Langhe and Tuscan wine itinerary

Italy is one of the largest wine producers in the world, and two regions above all have made the history of its great reds: Piedmont, with the Langhe hills where Nebbiolo becomes Barolo and Barbaresco, and Tuscany, where Sangiovese gives Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. They are very different landscapes: steep, orderly vineyards crowned with castles in the Langhe; olive groves, cypresses, woods and medieval villages in Tuscany.

This eight-day itinerary starts in Turin and ends in Florence: three days in the Langhe, around Alba, Barolo, La Morra and Barbaresco, then the drive to Tuscany, two days in Chianti and two between Montalcino and Montepulciano. It is a trip for wine lovers, but also for anyone who enjoys beautiful landscapes and good food. See also our pages on Piedmont and Tuscany, and on Italy's food.

1. Turin: arrival
2. Alba: the truffle town
3. Grinzane Cavour: the castle of Cavour
4. Barolo: the king of wines
5. La Morra: the balcony of the Langhe
6. Barbaresco: the tower and the Nebbiolo
7. Greve in Chianti: the Florentine Chianti
8. Radda in Chianti: the Sienese Chianti
9. Montalcino: Brunello
10. Montepulciano: Vino Nobile
11. Florence: departure

Langhe and Tuscan wine in brief

In the Langhe, wine made from Nebbiolo was transformed in the 19th century, partly thanks to Camillo Cavour, mayor of Grinzane, and to the Falletti family of Barolo, into a great dry, long-lived red: Barolo, "the king of wines and the wine of kings". In 2014 the vineyard landscapes of the Langhe-Roero and Monferrato became a UNESCO World Heritage site. In Tuscany, Grand Duke Cosimo III defined the boundaries of Chianti in 1716, one of the first legal wine areas in the world, and in Montalcino at the end of the 19th century the Biondi Santi family created Brunello. In 1980 Brunello, Vino Nobile, Barolo and Barbaresco were among the first Italian wines to receive the DOCG, the highest designation.

1. 1716Cosimo III defines the boundaries of Chianti
2. 1830sCavour experiments with Nebbiolo at Grinzane
3. 1870sThe Biondi Santi family creates Brunello di Montalcino
4. 1924The Chianti Classico consortium adopts the black rooster
5. 1980Brunello, Vino Nobile, Barolo and Barbaresco become DOCG
6. 2014The Langhe-Roero and Monferrato vineyards become UNESCO sites

Day 1: Turin to Alba

From Turin drive to Alba (about an hour), the capital of the Langhe, a town of medieval towers and pastry shops, famous for its white truffle and for Nutella. Walk along Via Maestra and visit the cathedral. From October to early December the white truffle fair fills the town with stalls and scents: see Alba and the white truffle. In the evening try tajarin, thin egg pasta, and vitello tonnato.

Where to stay: in Alba or in a farmhouse in the Langhe, for three nights.

Day 2: Grinzane Cavour, Barolo and La Morra

Start at the castle of Grinzane Cavour, where Cavour lived as mayor; it houses a museum and the regional wine shop. Continue to Barolo, a village gathered around the Falletti castle, now home to the WiMu, an interactive wine museum. Book a tasting at a winery in the village or in nearby Monforte d'Alba. At sunset climb to La Morra, the "balcony of the Langhe", with a view over the vineyards to the Alps. See the Langhe and Barolo.

Day 3: Barbaresco and Neive

North-east of Alba, the hills of Barbaresco give a Nebbiolo that is more delicate than Barolo. In the village, the medieval tower offers a view of the Tanaro, and the Enoteca Regionale, in a deconsecrated church, lets you taste wines from many producers. Nearby, Neive is one of the most beautiful villages in the Langhe. In the afternoon visit a cellar, then dine on carne cruda and agnolotti del plin.

Day 4: from the Langhe to Chianti

A travel day: drive from Alba to Chianti (about four and a half hours) via Genoa and the coast or via Piacenza and Bologna. Arrive in Greve in Chianti, with its funnel-shaped square, and taste the local cured meats at the historic butcher's shop. See Greve and the Florentine Chianti.

Where to stay: in Chianti, for two nights.

Day 5: Chianti Classico

Tour the heart of Chianti Classico along the SR222, the "Chiantigiana": Castellina, with its Etruscan tomb and its underground walkway, Radda, the old capital of the Chianti League, and Gaiole, with the castle of Brolio of the Ricasoli family, where in the 19th century Baron Bettino Ricasoli defined the recipe for Chianti. Book two tastings, ideally one at a historic estate and one at a small family winery. See the Sienese Chianti and Radda.

Day 6: Montalcino and Brunello

Drive south past Siena to Montalcino (about an hour and a half), a hill town crowned by a 14th-century fortress with a wine shop. Around it, about two hundred producers make Brunello, a Sangiovese aged for at least five years before release. Visit one or two wineries and, before sunset, the Romanesque abbey of Sant'Antimo among olive trees. See Montalcino and Brunello.

Where to stay: between Montalcino and Montepulciano, for two nights.

Day 7: Montepulciano and Vino Nobile

Cross the Val d'Orcia, stopping at Pienza for its pecorino, to Montepulciano, a Renaissance town on a ridge. Under its palaces lie centuries-old cellars, some open to visitors, where Vino Nobile ages in large barrels. Climb to Piazza Grande and, below the town, visit the church of San Biagio, a masterpiece of the Renaissance. See Montepulciano.

Day 8: towards Florence

Drive to Florence (about an hour and a half) along the motorway, or through Siena and the Chiantigiana if you have time, and drop off the car before entering the city.

How much it costs

Accommodation630 €

Meals350 €

Tastings260 €

Car, fuel and tolls240 €

Brunello tasting30 €

Barolo tasting25 €

Chianti Classico tasting20 €

Vino Nobile tasting20 €

WiMu Barolo10 €

To save money: regional wine shops let you taste many producers at low cost, and many small wineries offer free tastings if you buy bottles. Lunch at a village trattoria is cheaper than dinner. See travelling Italy on a budget.

Practical information

• Driving and wine: Italy's limit is 0.5 g/l, zero for new drivers; spit when tasting, take turns at the wheel, or book a driver for the busiest day.
• Bookings: almost all wineries require a booking; write a few days ahead and say which wines you'd like to taste.
• Shipping: many wineries ship abroad; ask about costs and customs before buying cases.
• Harvest: in September and October wineries are very busy; some reduce visits during the harvest.

Variations

• The Roero and the Monferrato: Arneis white wines, Barbera d'Asti and the "infernot", underground cellars carved into the rock.
• Bolgheri: the Tuscan coast of the "Super Tuscans", with its avenue of cypresses.
• Valpolicella: Amarone, near Verona, to pair with the Verdi and opera itinerary.

What to read before you go

A guide to Italian wines, a book on the Langhe and Barolo and a guide to Tuscany's wineries. See also our page on Italy's villages.

Final tips

• Pace: two tastings a day are plenty, with a long lunch in between.
• Combinations: from the Langhe you can link up with the Aosta Valley castles itinerary, from the Val d'Orcia with the hot springs itinerary.
• A tip: in the Langhe ask for Langhe Nebbiolo too: it is made from the same grape as Barolo, ready younger and much cheaper.