The Langhe

The Langhe are a set of hills south of Turin where nebbiolo, a late-ripening and demanding grape, produces Barolo and Barbaresco, wines that need years in bottle before they give anything. The vineyard landscape carries a World Heritage listing. Villages sit on ridge tops with the vines falling away below, and the autumn fog that gathers in the valleys is where nebbiolo gets its name. The same hills produce the white truffle of Alba, dug by trained dogs in the oak and hazel woods from October, and sold at a market that sets the world price. Hazelnuts from here go into the region's chocolate.

What you actually see

• Barolo and Barbaresco cellars - the villages and their producers.
• The white truffle market - Alba, from October to early December.
• The ridge villages - La Morra, Barolo, Serralunga and the rest.
• The autumn fog - filling the valleys below the vines.

When to go

September to November is the harvest, the truffle season and the best of the colour; the Alba truffle fair runs from October into December. Spring is quieter and green. Winter fog is atmospheric and many cellars close. Book tastings ahead everywhere.

Honest expectations

White truffles are extraordinarily expensive and the market is full of inferior and misrepresented product; buy from established dealers and expect to pay by the gram. Cellar visits require booking, often weeks ahead in autumn. Roads between villages are narrow and winding. Accommodation in truffle season is scarce and priced accordingly.

Nearby

Alba is the centre; Turin is an hour north.