As far as Italian wine regions go, it’s hard to beat Barolo. Crowds are thinner than in Chianti, the food better than in Friuli, the landscape lusher than in Umbria or Sicily. In the heart of Italy’s northwestern Piedmont region — a gastronomic paradise famous for its rich pastas and white truffles that are in season right now — this noble wine region encompasses the town of Barolo and 10 nearby municipalities.
In addition to producing the most venerated of Italian wines — the robust, age-worthy Barolo — the region is also a delight to visit, especially in autumn after a trip to the annual truffle festival in the nearby city of Alba. Along winding roads that climb steep hillsides blanketed with neat rows of nebbiolo vines, there’s always an ancient castle up ahead, or a world-famous wine estate, or a storybook hamlet with swoon-worthy views. Just bring an appetite.
