Piedmont wine route: top 10 guide — theguardian.com

Even in the midst of summer, the idyllic vineyard landscapes of Piedmont are rarely invaded by crowds of tourists, and the run-up to the grape harvests, beginning in September, can be an ideal time to visit winemakers, who have more time than usual to let visitors taste their vintages. Great wines are made all over the region, but the key area, just an hour’s drive from Turin, is the Langhe and Roero, separated by the winding Tanaro river. The Langhe’s rolling vine-clad hills produce barolo and barbaresco, two of the world’s greatest red wines. The Roero has started producing its own wines much more recently, including the excellent white arneis, and landscapes here are still a mix of thick woodlands, farmland and, now, vines. There cannot be another part of Italy that is so well-organised for wine enthusiasts, who are welcomed over plates of salami and cheese for tastings, often without making an appointment, while many viticoltori have opened up their wineries as inexpensive B&Bs. Then there is the food. Meals in a Piedmont osteria or agriturismo tend to be gargantuan affairs – antipasto, pasta, a hearty main course and delicious dessert – all at exceptionally good value.

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