All Rights Reserved – James Fasso

We’ll start our tour at Bard in southwestern Aosta Valley near the Piedmont border. We’ll head north and slightly west to St. Vincent and then on to Breuil-Cervinia not far from the Swiss border. Next we proceed southwest to Castello Fenis and the Gran Paradiso National Park. We proceed north to Cogne and Aosta. Finally we’ll travel northwest to finish our tour at Courmayeur, not far from the French border.

The medieval village of Bard is fairly close to the northern border of Piedmont. In addition to its historic homes perched on a mountain overlooking a gorgeous gorge you can visit the Twelfth Century Forte di Bard that held up Napoleon’s military progress for almost two weeks. He had it destroyed. The fort was reconstructed in the Nineteenth Century.

Our next stop is St. Vincent, a spa resort for well over one hundred years. It’s home to the Casino de la Valle, where Sean Connery once won 20 million lire. St. Vincent is one of the largest casinos in all Europe and a favorite of jet setters. It was also the site of the European Chess Club championships in 2005.

Breuil-Cervina is a skiing village at the base of the Matterhorn that was founded in the 1930s during Mussolini’s rule. There are about 200 kilometers (120 miles) of ski runs on the Italian side of the mountain, said to be best for intermediate-level skiers. Expert skiers definitely prefer the Swiss side of the mountain.

The Castello Fnis was built in 1330 by a relative of the ruling House of Savoy. It includes two sets of walls and several guard towers for defense. Castello Fnis once controlled the Aosta Valley. Some of its frescoes are still legible; it helps if you know ancient French. If you only have time to visit a single Aosta Valley castle, this is the one to visit.

The little village of Cogne is the entry point for the Parco Nazionale de Gran Paradiso (Grand Paradise National Park), Italy’s first national park, which once belonged to King Victor Emanuel III. It is home to hundreds of plant and animal species, including many that are rarely found elsewhere in Europe. Nearby sights include the Aymavilles Castle dating back to feudal times, a real upstart compared to the perfectly preserved Pondel Roman Bridge over the Grand Eyvia River, which celebrated its 2000th birthday in 2003.

The city of Aosta, population about thirty five thousand, is home to more than one quarter of the region’s total population. Founded way back when, more than two thousand years ago it was already a Roman garrison of three thousand soldiers. If you approach the town from the east, you’ll see the Arco di Augusto (Arch of Augustus) commemorating Rome’s victory over the previous residents, a Celtic tribe. Be sure to see the Collegiata di Sant’Orso (Collegiate Church of Saint Orso), an Eleventh Century Gothic church built over a Sixth Century church founded by a local saint. The Twelfth Century Cloister guarded by about forty stone columns carved with Bible scenes and illustrating the founder’s life is right next door.

Unfortunately only a little of the massive Roman amphitheater remains standing. Its arches are now part of the Convent of the Sisters of San Guiseppe. In contrast, the Porta Praetoria (Pretorial Gate) is still in quite good shape, some two thousand years after construction.

The Duomo (Cathedral) was built over one thousand years ago, replacing the original Fourth Century building. It contains several objects of interest including a carved ivory piece honoring a Roman Emperor that recently celebrated its sixteen hundredth birthday. The cathedral is the major site for the Aosta Valley’s annual International Organ Festival.

We end our tour of the Aosta Valley at Courmayeur, as the ads put it, on the sunny side of Monte Bianco (Mont Blanc). The loads of Courmayeur tourists don’t seem discouraged by the lack of both easy and difficult ski slopes. It’s a beautiful site with a lot of night life. And in the summer you can take the Tpherique de l’Aiguille du Midi and enjoy a spectacular view of a glacier snowfield as you pass over French territory.

What about food? Aosta Valley cuisine often resembles that of the neighboring Piedmont region. Both regions display a strong French influence largely because of the more than five hundred year reign of the ruling House of Savoy. You can even get ham made from ibex or chamois from the Gran Paradiso National Park. The real Fontina cheese comes only from the Aosta Valley.

Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Zuppa Valdostana (Cabbage and Cheese Soup). Then try Costoletta alla Valdostana (Veal Chop with Fontina Cheese). For dessert indulge yourself with Panna Cotta (Cooked Milk Custard). Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.

We’ll conclude this article with a quick look at Aosta Valley wine. Not surprisingly this tiny region comes in twentieth among Italy’s twenty regions for both area devoted to the vine and actual wine production. About one quarter of the wine is classified as DOC. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. There is only a single DOC wine, divided into 23 categories. Very little Aosta Valley wine can be found in North America. So that gives you another reason to visit this beautiful region.

About the Author

Levi Reiss is the author or co-author of ten computer and Internet books, but to tell the truth, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He knows about dieting but now eats and drinks what he wants, in moderation. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His new wine, diet, health, and nutrition website http://www.wineinyourdiet.com links to his other sites.

More about Piedmont:
Discover even more about what Piedmont has to offer and find out what your fellow travellers think of the city here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/piedmont/

If you are looking for a European tourist destination, consider the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Depending on your interests, this beautiful area might be an ideal vacation spot. You can get classic Italian food, and wash it down with fine local wine. There are even some parts of Piedmont that haven’t yet been discovered by tourists. This article presents “the rest of Piedmont”, Piedmont outside Turin, the region’s capital and largest city. A companion article presents Turin.

Piedmont means foot of the mountains, and that describes the area perfectly. A large part of the region is surrounded by hills and by mountains such as the Alps. While the setting is undoubtedly beautiful, please don’t expect a Mediterranean climate such as found in most of Italy. The Piedmont climate is continental, with hot summers and cold winters, especially in the plains.

We’ll start our tour of the Piedmont at Stupinigi just west of Turin and go west to the Bardonecchia near the French border. Then we will head south and east to Alba and finally northeast to the city of Casale Monferrato near the Lombardy border.

Stupinigi, a village of about two hundred inhabitants a few miles southwest of Turin in central Piedmont is our first stop. The Palazzina di Caccia (Caccia Hunting Lodge) was built early in the Eighteenth Century. With its 137 rooms and 17 galleries, it is really something to see. It houses the Museo d’Arte e Ammobiliamento (Museum of Art and Decoration). The lodge is surrounded by the Parco Naturale di Stupinigi (Stupinigi Nature Preserve) with its collection of rare plants and animals.

The nearby city of Rivoli was once the court of the House of Savoy. It is home to the Fifteenth Century Casa del Conte Verde (House of the Green Count). Rivoli also hosts the Museo d’Arte Contemporaneo (Museum of Contemporary Art) situated in a castle that was started in the Eighteenth Century but only completed in the past century. Its permanent Italian art collection focuses on Minimalist art, Conceptual art, Land art, and the Arte Povera Movement.

The Abbazia di Sant’antonio di Ranverso abbey founded in the Twelfth Century by the Hospitaliers of St. Anthony rumored to be the site of phenomenal cures for many, many ailments. The buildings, the frescoes on the walls, and the landscape itself give the impression of being in the Middle Ages. Charlemagne may have visited the area.

The Sacra di San Michele (Abbey of St. Michael) was built during the late Tenth Century for the Benedictine order about one thousand years ago on Monte Pirchiriano. This site overlooks a three thousand foot bluff and its view is spectacular. The abbey was once the headquarters of nearly two hundred European churches including the famous Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France. The Abbey of St. Michael was subject to numerous assaults over the centuries and abandoned in 1622. It was restored more than one hundred years ago. The site also contains three small chapels that were built during the Ninth to the Twelfth Centuries.

The ski resort of Bardonecchia near the French border is located in a sunny Alpine valley surrounded by mountains. It hosted some events during the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics including the snowboarding giant slalom. There are about 140 kilometers (90 miles) of snowboarding and ski trails for all skill levels. The nearby village of Sestriere was a main venue during the 2006 Winter Olympic Games and the 2006 Winter Paralympics. It hosted all the men’s alpine skiing competitions and was the site of an Olympic Village. The resort offers night skiing and, during the summer, Europe’s highest altitude eighteen hole golf course.

Times change. During the Middle Ages the town of Pinerolo was a major crossroads in Italy and so a key fortress of the dukes of Savoy. Now it’s a quiet town with about 35,000 residents, a Ninth Century Cathedral, and the Gothic church San Maurizo (St. Maurice). It also has two recent claims to fame. In the days of Louis XIV Pinerolo held a French prisoner whose face was never seen. They called him The Man in the Iron Mask. More recently Pinerolo was the site of the Curling competition during the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics.

Saluzzo, population approximately sixteen thousand, boasts a Lombard-Gothic Cathedral built at the end of the Fifteenth Century and several churches of interest. The town itself is well preserved. It was the site of Chaucher’s The Clerk’s Tale in his Canterbury Tales.

The city of Alba was once known as the “City with a hundred towers.” A few remain. There is a cathedral and several churches worth seeing in addition to the F. Eusebio Municipal Museum of Archaeology and Natural Science. But most tourists visit Alba for its wine and white truffles. Both Barolo and Barbaresco wines are produced within a few kilometers of the city. And its nickname is “The City of the White Truffle”. If you want to try any of these great local products bring your wallet.

Alba won a Gold Medal for Military Valor to honor its citizens and their participation in the Italian resistance movement during World War II. The partisans liberated Alba in October 1944 and established the Republic of Alba, which survived only a few weeks. It was named after Piedmont’s Napoleonic Republic of Alba which survived much longer, namely between 1796 and 1801.

Asti has often competed with its neighbor, Alba, situated approximately 18 miles (30 kilometers) to the northeast. They both were known as the City with a hundred towers. They both produce white truffles. And they are both important wine producers. Asti Spumante, now called Asti, was definitely the best-known Italian sparkling wine. Please note that we did not say the best Italian sparking wine. The Asti area produces still wines that compete nicely with many of the Alba wines. On the third Sunday of September Asti celebrates its victory in a Middle Ages battle against Alba with the Palio d’Asti, a bareback horse race preceded by a medieval pageant. Make sure to visit the city’s remaining towers, the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta (Saint Mary of Assunte Cathedral), and the Gothic San Secondo Church.

We finish our Piedmont tour in the city of Casale Monferrato. Its Cathedral of Sant’Evasio was initially constructed in 742, and rebuilt in the beginning of the Twelfth Century. There are other churches and a castle to visit. You should also see the Jewish Synagogue built in 1595 and considered one of the most beautiful synagogues in Europe.

What about food? The Piedmont region is well known for all kinds of food, often with a French style. Don’t forget that the French House of Savoy ruled the region for more than five hundred years. In 1986 in the Piedmont city of Barolo Carlo Petrini founded the Slow Food association to protest against the opening of a MacDonald’s in Rome. Within twenty years Slow Food has grown to 80,000 members in 100 countries. Slow Food fights to defend classic agriculture in order to protect the environment and ensure that local, artisanal products are economically viable and widely available. Every second October they hold an international exhibition and conference.

Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Bagna Cauda (Vegetable Dip with Anchovies, Garlic, and Olive Oil). Then try Carbonada (Veal Stew). For dessert indulge yourself with Zabaione (Zabaglione – Egg Yolks, Marsala Wine, Cinnamon and Sugar). Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.

We’ll conclude this article with a quick look at Piedmont wine. Over fifty percent of Piedmont’s wine production is either DOC or DOCG wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. Piedmont is home to least 44 DOC wines. There are seven DOCG wines where the letter G stands for Guarantita. Among the DOCG wines are Barolo, arguably Italy’s finest red wine, and Barbaresco. But Piedmont is home to many other fine DOC or unclassified wines.

About the Author

Levi Reiss is the author or co-author of ten computer and Internet books, but to tell the truth, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He knows about dieting but now eats and drinks what he wants, in moderation. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His new wine, diet, health, and nutrition website http://www.wineinyourdiet.com links to his other sites.

More about Piedmont:
Discover even more about what Piedmont has to offer and find out what your fellow travellers think of the city here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/piedmont/

If you are looking for a European tourist destination, consider the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Depending on your interests, this beautiful area might be an ideal vacation spot. You can get classic Italian food, and wash it down with fine local wine. There are even some parts of Piedmont that haven’t yet been discovered by tourists. This article presents Turin, the capital and largest city of the Piedmont. A companion article presents the rest of the Piedmont region.

Piedmont means foot of the mountains, and that describes the area perfectly. Turin, in the center of Piedmont, is pretty well surrounded by hills and by mountains such as the Alps. While the setting is beautiful, don’t expect a Mediterranean climate such as found in most of Italy. The Piedmont climate is continental, with cold winters and hot summers, especially in the plains.

Turin’s population is slightly over nine hundred thousand but the population of its metropolitan area is well over two million. About one half of the Piedmont residents live in the greater Turin area. In a sense the 2006 Winter Olympics have put Turin on the tourist map and played a major role in its continuing development. As you will see, Turin, center of Italy’s automobile manufacturing, is not just an industrial city.

This city was once a walled Roman military camp. Like so much of Italy, Turin and the entire Piedmont region was occupied again and again. What is unusual, however, is that the French House of Savoy ruled Piedmont for about five hundred years. They even returned to power after Napoleon’s defeat. Not surprisingly a lot of French influence remains. Piedmont played a major role in the Risorgimento (Italian Unity Movement). Turin was the first capital of the United Kingdom of Italy between 1861 and 1865 ruled by Victor Emmanuel II, a Savoyard.

We’ll start our tour of Turin downtown. The Duomo di San Giovanni (St. John’s Cathedral) dates back to the Fifteenth Century. Its chapel Cappella della Sacra Sindone (Chapel of the Holy Shroud) contained the famous Shroud of Turin, brought to Turin in the Sixteenth Century by a member of the Savoy royal family. In 1997 a fire damaged the chapel, which was closed until further notice. You can see a copy of this shroud near the Duomo’s altar. But the Shroud itself is next scheduled for public display in 2025.

Other downtown churches worth seeing include the Seventeenth Century San Lorenzo (St. Lawrence) and the twin baroque San Carlo and Santa Cristina Churches. Cross the Po River to see the Nineteenth Century Chiesa della Gran Madre di Dio (Church of the Great Mother of God) said to be constructed over the Holy Grail and the Sixteenth Century Chiesa della Santa Maria del Monte (Church of St. Maria of the Mountain). Next door is a small but interesting museum devoted to mountains and mountain climbing, Museo Nazionale della Montagna (National Mountain Museum).

Talking about museums, a must see is the Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum) considered to be one of the best in the world. For example, it contains hundreds of mummies and a burial chamber that’s so complete it includes drafting tools, a cosmetic case, and a contemporary board game. In fact Jean-François Champollion, the first person to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics, wrote “The road to Memphis and Thebes passes through Turin”. GAM, the Galleria Civic d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (Civic Modern and Contemporary Art Gallery) on the edge of downtown is devoted to Italian contemporary art covering much more than the last one hundred years.

It is fitting that Italy’s Detroit should host the Museo dell’Automobile (Automobile Museum). When they say antique cars, they mean antique cars, dating back to 1896. And what cars, the collection includes the first FIAT model, Bugattis, Ferraris, and actress Gloria Swanson’s Isotta Franchini from the movie Sunset Boulevard.

The Borgo Medioevale (Medieval Village), built on the banks of the Po River more than one hundred years ago, represents a Fifteenth Century Piedmont village. Most buildings in the Borgo are copies of medieval buildings that actually exist in the Piedmont. You’ll love the Rocca Medioevale (Medieval Castle) in the middle of the site.

Talking about castles, you won’t want to miss the Palazzo Madama (Madame’s Palace) situated in the Piazza Castello (Castle Plaza). This building, named for the Savoy Queen Maria Christina, once housed the Italian Senate. Do not confuse it with a building of the same name in Rome that houses the present Italian Senate. Like so many other Italian buildings the Turin Palazzo Madama houses temporary art exhibitions.

The nearby Seventeenth Century Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace) on the site of an ancient Roman city gate was the Savoy royal residence until 1865. You can visit some of the royal apartments and admire the tapestries, furniture, and royal gardens. A few blocks away is the birthplace of the first king of united Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II. Don’t expect a shack, it’s the majestic Palazzo Carignano that served as the seat of united Italy’s first parliament from 1860 to 1865. This Palazzo houses the Museo del Risorgimento (National Museum of the Italian Renaissance) devoted to the national unity movement.

While there are many, many other places of interest in Turin, we conclude by examining what is probably Turin’s best-known landmark, the Mole Antonelliana, the official emblem of the 2006 Winter Olympics. This building, once the world’s tallest brick structure, was originally supposed to be a synagogue but never served as such. It houses the Museo Nazionale del Cinema (National Cinema Museum) with a film library containing seven thousand films.

What about food? The Piedmont region is well known for all kinds of food, often with a French style. Don’t forget that it was ruled by the French House of Savoy for over five hundred years. Turin claims to have invented solid chocolate. Once upon a time, if you wanted a chocolate fix, you needed a cup or a glass. Of course, you still can get great chocolate drinks in Turin. For example, the house specialty of the world famous Al Bicerin, is a hot drink brimming with chocolate, coffee, and cream. They even sell chocolate-flavored pasta. La Dolce Vita. Grissini (Bread Sticks) were also invented in Turin. Turin’s real thing is quite different from the store-bought version thousands of miles away.

Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Risotto al Barbaresco (Risotto cooked in Barbaresco wine). Then try Vitello Tonnato (Veal in Tuna Sauce). For dessert indulge yourself with Grandiuto (Chocolate with Cocoa, Hazelnuts, and Sugar). Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.

We’ll conclude with a brief look at Piedmont wine. Well over half the region’s wine production is either DOC or DOCG wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. At last count there were 44 such wines coming from Piedmont. Add a G for Guarantita and there are seven such Piedmont wines, including Barolo, felt by many to be Italy’s finest red wine, and Barbaresco. But Piedmont also produces many fine DOC or unclassified wines.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His major wine website is http://www.theworldwidewine.com and his major article website is http://www.travelitalytravel.com .

More about Piedmont:
Discover even more about what Piedmont has to offer and find out what your fellow travellers think of the city here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/piedmont/

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Piedmont region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you`ll have fun on the fact-filled wine education tour.

Piedmont is located in the northwest of Italy. It borders on France and Switzerland and is surrounded on three sides by the Alps. The name Piedmont means the foot of the mountain. Piedmont is one of the most industrialized regions of Italy. It is considered the best organized region of Italy for wine tourism. Its population is about 4.4 million.

Piedmont was originally settled by the Celts. It was conquered by Hannibal and reconquered by the Ancient Romans. Piedmont was ruled by the French Savoy family for almost five hundred years. It was a center in the fight to unify Italy. Victor Emmanuel II, the king of Piedmont and Sardinia, became the first king of modern Italy in 1861.

Agriculturally Piedmont has it all. For example, meats include beef, kid, lamb, rabbit, and veal. Game includes hare, partridge, pheasant, and venison. Donkey meat stew is a local specialty. Another specialty is grissini, breadsticks that are a yard long. The region makes nine protected varieties of cheese. About the only food that seems to be a bit short is fresh fish, with the exception of trout.

Piedmont`s capital and largest city is Turin, a city of nine hundred thousand that is the capital of the Italian automobile industry and the site of the 2006 Winter Olympics. This city was the first capital of united Italy (from 1861 to 1865) and remains to this day the world capital of vermouth.

Piedmont devotes over one hundred forty thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 6th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about ninety million gallons, also giving it a 6th place. About 70% of the wine production is red or rosa (only a bit of rosa), leaving 30% for white. The region produces 44 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine and 7 DOCG wines. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior Almost 56% of Piedmont wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Piedmont is home to four dozen major and secondary grape varieties, somewhat more red than white varieties.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Muscat (in particular Moscato Bianco) and Chardonnay. The best known strictly Italian white varieties are Arneis, Cortese, and Erbaluce.

International red grape varieties are not important in Piedmont. It is the center for Nebbiolo, felt by many to be Italy`s noblest red variety, the base of Italy`s world famous Barolo and Barbaresco wines. Other Italian red varieties include Barbera, Brachetto, and Dolcetto, some of which are grown elsewhere.

Before reviewing the Piedmont wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with Cipollata Rossa Monferrina, Spicy Robiola Cheese and Scallion Spread. For the second course try Tasca Ripiena, Veal Stuffed with Salami and Scallions. For dessert indulge yourself with Budino Freddo Gianduja, Decadent Hazelnut-Chocolate Pudding.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Sura Rosso Barbera and Asti Villa Giada 2004 Andrea-Faccio Viticoltore (Winemaker) DOC 13.5% alcohol about $10.90 plus tax

Unlike the other wines in this series, I purchased this bottle while on vacation in Seattle, Washington. Frankly I thought that I was drinking the cousin of a $40 bottle of wine. In fact, I wouldn`t be surprised if it were the equal of some $40 bottles. While three other Italian grape red varieties are authorized to a maximum of 15% in the Barbera d`Asti DOC, this particular wine is 100% Barbera.

I found the wine very powerful, perhaps too strong for pasta. Its tastes included tobacco, leather, cherry, and black cherry. An Italian wine site states: “An imposing wine that is always rather severe but richly and exquisitely perfumed and with a flavor that couples strength with finesse“. I agree except that I didn`t find it severe. I also drank it with a marinated, barbecued rib steak. The wine cut through the steak`s grease. Once again the flavors came out well.

Gran Padano is a classic Parmesan-type cheese made for a millennium in northern Italy including the Piedmont region. It is a cylindrical, cooked, semi-fat cheese which matures slowly. It has a grainy consistency and may be sliced or grated. Its taste is fragrant and delicate. I tried this wine with grated Gran Padano cheese on toast with a somewhat spicy Moroccan tomato and pimento based dip.The combination was excellent; I felt that both the wine and cheese flavors were accentuated. The term mouth-filling came to mind.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine website is www.theworldwidewine.com. You can reach him at ital@mail.theworldwidewine.com.

More about Piedmont:
Discover even more about what Piedmont has to offer and find out what your fellow travellers think of the city here: http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/piedmont/ ]]> http://www.italytravelnotes.com/2008/04/25/i-love-italian-wine-and-food-the-piedmont-region/feed/ 2