Travel Piedmont solo trip advice

Hi all

I wanted to tap the collective brain here for advice on visiting Piedmont.
I've read through a few recent and older posts and can see some great advice from @Nelson Pari @Ian Sutton @Oliver Coleman-Green @Nigel Lierop @Filippo Nanni amongst others. I'm trying to absorb all of that and other sources but the below questions still felt relevant and some older posts had links to the old website that no longer work.

Context is that I'm going for a work training event to Lake Como at the end of the second week of October (my life can be really tough some times). I want tack on some leave to this to visit the region and my wife has kindly given me a pass for a few days.
So Piedmont is in my sights.
Complication is that i'll be by myself.

A few questions I have

- Obviously i'm going to be there around harvest time which isn't ideal but from what I gather through other posts winery visits are possible at this time. I've already scoped a few out (I can book Monchiero online) I'd like to visit Cavalotto, maybe Chiara Boscis, Fennochio, Vietti, - maybe some in Barbaresco - I'll have 3 days and i'd like to use it to increase my understanding of the region so any recommendations that would be amenable to a single guest (who could join a group) would be great

- What is the best town to stay in in the region? I'd like to be able to go our for dinner and have a glass in a bar ideally without involving taxis (not sure how easy they are in the region). I'm perfectly happy going to restaurants solo but probably not Michelin starred places.

- Getting around - I plan to drive to visit the different wineries (unless they're in the town I'll stay in) and therefore spit during tasting. Is this the right way to do it or do people use a driver or taxis for the day? I'm well used to visiting wineries in Tuscany but usually just a single visit in a day as my wife is not so much of a wine geek

- Anything else I should do whilst in the region - it's the start of the truffle season, but not the peak - are the events around this worth doing?


Thanks in advance and apologies if these questions have been answered before

Peter
 
I will try and post some more detail, but for starters:

Who to visit - the producers mentioned would be great, in addition definitely see if you can visit Bartolo Mascarello, they won’t have anything to sell you but it is a worthwhile visit. You need to phone and will be part of a group. I’d also recommend visiting some small/upcoming producers - Burzi just outside La Morra and La Vedetta in Tre Stelle (Barbaresco) are both great to visit. In general I would say not to aim for more than 3 visits a day, they can be quite long. Spittoons seem to have started making an appearance at tastings but it didn’t seem so common even a few years back….

Where to stay - I quite like to stay in Verduno as it is very relaxed, but also enjoy La Morra which is more buzzy. I have the details of a small and cheap apartment in La Morra which I can send if interested. Fratelli Alessandria’s “La Speziale” hotel has just opened in Verduno and looks great. There are good places to stay all over really, sometimes worth staying at the agriturismo of a producer you will be visiting as it makes things easier.

Getting around - driving is certainly easiest, next best is probably walking! Never tried using taxis to be honest but not sure it is that easy, they will probably be coming up from Alba.

Joshua Dunning (Word on the Grapevine) is a great chap and has a decent guide on his blog.
 
If you're going to the Barolo area, I would think Serralunga might be a nice place to stay. (Never stayed overnight there myself, but I mean to do so at some point.) It also has a few restaurants and a number of interesting producers. I've enjoyed lunch at Schiavenza's place, and was able to taste through their range of wines (separate room; just ask) without needing a prior appointment. (In addition to single-vineyard barolos, they make delicious chinato, BTW.) Serralunga is not far from Monforte and Castiglione (or from the other Barolo villages).
 
Thanks Jan-Tore

It seems there are fewer places to say in Serralunga but I’m looking. “Centro Storico” looks like a fun place to hang out in the evening.
 
Have you considered using a town like Cherasco as a base, by the way? One would think there'd be more choice in terms of accommodation and restaurants there than in the villages. (I've only visited it as a tourist myself.) It's also a very short trip from places like Verduno and La Morra. But again, it might depend on which producers you're hoping to visit.
 
Peta,a few years ago I did exactly what you’re planning - I went to a conference in Genoa and then hired a car and drove up to the Langhe for a few days. I stayed in Barolo, at Brezza’s hotel - simple clean rooms. I did all my daytime travelling for tasting on foot. I really enjoyed doing this way - walking past Cannubi, Bussia, Villero, Monprivato etc etc is lovely but also a great way to understand topography and aspect. IIRC my routes took me past (or into) plenty of great places - Brovia, Cavallotto, Vietti, Scavino, etc) Plus I like walking. There are lots of vineyard trails so you can mostly keep off the roads. From Barolo it’s not far to walk to La Morra, Verduno, Castiglione plus there’s plenty of places to visit in Barolo itself.
 
It would be worth getting the Masnaghetti maps, I think. You don't have to lug the MGA tomes around, there are paper maps and delivery within Italy has been good in my experience if you want them sent to Como.
 
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