Burlotto poured a Sauvignon Blanc (the Viridis) and a Rosé. Both quite good.
If you plan to stay stay in Monforte then you have two very good options for white (and sparkling) with F. Principiano who makes excellent wines in general and Cogno, quite nearby. Both their whites could appeal to dry Riesling fan I reckon, and are top whites made by Barolo producers.
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Ettore Germano in Serralunga has a Riesling, chardonnay and a few sparklers.
Last time I visited the area, 2018, we visited 6-7 properties. All but 2 had Riesling to offer. The above wine mentioned, Ettore Germano, sounded like the benchmark for the varietal in the area. We tried a bottle one night and it was pretty impressive.
Brian,
I like Mikael’s recs. Principiano’s Timorasso is quit good and the place has a smaller feel to it. Cogno’s Nascetta is excellent. Burlotto’s SB and rose of Pelaverga are excellent. Vajra will have two dry whites plus a moscato, all solid.
I would highly recommend you check out le Casa della Saracca in Monforte for lodging.
For me it is a brilliant architectural mix of old and new, the bar is my favorite place to hang out in the Langhe. Also, for me, Monforte, of the smaller communes is the coolest to hang out in. For the white wine drinker, they will have an expansive list of bubbles and many interesting whites to drink. It can be a little noisy on weekends if the windows are open. The owner Giulio is a gem of a human and a friend of mine. The rooms are super cool. The beds are European comfortable, so if you are seeking a Relais type experience, it may not be for you. There is a Relais just up the hill from there called Villa Beccaris, a bit posh for my preferences, but very well done in the style. La Saracca has a rustic feel to it, really well done.
If nothing else, walk through the hotel area when you go to happy hour.
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Thanks Todd! Vajra is definitely on my list to visit as I love the Barolos.
The white wine request was mostly so my wife can get some enjoyment out of these visits too since she rarely drinks red. I don’t think she’d go for tasting nebbiolo after nebbiolo (then again, she loved an aged Produttori de Barbaresco that I opened once).
I’m putting a list together of possible hotels to stay at and will look at Le Casa della Saracco.
How much of a drive is it between the different communes? Geographically they look pretty close to each other but with local roads I’m sure it takes more time to get around. Some of the wineries I’ll want to visit won’t be in Monforte.
Won’t or will be?
You can see driving times – and how indirect the routes will be – on Google maps. Note, these are driving times at lunch time (2 pm there, when I’m posting this), when traffic is light. Traffic along the main roads in the valleys can be heavy at peak hours:
Castiglione to Serralunga (seemingly adjacent villages):
La Morra to Serralunga:
Pro tip: Don’t schedule appointments in Barolo and Barbaresco back to back (e.g., Vajra to Produttori di Barbaresco):
Thanks. I just assumed some of the wineries we want to visit won’t be in Monforte (e.g. Vajra). I wasn’t planning to do Barolo and Barbaresco the same day.
I don’t think you should necessarily rule out Monforte. But, you also have limited time, so you should also concentrate on 2 great visits that you want in Barolo and eat somewhere near them. Same with Barbaresco.
As I said in the other thread, Monforte is a lovely town and it’s been getting the La Morra makeover in a sense.
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Slightly OT, does one have to apply for an international driving permit in order to legally drive in Italy? I have a California driver license but not sure if that is valid in Italy.
Never heard of such a thing. I didn’t.
You need your local driver’s license but I was told by the rental company (Sixt) who didn’t care whether I had one or not that the polizia might ask for one and might fine you a lot of cash if you don’t have one…
Good thing they don’t do traffic duty - everything is automated with the speed cameras in Italy.
No need for Europe. I haven’t seen them used in ages. It used to be required in many African countries but I’m not sure if it still is.
If you’re looking at La Morra, we stayed here in September and really enjoyed it: https://rocchecostamagna.kross.travel/
It’s right near the top of the hill in La Morra, and within easy walking distance of Marcarini and a few restaurants.
The International Driver’s Permit is I believe still theoretically required in Italy. One rental company wouldn’t rent to me without it, years ago; most don’t worry about it. One time more recently one of my crew was given a hard time about it by a local cop, in the Alto Adige.
This is a really good point, speed traps are everywhere.
The roads are both fairly slow and winding. So for both time and sobriety reasons, I wouldn’t schedule more than two visits in a day.
Or spit! That’s what we did when there last year. Although spitting or not, I agree with you on 2 being about right if you want to keep things very leisurely.
There are also a bunch of places to try lots of great wine without committing to a full visit. The Wine Bank in Pollenzo, various tourism centers in the communes, etc.
I’ve rented many times in Italy, never been asked.
My impression is that the intl drivers license was a scam run by some predatory companies trying to extract $$ from people for something of no value.
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