The Langhe

THE LANGHE ARE OUR LAND, COME AND LIVE IT... ALWAYS

WINTER

During winter the vineyards are like scores of a concert just listened to or those which will come.
This is what the winemakers think of while bending over the pruning. The snow which slowly penetrates the terrain is a precious reserve of water from which the plants will be able to draw for months. The wine in the meantime rests in the cellars.
The velvet seats of the Alba theatre offer softness to the backsides of the noble and the less noble. In the fancy hotels, the saunas provide well being and give relief from the cold. In the starred restaurants
and taverns, gourmands and travelling salesmen look for typical dishes: finanziera, (organ meat piemontese dish) mixed fried appetizers piemontese style, rabbit stew, capons and mixed boiled meats, mature cheeses. Barbaresco and Barolo aerate in their goblets.

SPRING

Spring brings plin agnolotti, meat tartare, fresh young cheeses, chocolate, and hazelnuts prepared in a thousand ways. The agnostics stroll on Via Maestra, ripples of music capture the more sensitive ears at the Alba Music Festival, journalists attend the Nebbiolo Prima tasting, while the enthusiasts meet at Vinum.
Delicacy and mastery are what is needed by the viticulturists in tying the vine shoots
with the flowers of the vine. These are the promises of harvest made by spring. The ageing of the wine continues in the cellars, while the vintages ready for release are prepared.

SUMMER

The summer sun heats up the hills already trimmed, the fruit and the sentry roses, between fears of hail and the first green harvest. The thinning must be made with wisdom because the quality of the wine is bound to it. Nature becomes both explosive and domesticated.
Under white clouds and blue skies, the harvest of the hazelnuts goes forward. The agritourisms with swimming pools are full; bicycle excursions take you along the Romantic Road; the Saturday market in Alba and the evening concerts summon a multitude of tourists.

AUTUMN

Fall brings with it the harvest; singing in the vineyards takes the place of the orchestras in the courtyards and in the squares. The fog spreads the perfume of must. On the curves of the hills, strong colours of red, yellow, green reveal Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto vines even to the laymen.
The entire world is here for the International White Truffle Fair in Alba and fills the roads of Langa, its cellars and restaurants. On the tables lays a feast of flavours under the auspices of King Truffle among cheeses, tajarin, bagna caoda, steak tartare, mushrooms, Cervere leeks, card from Nizza, Madernassa pears, pudding.