We were tired and jet lagged having just arrived from Portland, Oregon and hungry.

Franco and Claudia insisted on preparing us lunch. It was raining outside but inside their home we were warm and feeling very contented. Our new friends treated us to a lunch of perfectly cooked pasta, salad, featuring Franco’s own deliciously simple preserved tomato sauce and of course, copious amounts of local wine. After lunch the couple escorted us through Canale d’ Alba to our apartment for the week we would spend in Piedmont. Our residence was in a small Frazione just outside Canale. Our very large deck overlooked vineyards, if you are runner you will love this place. You can literally run miles on back roads and never see a car. The apartment was clean, very comfortable with a well supplied kitchen. There were two full bathrooms, important when you are travelling with your mom. On our first morning in Piedmont we drove over to Franco and Claudia’s house. We got into their car and they took us to a friend’s vineyard where we had a private tasting, then on to another friend’s Salumi business. We returned in the afternoon and again our hosts insisted on making us lunch.Cured meats, salad, homemade bread and yes some great local wine poured from an unmarked 1.5 liter bottle that Franco seemed to have an endless supply of. The next day a visit to an Organic Flour Mill, a Cheese Cave followed by a lunch of the most incredible local cheeses accompanied by a local Pinot Noir (in honor of our coming from Oregon). Understand, none of this was expected by us. Claudia and Franco just do it because they love where they live and truly want to share it with their guests. We would have never had the experiences we had without their generosity and knowledge of the Piedmont area. One tip, the weather in early May is very unpredicatable so if you can travel a little later in the month or wait until June I would recommend you do so.
Marc (Portland, Oregon).