A Guide to the Liguria Wine Region in Northern Italy
A Guide to the Liguria wine regions in Northern Italy including Cinque Terre wines, Portofino, Dolcecacqua. Where to sip, stay and things to do.
Author: Valerie Quintanilla
Valerie Quintanilla is an American expat in Alba, Italy. Val was an original Carpe Travel contributor before packing up her American life to chase her Italian dreams.
Today she runs a custom travel / wine tour planning business while moonlighting as a marketing consultant for wine and travel business in Europe. She has been featured in Wine Enthusiast, Food & Wine Magazine, Open Skies (Emirate Airlines inflight magazine), and more.
Hunting for Alba White Truffles in Piedmont
Carpe Travel’s local guide to all things related to hunting Alba white truffles in the Piedmont wine region.
Where to Stay in Alba: A cheat sheet to visiting Barolo
Planning your trip to the Piedmont region of Italy? Our guide shares where to stay in Alba (and what to know) including the best Barolo and Barbaresco hotels.
The Ultimate Guide to At-Home Winter Wine Cocktails
Wine is our jam, so we rounded up some of our favorite warming winter wine cocktails as the temps start to dip.
Piedmont Wine Offer: All this wine talk – are you thirsty yet!?
Direct from Barolo, our wine offer is a mix of historic and up-and-coming producers from the Piedmont wine region. What makes this offer special? Wines not easily found outside of the area.
Check-in: Castello di Sinio in Barolo Italy
Welcome to Castello di Sinio in Barolo, Italy – where to stay in Piedmont wine country. Find an onsite ristorante, pool, and more. Click now!
Barbera Wine Pairing Lessons Direct from Piedmont
Tips from Piedmont on Barbera wine pairing. From fish to pasta to meats of all kinds as well as Barbera BBQ wine pairing ideas.
Featured | Italy | Piedmont | Wine 101 | Wine Pairings
Barbaresco & Barolo Wine Pairing Tips Direct from Piedmont
Tips and tricks for Barbaresco and Barolo wine pairing with tips from the winemakers. Recipes and pairing ideas, both traditional and unique. Buon appetito!
What is Piedmont, Italy known for?
Everyone is talking about this Northern Italy travel destination. But, really, what is Piedmont, Italy known for?! Piedmont’s most obvious treasure is wine. More specifically, Barolo and Barbaresco. But, the Piedmont region offers far more than just world-famous wines. It is a gastronomic haven for food and beverage, an automobile manufacturing powerhouse, and a pretty…
Piedmont culture in a glass – vermouth and coffee
Turin is the capital city of Piedmont and a favorite cultural city of Europe for many reasons. But, two of the most fun, help you start the day and the evening. Piedmont culture is all about coffee and aperitivo. Vermouth Originated in Turin, Italy. What is Vermouth? Vermouth is a fortified and aromatized wine. In…
Piedmont Food: The region’s gastronomic superstars
The Piedmont region in Northern Italy is known for its artisan cuisine. Here is everything you need to know about the local Piedmont food you must try!
When to Visit Piedmont, Italy
Want to visit Piedmont, Italy? Here is some information on travel seasonality, what to expect and Piedmont travel tips each season, event info and more.
Piedmont Region: One of the best places to visit in Italy
Get to know the Piedmont region, a Northern Italy travel destination with a bit of everything. Learn where is Piedmont, top cities, activities and more.
Piedmont Wine: An intro to the grapes and wines
As part of our Piedmont Wine Travel Guide, we’ve shared all you need to know about the grapes and wines produced in Italy’s Piedmont wine region.
Contributing Writer | Italy | Piedmont | wine
The Piemonte Wine Trail: Barbaresco Wine Tasting in Neviglie
Happy Wine Wednesday! We’re in for a treat this week with a guest post from Valerie Quintanilla, one of Italy’s newest expats, living her dream in Piemonte, Italy and sharing her wine tales at GirlsGottaDrink. Her recent wine adventures took her along the Piemonte Wine Trail. Sounds amazing…read on to see why. Valerie Quintanilla We…
Italian Wine Merchants Redux: Wine Tasting New York City
Our frequent readers (thank you!) may recall a post I did last year about a trip to New York City that included a stop at Italian Wine Merchants (IWM). I was on a hunt for a New York City wine tasting and much to my disappointment, I didn’t quite get it. Well, my snarky and punchy post did generate a response…
The Intoxication of Piedmont
By Valerie Quintanilla The food, the culture, and of course the people are nearly as intoxicating as the wines of Piedmont Italy. All have now firmly planted themselves in my heart and soul. Yes, if home is where the heart is, then mine has certainly found a new one. Travel to Piedmont, Italy is an…
Hiking and Wine Tasting in Barolo
By Valerie Quintanilla I wanted to hike in Lake Como, but Mother Nature had other plans. Luckily I had a day of hiking and wine tasting in Barolo Italy planned with Kerrie from Australia. We started the near the bottom of La Morra at a small, colorful chapel. The day’s itinerary included a trip up…
culinary travel | Italy | Piedmont | wine
Piedmont Wine Tours: Harvest Lunch in Barbaresco
By Valerie Quintanilla Tuesday morning started low key. I had no Piedmont wine tours planned so I thought I’d just hike it out a bit, write, read, and have a leisurely day in Neive. Returning from my morning walk I found Leslie getting ready to head to Ornella’s vineyard, Pasquale Pelissero, to help her prepare…
culinary travel | Italy | Piedmont | wine
Wine Tours in Barolo Italy
By Valerie Quintanilla Saturday morning started bright and early with a quick breakfast at my B&B (they just kept bringing food – such is the theme here!) Then, I was off with Robert for a wine tour in Barolo at Giovanni Rosso. We picked up Drew and Jamie from DC, then headed for the hills…
Italian Wine Travels: Ah, Piemonte….
By Valerie Quintanilla If there is a heaven and we each get our own version, mine would mirror Piemonte. Calgone, take me away. In 2009 I had a business meeting with an Italian colleague visiting Denver for a project. I told her of a pending trip to Italy and how excited I was to explore…
Things to do in Lake Como
Day two of my travel to Lake Como brought more rain. Ah well, it wasn’t pouring as it had in Milano or Bellagio (or my first 18 years in Vancouver, Wash.) I still had hiking on the brain and no way was I missing it. Things to do in Lake Como My plan for the…
New York City: A Trip to Italian Wine Merchants
Next stop on the Playing Italy Train: NYC for wine tasting at Italian Wine Merchants.I read Sergio Esposito’s Passion on the Vine over the New Year’s holiday in 2010/11, finishing the book in two days. I was enamored with the lifestyle, the food and of course the wine. With every page, I could almost smell and taste…
Italian Cooking Class in Denver: Playing Italy in Denver
My recent Italian travel companion, Lisa from Canada, introduced me to a whole new Italy — one that starts and ends with cooking. Don’t misunderstand, I heart Italian food, but I always thought it was too difficult for little old me to make it with any semblance of decency. Then, I sat down in Sorrento…
The hills and wines of Piemonte
Today I start my Piemonte wine tours.I don’t think words can truly describe Piemonte (“Piedmont” to Westerners). Somehow breathtaking, beautiful, and awesome all seem quite hollow. The land showcases rolling hills, acres and acres of vineyards (150,000 acres to be exact) and gorgeous colors. I can truly say that my first one tour in the…