The Decision Was Made: Alba, Wine, and a Little Work Along the Way
As enticing as a trip to the Italian coast was sounding, the lure of great wine proved too strong. The decision was made. We were off to Alba!
Located in the heart of Piedmont’s famed Langhe wine region, Alba is surrounded by some of Italy’s most celebrated vineyards and is known around the world for its exceptional Barolo and Barbaresco wines, along with its prized white truffles. For someone on a mission to discover great wines, it seemed like the obvious choice.
Alba did not disappoint. While certainly a popular tourist destination, the city was charming, vibrant, and buzzing with activity. As luck would have it, we arrived during a particularly festive weekend. A medieval celebration had taken over parts of the old town, complete with traditional games, costumes, food, and plenty of wine. At the same time, the famous Alba White Truffle Fair was underway, offering tastings, pairings, and a chance to experience one of the region’s most celebrated culinary treasures.
Faced with all these options, we did what any sensible visitors to Piedmont would do. We settled in for a wonderful lunch and some wine tasting. After all, research is research!
From Bra to Verona: The Research Continues
Sadly, my time in Bra with Anda was coming to an end. We had eaten exceptionally well, explored some wonderful towns, enjoyed more than a few Aperol Spritzes, and sampled some outstanding wines. But it was time to get down to the real work that had brought me to Europe: visiting wineries, meeting with snowcat and snowmaking suppliers, and researching cross country ski areas throughout Central Europe.
I know, it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.
First up was Verona, with a quick stop in Milan along the way. Because, why not?
The main purpose of the Verona visit was a trip to Pasqua Wines, a family-owned winery producing an exciting range of wines from the Veneto region. We will be featuring four of their wines at our October 29 tasting at Sunapee Cellar & Pantry, so this was a particularly important stop.
The visit was fantastic. I enjoyed a tour of the winery, learned more about the family’s history and winemaking philosophy, and, of course, tasted some wonderful wines . What impressed me almost as much as the wines themselves was Pasqua’s creativity and approach to storytelling. Their branding, artwork, and marketing imagery are truly exceptional, bringing a modern and artistic perspective to a winery with deep Italian roots. You’ll be seeing some of that imagery on our website as we share more about the wines and our visit.
A Change of Scenery: From Vineyards to Snowcats
With the wine portion of the trip behind me, at least officially, it was time to shift gears.
The next leg took me north toward the Alps and the beautiful mountain town of Vipiteno for visits with snowcat suppliers and discussions about grooming equipment. From there, it was on to Innsbruck for meetings and a chance to learn more about winter operations in the region.
Of course, no trip through this part of Europe would be complete without a stop in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, one of Germany’s iconic mountain towns. There wasn’t a particularly pressing business reason to stop, but sometimes curiosity is reason enough.
The final destination was Munich, where I would begin the journey home.
While the scenery had changed dramatically from vineyards and medieval Italian towns to alpine villages and mountain landscapes, the trip continued to offer opportunities to learn, meet interesting people, and bring home new ideas for both the wine shop and the cross country ski industry.
Until Next Time, Italy
Looking back, it was a wonderful trip filled with great food, exceptional wines, beautiful places, and some valuable business connections. Most importantly, it was a chance to spend time with Anda as she begins her new adventure studying at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo.
And, of course, the research is far from complete.
We’re already looking forward to returning in April, when the plan is to visit Anda and continue exploring more wineries in both Italy and France. There are still plenty of wines to discover, winemakers to meet, and little restaurants tucked away on cobblestone streets waiting to be found.
In the meantime, we’ll be bringing a little taste of this adventure back to Sunapee Harbor, beginning with our Pasqua Wine Tasting on October 29, from 4–6 PM.
Come join us, taste some wonderful Italian wines, and hear a few more stories from the road.
Until the next adventure, cin cin!
Roomates
