WINE TASTING Langhe: a path of discovery

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The Langhe wine tastings we offer are all tried and tested. Visits to Langhe wine cellars are probably one of our most popular experiences.

To get to know the world-famous Barolo, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, and symbols of the area, but also to discover native and lesser-known wines. A taste of white wines such as Arneis or Alta Langa to surprise you. Wines and typical products are the best way to know a territory.

SlowDays proposes authentic and exclusive experiences to discover the typical products of Piedmont.

Visits to cellars in the Langhe are always an opportunity to get to know the history of a family, which then becomes the history of a territory.

Anyone wishing to immerse themselves in the wonderful world of Italian wines should put Piedmont on their list and start thinking about visiting the cellars of the Langhe.
This often-overlooked region in northwest Italy is home to some of the country’s most excellent, authentic, and exceptional wines.

Did you know that we at SlowDays can organize a Langhe wine-tasting tour for you, including small, authentic productions and indigenous wines to discover?

We are ``Slow``

The important thing is not to do a lot of miles or exceptional climbs! What is important is to enjoy the day and the scenery!

When you want and with whom you want

Our proposals will be organised for your group, even from four people, on the date requested. Weekends also for couples.

Langhe gourmet

If you want to exercise but also enjoy and learn about the food and wine specialties of the Langhe, these are the tours for you!

Langhe wine tastings

Our proposal to you

And now a weekend, with many food and wine declinations

What could be better than a couple of days in the Langhe? Easy: a few days in the Langhe to discover its best wines! A challenge of good tastings, great food, enchanting views, and relaxing days. What could be the problem? Those two days won’t be enough!

The Langhe WINE TASTING with … enogastronomic side dish!

A couple of days all to yourselves. You with the person you love, with your partner or best friend. Certain visits to wineries that have specific tastings of excellent wine get better when you are in company. If you think so too, give yourself or others the gift of this weekend among the wineries to visit in the Langhe.

Langhe wine tastings to enjoy a relaxing weekend? Of course, you can!

SlowDays, as its name suggests, loves relaxing trips. It loves the gentle hills of the Langhe. The cellars of the Langhe teach you to respect the rhythms of nature. The best wine cellars in the Langhe are also small family-run businesses where they open bottles that taste of love for the land and their work. Two days among these hills are “a medicine for the soul and the body.”

A CELLAR IN BAROLO to taste, an osteria to dine while tasting.

By now, you know that we like slow things (slow days, in fact). What could be slower and more natural than walking? How best to appreciate the Langhe hills, the vineyards, the views. If you think so too, this is just the tour for you. A day’s walk with our map, a tasting stop, and the finale sitting at the table: perfect, I would say

What are the best wineries in Langhe? Can I visit them?

What sets Piedmont apart from most other Italian wine regions is its unique set of grape varieties. Due to its location between the colder Alps to the north and the warmer Mediterranean to the south, the hills of Piedmont benefit from a perfect climate for particular grapes, many of which are typical of this region.

Piedmont’s wine region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, consists of two main areas: the Monferrato in the north and the Langhe in the south.

Our tours focus mainly on Langhe, one of northern Italy’s most famous wine destinations. The capital of the Langhe is Alba, a beautiful town of about 30,000 inhabitants with an attractive historic center where you can stroll and get lost among wine shop windows and typical products. Alba also has some critical wineries in the Langhe and the hills. You can visit some beautiful wineries in Alba, such as the famous and historic winery in Alba, Pio Cesare. Alba also has the winery of the Alba School of Enology, which for some years, in addition to training future Italian oenologists, has been producing excellent wines all to be tasted!

Langhe wine tastings are also an excuse to learn about the area!

Home to beautiful hillsides, historic towns, and extraordinary cuisine, the Langhe has produced wine since ancient Rome. This unique and very long history of wine production shines today in the region’s world-class and unmistakable wine varieties.
From white and sparkling wines to world-class reds, you can enjoy superb vintages on our tours, whose itineraries include some of the best wineries in Piedmont. Let’s take a look at them!

Wine Tasting of the Langhe: The Great Reds

Get your glasses ready: We are going to talk about two of our most beautiful and inclusive packages, those packages that stimulate all five senses and you wish they would never end: the Barolo Langhe tour and the Barbaresco tour, or the great reds Barolo and Barbaresco with lunch and tastings included.

Let’s start by talking about these two wines, as famous as good. Not many wines are named after the commune of origin; in fact, they can be counted on the fingers of one hand: Barolo, Barbaresco, Soave, and Bardolino. This rare characteristic, however, underscores the solid and deep adherence these wines have to their territory of origin.

The Enchanting Terroir of the Langhe

The roots of this excellence lie in the hills of the Langhe. Here, the calcareous soil and ideal altitude create the perfect conditions for the Nebbiolo vines, the noble grape protagonist of both wines.

The Careful Harvesting of Grapes

Production delegated to man begins at the moment of harvesting the Nebbiolo grapes, almost a ritual awaited for twelve months. The vines, lying on the hills of the Langhe, donate their bunches of grapes when they reach the right degree of ripeness. Transported to the cellar, they will begin the harvest festival.

Vinification: An Art or a Technique?

The magic of great wines unfolds in the cellars, where the fresh must undergo controlled fermentation. Traditional pressing of the grapes, followed by prolonged maceration, extracts the intense aromas that characterize Barolo and Barbaresco. The ability to intercept the right timing and the experience of understanding when to carry out the various steps can make all the difference. Each vineyard, each cellar, and each producer will be able to interpret the production sequences and give their bottles an unmistakable imprint. Of course, each of them will claim that their ‘secret’ is the winning one!

Ageing in Barrels and Bottles

After fermentation, the wines are transferred to oak barrels. The aging period gives Barolo and Barbaresco their complex structure and aromatic bouquet. Subsequently, bottle aging completes their development, preparing them for the refined palate of connoisseurs.

Barolo vs. Barbaresco: Subtle Differences in Elegance

Although both derive from the same grape, Barolo and Barbaresco differ in nuances of taste. Barolo, with its prolonged aging, has more power, while Barbaresco, with a slightly shorter period of refinement, offers a more immediate refinement.

Barolo

Barolo, also known as” the king of wines and wine of kings,” is a fine wine of very ancient origins; the regulations require that it be made only from 100% Nebbiolo grapes and aged for at least three years including 18 months in large wooden barrels; after five years of age, it becomes Barolo Riserva. Barolo remains one of Piedmont’s finest wines, challenging to mistake as it has almost unique characteristics.

The color, for example, is a transparent ruby red that turns to orange as it ages; Barolo boasts an unmistakable bouquet, rich in small red fruits such as raspberries and black currants, cherries, dried flowers but also spices such as cinnamon, tobacco, and vanilla. In the bouquet, the vital link that the wine has with the territory emerges; in fact, it is possible to recognize the scents of typical Langhe products, such as hazelnuts and truffles. On the palate, you can immediately perceive a solid tannic structure typical of the limestone-clay soils of the Langhe; a remarkable persistence will envelop the mouth already after the first sip.

There are 11 communes that can produce Barolo: Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Cherasco, Diano d’Alba, Grinzane Cavour, La Morra, Monforte d’Alba, Novello, Serralunga d’Alba and Verduno.

Barolo cellars

The Langhe region is best known for its superb red wines. Probably the best-known red wine is Barolo, a wine made from Nebbiolo grapes from the charming town of Barolo, located southwest of Alba in the Apennine Mountains.

Although it is not nearly the most commonly produced (red) wine in Piedmont, it is the most famous in the region.

Thus, Barolo winery visits could be the must-do start of any self-respecting Piedmont wine tour. If you want to discover the best Barolo winery, we at Slowdays offer visits to small, family-run Barolo wineries where you can taste at least four wines, including Barolo.

Barbaresco

Barbaresco, another all-Langarola wonder. Just like Barolo, Barbaresco can be made only from Nebbiolo grapes and must age 62 months, 18 of which in wooden barrels. This wine’s main characteristics are its essential structure and tremendous evolving capacity. To be able to speak of Barbaresco Riserva, however, aging is 50 months, 9 of which are in wood.

The color is a garnet red with reflections toward orange; Barbaresco boasts an ethereal and pleasant bouquet with strong hints of violet or rose. Aging brings more complex hints of earth, herbs, truffle, and licorice, typical of the Langhe hills. The palate has a dry, full, robust but velvety and harmonious wine; it is very persistent and has a remarkable tannic structure.

Barbaresco can be produced in only three communes: Barbaresco, Neive, Treiso, and a hamlet of San Rocco bordering the town of Alba.

Barbaresco cellars

Another renowned red wine produced from Nebbiolo grapes in the Piedmont Langhe is Barbaresco. This distinctive type of wine comes from, you guessed it, the town of Barbaresco, which is located northeast of Alba, also in the beautiful mountainous area.

Barbaresco wineries are among the best wineries to visit in Piedmont precisely because of their unique variety of Nebbiolo red wine.

Barolo and Barbaresco are cornerstones of the Langhe wine industry, promoters of its worldwide fame and notoriety. Yet, surprisingly, they account for just 3 percent of the region’s total wine production. The fact that these limited reds are so famous is a testament to their extraordinary quality.

Langhe wine tastings: Barolo, Barbaresco, gastronomy

Both wines pair perfectly with Piedmontese delicacies such as braised meats, red meats and game, aged cheeses, and truffled foods.

Slowdays offers Barbaresco tour and Barolo Langhe tour packages consisting of winery visits, tastings of the two great reds from different vintages, and a lunch of traditional Piedmontese dishes. Packages are available year-round and are guaranteed with a minimum of 2 people. These are customizable packages; Claudia will listen to all your requests and try to organize a memorable day.

ancient wine cellar in the Langhe
Grape marc and red grapes
Year 1876, in a Langhe wine cellar

Langhe Winery tours in search of white wines

In addition to the famous red wines of the Langhe, there are also excellent white and sparkling wines to enjoy in northwestern Italy. From Moscato Bianco to Cortese and Arneis, the Langhe has much to offer white wine lovers.

So, if you love white and sparkling wines, ask me to arrange a dedicated Tour: you can visit a winery belonging to the Alta Langa DOCG consortium. They produce excellent sparkling wines, and it is one of the best wineries to visit in Piedmont. For a more extended trip, we also offer a weekend of sparkling wine and relaxation in the Langhe.

Finally, I would like to explore an important point: How do winery visits occur in the Langhe and beyond? When you go to a winery, you should do so with the desire to discover a world…the winery visit is always a unique experience! Usually, the producer will tell us about his wines, production methods, and work and then move on to the long-awaited wine tasting in the cellars of the Langhe. It is a good idea to buy at least something from the producer: it will be a great souvenir and a way to say you appreciate his work! Shall I let you in on a secret?

Langhe wineries tour

So, to fully discover the incredible wine industry of northwest Italy and to visit some of the best wineries in Piedmont, we invite you to make Slow Days your one-stop shop. We have various wine tours in Piedmont, food tours, and other packages.

Langhe wine tastings, getting to know the producers

If you are looking for a local person (a local guide, as they say nowadays) who can advise you on the best experiences for your visits to the wineries of the Langhe and create a personalized package for you, you are in the right place!

We know the area and the many small local realities that characterize it very well because Piedmont is always a journey of discovery that we like to lead through the people there.

Each one has a secret to tell, a story that will make us feel at home, so we love having visitors discover them. The real luxury for us is the authenticity of the lived experience off the tourist track. The best Langhe wineries have a heart for you to know!

The real luxury is the time we can dedicate to ourselves, so taking a break for a few days from our hectic lives and savoring experiences such as a winery visit in the Barolo or Barbaresco area will be a delightful gift to give you. The visits with tasting that we want to offer you will not be the usual, touristy Langhe winery visits. We want to put our heart and knowledge of the area into it.

A visit to a wine cellar in the Langhe, with tasting
A group of wine enthusiasts, tasting in a cellar in the Langhe
View from the tasting room of a winery in the Langhe

Would you like to taste it while pedaling?

By E-bike between wine cellars and vineyards in the Langhe region

in ebike nelle langhe

Do you also want to discover the gastronomic specialties?

From truffles to hazelnuts...

tour gastronomici langhe

Looking for something special?

Discover why you should turn to us for your next trip to Langhe

LANGHE WINE CELLARS VISITS with SLOWDAYS

Wine tastings Langhe and surroundings

Visiting wineries: From our blog

When to organize your visit to a wine cellar in the Langhe

Spring: Awakening of Vine and Emotions

With the arrival of spring, the vines awaken from a winter sleep. The first buds are like promises of new oenological adventures. The wineries feel the gentle spring breeze and welcome curious visitors eager to capture the vibrant energy of this beginning. Plan a spring cellar tour in the Langhe to try the newly bottled wines and perhaps attend Vinum, the Alba wine fair.

Summer: Wine in the Sun and Endless Landscapes

Warm summer days bring a festive atmosphere to the cellars. The sun-kissed vineyards yield ripe grapes that will be the basis for the following masterpieces. Tastings become an outdoor experience amid golden vineyards and endless views framing the perfect moment. Choose a wine-tasting tour and visit wineries in the Langhe during the summer if you want to combine a weekend in agritourism with a swimming pool or trekking among the vineyards.

Autumn: The Festival of Colours and Flavours

Autumn, the undisputed king of the Langhe, transforms the landscape into a painting of warm hues. The vineyards are tinged with red and gold, while the cellars emanate scents of must and fermentation. Visits during this period offer authentic emotions, with tastings enveloped in the intense flavors of mature wines. If you come during autumn for a wine tour, I recommend combining this experience with a truffle hunt. You will be able to capture the magnificent products that distinguish this area.

Winter: Intimate Atmosphere and Cold Magic

On winter days, the cellars take on an intimate atmosphere. The cold envelops the wooden barrels, creating a cozy ambiance. Visits become an opportunity to savor robust wines next to crackling fireplaces, a warm embrace in the season’s quiet. Winter, vital food, essential wines. Piedmont and, in particular, the Langhe are opulent in this season. The food and wine pairings are many and very important. Look at the page in the Guide dedicated to food and wine.