chocolates,
including the renowned baci di Cherasco (Cherasco’s kisses).
🧀 Next stop will be at the famous GIOLITO FORMAGGI cheese monger in Bra, the town where the Slow Food Movement was born in 1989. This family of cheesemongers has energetically dedicated the whole life to locating, aging and commercializing the finest cheese varieties produced in the area. Tour the cheese refining cellars and enjoy a sampling of different cheese varieties and wine.
☕️ You will then stop in the quaint village of Barolo for a walk and a coffee before heading to the wine tasting part of the day.
🍷 Visit and tasting at 3rd Barolo-producing winery Bruna Grimaldi or Sandrone
🏨 Back to hotel Corte Gondina, evening and dinner at leisure (Ian will again organize a trip up the street to his favorite More e Macine trattoria)
☕️ You will then stop in the quaint village of Barolo for a walk and a coffee before heading to the wine tasting part of the day.
🍷 Visit and tasting at 3rd Barolo-producing winery Bruna Grimaldi or Sandrone
🏨 Back to hotel Corte Gondina, evening and dinner at leisure (Ian will again organize a trip up the street to his favorite More e Macine trattoria)
Day 4 (Wed 4th) – White Truffle Experience & Barbaresco - We will eat lots of Truffles...
🚍 Private coach will take us for the day. at hotel Corte Gondina and reach the meeting point
with your truffle hunter in La Morra or Alba area.
🍄 Meet with local truffle hunter and discover everything about truffles: local traditions, growth environment, overview of truffle varieties and characteristics. A guided tour with the “trifulao” and his dog will follow in the woods, so that you may experience a real “truffle hunt*” along a scenic trail before departing for the Barbaresco district.
🍽️ Traditional lunch in Barbaresco TBA (we could go see that great barbera producer too)
TASTING TOURS® is a registered trademark. The present document may contain personal and/or confidential information. Transmission to third parties, disclosure, copying and/or any other unauthorized use of such information by anyone other than the intended addressee is not allowed and may contravene local laws.
🍷 Visit a Barbaresco-producing Produttori del Barbaresco
🏨 Back to hotel Corte Gondina, evening and dinner at leisure. *In case of very bad weather conditions (e.g. snowfall or heavy and cold rain), truffle hunter will make an
introductory explanation about truffles at a local wine bar in town followed by truffle tasting aperitif.
with your truffle hunter in La Morra or Alba area.
🍄 Meet with local truffle hunter and discover everything about truffles: local traditions, growth environment, overview of truffle varieties and characteristics. A guided tour with the “trifulao” and his dog will follow in the woods, so that you may experience a real “truffle hunt*” along a scenic trail before departing for the Barbaresco district.
🍽️ Traditional lunch in Barbaresco TBA (we could go see that great barbera producer too)
TASTING TOURS® is a registered trademark. The present document may contain personal and/or confidential information. Transmission to third parties, disclosure, copying and/or any other unauthorized use of such information by anyone other than the intended addressee is not allowed and may contravene local laws.
🍷 Visit a Barbaresco-producing Produttori del Barbaresco
🏨 Back to hotel Corte Gondina, evening and dinner at leisure. *In case of very bad weather conditions (e.g. snowfall or heavy and cold rain), truffle hunter will make an
introductory explanation about truffles at a local wine bar in town followed by truffle tasting aperitif.
Day 5 (Thu 5th) – Piedmontese Cooking Experience
🚍 Private coach will take us for the day from Hotel Corte Gondina and reach your cooking
class venue in Cervere, just 30-minute drive from the Barolo area, on the wide plain
caught between the wine-producing hills and the Alps.
🍽️ Discover the classical regional cuisine of Piedmont through a hands-on cooking class at private chef Raffaella’s house: a beautiful country house with animals and self-grown vegetables. Raffaella will teach you the most traditional Piedmontese cuisine through recipes and cooking secrets passed down from the older women of the family. Appetizers, home-made pasta, second courses and desserts, a full menu which you will enjoy later in
the day in her private dining room.
🍽️ Mid-morning aperitif with local cheese and wine and final lunch with the food prepared in the morning.
🍷 In the afternoon, visit the 4 h Barolo-producer Silvia Altare of Elio Altare
class venue in Cervere, just 30-minute drive from the Barolo area, on the wide plain
caught between the wine-producing hills and the Alps.
🍽️ Discover the classical regional cuisine of Piedmont through a hands-on cooking class at private chef Raffaella’s house: a beautiful country house with animals and self-grown vegetables. Raffaella will teach you the most traditional Piedmontese cuisine through recipes and cooking secrets passed down from the older women of the family. Appetizers, home-made pasta, second courses and desserts, a full menu which you will enjoy later in
the day in her private dining room.
🍽️ Mid-morning aperitif with local cheese and wine and final lunch with the food prepared in the morning.
🍷 In the afternoon, visit the 4 h Barolo-producer Silvia Altare of Elio Altare
🏨 Back to hotel Corte Gondina, evening and dinner at leisure.
Day 6 (Fri 6th) – Shopping in Alba & Goodbye Gala Dinner
🚍 Private coach will take us for the day from Hotel Corte Gondina and depart for the town of Alba.
🍽️ Enjoy the morning in the food capital of Piedmont thanks to its white truffle – one the most expensive foods on the planet, and homeland of Nutella, the world-famous chocolate and hazelnut spread invented in town by Mr Ferrero in 1964. Alba is also known for its “hundred towers” and the International White Truffle Festival which takes place every week-end from early October to early December. Walk along the main street (via Maestra) where the locals like to shop and stop at the several food specialty stores to buy truffle products, oil, pasta, chocolates, etc.
🍕 Today is pizza day! Enjoy the local pizza at the new Gusto Madre restaurant in town, owned by young chef Fabio Ciriaci, who prepares his gourmet pizzas only using sourdough and local seasonal ingredients.
🏨 Back to hotel Corte Gondina in the mid-afternoon, time to rest or to enjoy the final shopping in town.
🍽️ Depart with a minibus for dinner at 1 Michelin-star restaurant GUIDO in Serralunga d’Alba (4-course menu, 1 truffle shaving on 1 course, wines included).
🏨 Back to the hotel, overnight at hotel Corte Gondina.
🍽️ Enjoy the morning in the food capital of Piedmont thanks to its white truffle – one the most expensive foods on the planet, and homeland of Nutella, the world-famous chocolate and hazelnut spread invented in town by Mr Ferrero in 1964. Alba is also known for its “hundred towers” and the International White Truffle Festival which takes place every week-end from early October to early December. Walk along the main street (via Maestra) where the locals like to shop and stop at the several food specialty stores to buy truffle products, oil, pasta, chocolates, etc.
🍕 Today is pizza day! Enjoy the local pizza at the new Gusto Madre restaurant in town, owned by young chef Fabio Ciriaci, who prepares his gourmet pizzas only using sourdough and local seasonal ingredients.
🏨 Back to hotel Corte Gondina in the mid-afternoon, time to rest or to enjoy the final shopping in town.
🍽️ Depart with a minibus for dinner at 1 Michelin-star restaurant GUIDO in Serralunga d’Alba (4-course menu, 1 truffle shaving on 1 course, wines included).
🏨 Back to the hotel, overnight at hotel Corte Gondina.
Day 7 (Sat 7th December) – Departure
Check-out and independent group departure.
*All producers named maybe changed to accommodate this calendar - should the produce change, it will be another great producer - some are small, some are famous, some are new discoveries... we promise all will be part of an excellent adventure.
Our deposits for the trips are non-refundable as stated above. Once deposits come in, we continue to invest more and more hours into each trip. Should the trip cancel, deposits are refunded. If Trip goes forward and you do not sign the final payment paperwork - the deposit is not refunded and surrendered. This is our policy and is necessary to keep our workers dedicated and employeed and to keep our product unique and not "canned" - each of our trips is unique, special, and highly procured just for the participants. We aim for 10 guests (as small as 8 and and large as 14)
About
IAN BLACKBURN
I discovered the wine industry while working with Chef’s Thomas Keller and Joachim Splichal in the top dining rooms of Los Angeles. My passion redirected my career from restaurants/hotels to vineyards and wine-education. Now with over 25-years of experience hosting events; leading trips around the wine world; I published a wine book; produced my own wine called Beekeeper Cellars and sat for the difficult Master of Wine Exam! Today, I am considered one of the region's best wine educators and work for my 20,000 followers (follow me), visiting vineyards and wine regions and produce over 100 wine classes and events a year for my businesses and my team.
