I think the best way to start this post, is by showing you the view I have right out from my chair.

Yes, that’s right, all vineyards! If heaven looks like this, I’m really blessed.

For the moment I’m visiting a friend of my father (Fiorenzo) in La Morra. Which is one of the 11 villages where the Barolo wine can get produced (Yes, lucky me). Every time I come here, I forget how beautiful this region is and how many gastronomical greatnesses it has. Starting with ofcourse the world famous Barolo wine, the Spumante d’Asti (sweet spumante), White Truffles, Nutella or better Ferrero, etc…. Do you guys now understand what I mean with heaven?!

Something I also should tell you, is that Fiorenzo is the 3^rd generation of a winemaking family that sells its wine under the name “Batasiolo”, but I’ll tell you more about that in one of my next posts. Usually I visit Fiorenzo with my dad, this time I brought my girlfriend. As I really wanted her to see this underestimated region that is as beautiful as Tuscany (no doubt).

Like every time, we stay at “Bofani” which is a ‘little’ house in the middle of one of Batasiolo’s vineyards.

In the back there are the grapes to make Barolo, and in front of the house to make Chardonnay.

Yesterday was our first day here, and already we got dipped in the Italian way of living.

We had a small lunch right in front of the house together with a few Puerterican and Candian friends from Fiorenzo, who are visiting. I was also very happy that Fiorenzo’s nephew also joined.

What do you guys think about when I say Italian feast? Long tables, lots of food, lots of people, wine more than the eye can see? Yes? Well that’s exactly how it was. I helped to set the table.

After this “lunch” or “Merenda” we went back to have a tour in the cellar’s and see how the wine of Batasiolo gets made… as there is no better moment to see this as now it is the “vendemmia” or grape picking. (more about that in my Batasiolo blogpost).

That night we went for a dinner at Rosso Barolo in a town called Barolo (what’s in a name).

We really enjoyed our meal. We started off with some Melanzane with cottage cheese, followed by some gnocchi and ravioli, to finish with some Brassato. We didn’t have a dessert… but I must admit they looked great 🙂 . I would recommende Rosso Barolo for its great food, romantic atmosphere and very friendly staff that for some reason didn’t want us to go yet 🙂 .

A great end of day 1, up to day 2… who knows what might happen