Experience the Langhe
The region
Langhe and Roero
Twin lands, ideally divided by the Tanaro, the Langa and Roero are children of the same mother: the Langhe, the most fertile area in the province of Cuneo. The first (the Langa) is in the south and its landscape is dominated by gentle slopes, characterised by rows of vineyards that produce the most famous wines in the world, while the second (the Roero) is in the north, characterised not only by hills, but also by almost “karstic” rock and striking rocky walls. Known also for the production of the renowned Piedmont hazelnuts, the Langhe have been distinguished for decades for the production of fine wine.
Their terroir is in fact especially fertile and is made of a combination of calcareous clay (which produces the most full-bodied wines in the Langa), soft and sandy soil (which gives us the fruity whites of the Roero) and a fresh air that benefits from the influence of both the sea and the Alps. This is a land that has to be discovered, as well as tasted.
The terroir
“Everything here revolves around wine” is the description more delightful and well-suited than ever that Mario Soldati gave us about the Langhe in his 1977 essay, “Vino al vino”.
Why does everything here live and prosper due to grapes? The answer is found in the terroir, a French word that identifies all the factors (environment, growing techniques, and protection of its designation of origin) which provides an understanding of the relationship between the plant and its environment. In the Langhe, the relationship is found as one of the most preferred in the world. The valleys (which contribute to the creation of diverse and ideal microclimates), range of temperature (which increases the concentration of aromas in the skins), soil composition (which began to form sixteen million years ago), and the alternation of clayey, calcareous and sandy substrates give life to an extraordinary variety of grapes for wine. Thus, depending on the areas that are just a few kilometres away from each other, we find grapes for Barbera, Dolcetto, Pelaverga, Arneis, Favorita, Freisa and Moscato, all typical of the Langa. The Roero mainly gives us Nebbiolo, Barbera, Arneis, Favorita and Brachetto, with undertones that differ from wines of the Langa.
The wines of the Langhe now satisfy the tastes of an international market and make this area known and appreciated all over the world.
Culinary culture...
The Langhe are known not only for excellent wine, but also for remarkable cuisine that offers local specialties. Piedmont hazelnuts, truffles and cheeses deserve much more than a simple taste.
Gioacchino Rossini defined the truffle as the “Mozart of mushrooms”, and since the eighteenth century, the Alba white truffle has been considered a rare delicacy. It can be found grated over tajarin (long, fresh pasta, typical of the area) or on fried eggs, in fine restaurants in Alba and the surrounding area in autumn and winter, and you can get more “in-depth” during the Truffle Fair (in Alba, every year in October/November) as you let its unmistakeable aroma guide you. Even the cheeses of the Langhe deserve special mention: in addition to the popular Grana Padano, Gorgonzola, Toma Piemontese, Castelmagno (produced exclusively by the village of the same name for hundreds of years!) and Taleggio from the province of Cuneo, we can also find the cheese of Bra (the city where the international Cheese festival is held, dedicated to the world of cheese), the soft Robiola of Roccaverano (the eastern part of the Langhe), the Toma and Robiola of Murazzano (Alta Langa) and the Raschera (at the border with Monregalese). It is not by chance that the restaurants in the area always have a tempting cheese cart that is hard to resist…
... literature...
The Langhe are also a source of creative power, inspiring many writers: Fenoglio, Einaudi, Pavese, Arpino and Revelli, to mention a few authors among the most beloved of the past century. To display such rich literary heritage, development of the “Parco Paesaggistico e Letterario Langhe Monferrato Roero” is underway, a park that will guide tourists and literature lovers in the discovery of enchanting places that have so inspired our authors. In the meantime, from June to October, one can follow festivals (such as Collisioni in Novello in June) and literary trails, which are combined with music, theatre and exhibitions to highlight the indisputable cultural heritage of the Langhe.
... and art
Today, Alba, with its surrounding villages, has become the capital of this area to be discovered in all of its beauty, where cuisine and food & wine tours (the road to Barolo, for example) are amongst the most renowned in Europe. Thus, just as you travel through the hills, you can stop and taste a glass at the Einaudi winery, attend Vinum (the famous event dedicated to wine), go to the cinema during the Infinity Festival, visit the castles of Serralunga (with its unique and majestic Gothic architecture), Mango (with its secret passageways and torture chambers), Roddi (with its medieval characteristics, despite the restorations), Govone (with its grand marble decorations), Barolo (home of the Enoteca Regionale del Barolo, the Regional Wine Cellar of Barolo) and Grinzane Cavour (the historic residence of Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour), as you discover their compelling history. You can visit churches and cathedrals, such as the Cathedral of Alba and its treasures, or you can admire the ancient Roman site of Pollentia, now Pollenzo, home of the internationally renowned “Università del Gusto” (University of Taste): in short, you will soon discover why the Langhe are candidates to become an UNESCO world heritage site!
Dogliani
Just a short walk from Relais dei Poderi you can find Dogliani, a village full of character, traditions and places to visit. Its unique architecture was influenced by the work of Giovanni Battista Schellino, a self-taught architect (1818-1905), who in the nineteenth century wanted to give the city a monumental appearance. Thus, from the fourteenth century gateways (which open up to a landscape of medieval features such as Piazza Carlo Alberto, and Baroque features such as the church of the Confraternity), to the upper village with its own (typically medieval) castle, to the Belvedere (with its breathtaking scenery) and Torre Civica clock tower (“crenellated” by Schellino in the nineteenth century), neoclassical cupolas and neo-gothic spires can be admired, which give the village a unique appearance that must be seen.
While discovering the surrounding area through organised walking, bicycle or horseback riding trips, one can admire the churches and parishes nestled in the rows: places that have always evoked peace and mysticism. The vineyards of Dogliani, which are impossible to miss, are famous for the excellent and fine production of Dolcetto, a true crown jewel of wine producers in the area, including Poderi Einaudi.
Moreover, Dogliani is at the centre of a crossroads that lead to Turin, the Marquisate of Saluzzo, the Ligurian Sea and the French Riviera: a starting point from which one can explore places so diverse and exciting that they seem farther than they really are.
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