I just woke up in Barcelona after sleeping for 13 straight hours. Totally exhausted but blissfully happy with a treasure chest of forever memories. Let’s just say we did not get much sleep during the last four days; there was so much to enjoy in the Piemonte region of Italy. It was a perfect way for Gina and me to celebrate fifteen years together. Nebbiolo is my favorite grape in the world. It is the grape behind Barolo, Barbaresco, and the Roero wines we fell in love with on this trip. And even better, we fell in love with each other all over again.

Day One

An easy flight on Vueling Airlines from Barcelona to Turin (Torino), Italy (80 minutes), and only 45 euros each way. Heads Up: A moment of panic as my card would not work for our rental car (it required verification that it was a legitimate purchase), and they would not take cash as a deposit, nor our Spanish bank N26 because it was an online bank. It was a scary few moments until I realized I simply needed to verify the Capital One purchase on my mobile app. Other requirements were an international driving permit (available from AAA), a valid American driver’s license, a passport, proof of insurance, and my firstborn. Yikes! I will try to give you a heads-up on various intricacies we encountered during the four days.

I requested a Fiat 500 for Gina because she loved hers in America, but they issued us a tiny Kia. Heads Up: They will charge you for a tiny scratch (so video the exterior and interior of your rental car thoroughly before leaving the garage). I was a bit nervous, having not driven a car for almost three years, but no worries. One reason for the 13-hour sleep was the tension I felt driving in a foreign country; the roads in Alba are sometimes like winding mountain paths, only big enough for half a car. And there are speed cameras everywhere! Heads Up: We heard horror stories (unfortunately, after I had already driven for two days) about Americans getting bills for thousands of dollars for speeding violations. We’ll see what arrives in our mailbox soon.

Our flight was delayed, which required a change of plans, and instead of checking into our hotel and resting up for an hour or so, we traveled first to our scheduled wine tasting at Malvira Wines. Heads Up: If you do not show, they will charge you the 70 euros anyway, and they do not waive the 70 euros no matter how much wine you buy. This came as a bit of a shock, because in my experience, the tasting fee is waived if you buy several bottles. And we did indeed buy a case of wine to be shipped home. It was amazing wine. I had never tasted Roero wines, and they were delicious. Here is a fascinating Food & Wine article on the beauty of this underrated region. Giulia was our guide, and she was knowledgeable without being pedantic.

Another unique aspect of driving this trip was being unable to drink the wines in full. I had to take three small sips and then pour the rest into Gina’s glass. She didn’t mind. Ha! I have taken for granted how wonderful public transport is for enabling me to drink what I want without fear of a DUI charge or accident.

We then headed to the commune of Sinio, where our castle on the hill awaited us. As we traveled there, we couldn’t help but marvel at how people navigated these narrow, winding roads, myriad roundabouts, and confusing signage. Heads Up: Italian drivers are insane, passing on blind curves and riding on your back bumper. We are convinced that rental cars have a sticker identifying us as tourists for the speed cameras, because the locals fly past them without a thought. But Apple Maps was amazing, and it also warned us about upcoming speed cameras.

Our home for the four days was Castello di Sinio. We had a beautiful suite, and the ultra-comfortable bed was a highlight. The staff was warm and helpful, but the hostess was quite over the top and wore me out a bit. They are really into their rules, almost to the point that it seems the rules take precedence over the guest. It seems like a hotel trying to be a first-class hotel but not quite getting there. We couldn’t help but laugh at a paper sign asking us to conserve towels and water for the environment while they must have used an entire forest of trees for all the paper signs. They were everywhere. However, our stay was pleasant; the breakfast was amazing, and the garden and pool area were beautiful. We also met two couples there, from Santa Barbara, California, and from Adelaide, Australia, who were simply delightful.

Our suite at Castello di Sinio, Italy

The tiny commune of Sinio. Population 600.

The first night, I booked a table at the nearby Osteria del Vignaiolo. The website does not do it justice. It is a local restaurant in a delightful hilltop location, and we dined al fresco at sunset. The food and wine blew us away. It was amazing! We had three glasses of an extraordinary Barolo wine, an amuse-bouche, two antipasti, a primi, a secondi (Gina had one of the best legs of lamb ever, but somehow I did not get a photo), and one of the best desserts of our lives for only 70 euros. The service was warm and attentive. The owner served our main course. It was a perfect start.

We collapsed in bed after an exhausting but beautiful 17-hour day. The bed was incredible. And the room was cozy. Gina was nestled in her castle on a hill.

Day Two (Our Anniversary)

Our breakfast reservation (complimentary with our room) was at 9:00 am, so we somehow rolled out of bed at 8 am, had our customary cup of coffee together, and wound our way through the castle halls to the downstairs cellar for breakfast. It was amazing. Cooked-to-order scrambled eggs (we were given the recipe upon departure, along with a bag of Barolo Boscaiola Pasta Herb and Porcini Mix, and a container of “magic” salt); the eggs had Philadelphia cream cheese, heavy cream, butter, and their Castello “Magia” seasoning salt, chicken sausage, a huge plate of fresh fruit, breads, jams, and marmalades. Along with coffee, orange and pineapple juices, and complimentary prosecco (for our anniversary morning).

Then on to a road trip to see the countryside. It was stunningly beautiful, but because of either Gemini AI or my human error, we got hopelessly, blissfully lost. We stopped at a cute little town to get our bearings and found a sidewalk cafe for a coffee (me) and a glass of Nebbiolo (Gina), and before we knew it, we were having a freshly made dish of pasta and chatting with the chef, one of the few Italians who spoke fluent English. We had beautiful autumn weather the entire trip. Bliss! Meanwhile, I checked my GPS and realized we would never make our 2 pm wine tasting. We sent a quick email saying we would be an hour or so late, and it turned out to be fine.

The little towns around Alba are so beautiful.

Our next winery was Cascina Val del Prete. It was very small and also specialized in Roero wines. Somehow, I inadvertently did not book a Barolo or Barbaresco tasting, but fortunately we had them at every restaurant. The wines were good, and the host opened a 2011 bottle that was extraordinary at an unbelievable price. We ordered a half case to be shipped home, and at this winery the tasting fee was waived as expected.

Unfortunately, we did not taste these wines. And we had no idea that a Conterno Barolo was in our future.

Back to the castle for a quick nap, shower, and dressing up fancy for our big anniversary night.

By some magical twist of fortune, my friends call it the golden horseshoe shoved up my ass, I was able to find a rare opening for a reservation at three-star Michelin Piazza Duomo: the #1 restaurant in Italy and the current #32 restaurant in the world. On our anniversary night, no less. The golden horseshoe struck again, and a few days before our trip, I received a phone call from Piazza Duomo telling me they had upgraded us to the “Kitchen Table,” their version of the chef’s table located in the kitchen, at their compliments.

It was the greatest dining experience of my life. And I’ve been very fortunate to have had quite a few: The French Laundry, Napa, California; La Tour d’Argent, Paris; Mogador, Aspen, CO; Twelve Chimneys, Koy-Tash, Kyrgyzstan; Compatir, Barcelona; Little Palm Island, Little Torch Key, Florida; and many more.

The once-in-a-lifetime experience at Piazza Duomo deserves its own post. Go HERE or click the photo below for lots of photos and my description of the evening.

The master at work right in front of us. Enrico Crippa, an icon of Italian haute cuisine and a four-star (three stars and a green star) Michelin chef.

Day Three

We did not get to bed until almost 2 am, so Gina moaned and rolled over when I mentioned breakfast at 9:30 am. She was completely sated and had no desire for food or drink of any kind, but I love an American breakfast, and the castle does it masterfully. I was rewarded with real bacon, something you absolutely cannot get in Barcelona. And I met a lovely couple from Santa Barbara, Steve and Suzanne, and we had a wonderful conversation about our dinner last night, the area, and the United States and its dire political situation. It was great to speak English to other human beings, and we agreed to have dinner together that evening at the Castello di Sinio restaurant. Back in the room, Gina had not moved, so I relaxed by the pool for a while until it was time for our next activity–a cooking class at an Italian home.

After an hour’s journey on tiny winding roads and through idyllic Italian villages, we arrived at the home of Teresa, our teacher and host for the afternoon. She was delightful and vibrant, and a super-talented teacher and cook. Her home was cozy and peaceful, and the views from her terrace were amazing. We met her youngest son, one of three sons, who is an aspiring ten-year-old chef, and he was full of energy. Soon her other two sons arrived, ages 12 and 14, and at first I was afraid they would be in the middle of everything, but Teresa quickly assured us that Nonna was coming to take them away, and she was thrilled because it gave her a much-needed adult afternoon. For reasons I still do not fully understand, they are already finished with full days of school.

Teresa then laid out the plans for the afternoon: making fresh pasta Tajarin al Plin with a ragù sauce, meat-and-spinach-filled Agnolotti al Plin with a sage and butter sauce, and for dessert, a Bunet topped with freshly made peach sorbet. Oh my! But first, we had a delicious local white wine made by her friend, with homemade bruschetta and parsley sauce on the terrace, and getting to know each other. What is better than conversation and great food in Italy al fresco?! I have attached several photos that show the dishes. We took her a gift box from Piazza Duomo, and she thanked us profusely. She said she had taught twenty previous cooking classes (it is a relatively new venture for her), and we were the first to bring her a gift.

She knew about Piazza Duomo because the chef Enrico Crippa would come to her father’s market stall when she worked there to buy fresh vegetables from their garden. This was a recurring theme of the day. Every vegetable, fruit, and herb came from her family’s gardens. So fresh. It makes such a difference. It was a delightful afternoon even though we were exhausted from the extremely late night before. Standout moments for me were learning her mixture of Semolina and 00 flour for the fresh pasta, how to roll pasta correctly in my pasta machine (make sure it is dry!), how to properly make and cut Tajarin al Plin, how to properly make and cut Agnolotti al Plin, how to make a delicious ragù that only took one hour, and the perfect combination of beef and veal for the ragù and spinach for the Agnolotti filling, and more.

I found Teresa through this website: Cesarine.com. It was an amazing experience, and we were treated like family. We feel we have gained a new Italian friend.

Me trying my hand at creating Agnolotti al Plin.

Teresa is stirring the completed Agnolotti al Plin in a yummy butter-and-sage sauce.

Afterwards, I drove back through the beautiful countryside to our castle on a hill and grabbed a much-needed siesta. The cooking class lasted over four hours, and I was on my feet the entire time. After only a few hours’ sleep for the past three nights, I was worn out. A 45-minute siesta did wonders for me. Thanks, Spain, for teaching me this amazing custom. Gina and I had our first cocktail hour since arriving, then went to dinner at Castello di Sinio’s restaurant. We had a delightful time with our new friends Steve and Suzanne, enjoying great Nebbiolo wine, food, and conversation in English. We also met a delightful couple from Adelaide, Australia. We regaled each other with our adventures so far and our plans for the coming days. What fun! We then fell into bed utterly exhausted, but oh so happy.

My dinner was a freshly caught river trout salad paired with a Langhe Nebbiolo. Perfect. I needed a light dish after the cooking class.

Day Four

The previous evening, our new friend Steve told us about the castle in the beautiful hill town of Barolo. We did not need to be at the airport until 4 pm, so after a perfect al fresco breakfast, we packed up, checked out, and headed to Barolo. The drive was beautiful, and it was an easy fifteen-minute journey. We had no plans, and it was fun to wander the quaint town alleyways and explore. We had the town to ourselves. What luck! We decided to find a restaurant that looked promising and have a leisurely lunch. Sure enough, we found the perfect place. It was so cute and cozy, and the food and service were amazing! Afterwards, I told Gina that I must have one Italian gelato before we departed, and sure enough, we found an amazing gelateria. Yes! Perfect. I had chocolate and pistachio, and she had chocolate. Then on to the airport, where we found two paper cups and finished off the remainder of the bottle of Nebbiolo from lunch. Because in Italy, you can! An easy flight back home, and we collapsed. We both agreed it was one of the best experiences of our lives. So much fun! A perfect way to celebrate fifteen years together. We slept thirteen straight hours. Ha! And the next night, another twelve. It is fun to travel but it is always good to get back to our beautiful home in Barcelona.