3:47 PM
Finally checked into my room at Cascina Rocca Agritourismo, a bed and breakfast AND winery. It's so beautiful and charming, it makes the long journey worth it. The I definitely appreciate the peacefulness of the countryside and feel so welcomed by the family who runs this place.
- Cascina Rocca - La Morra, Italy
The weather is much colder than I am used to this time of year (we are about 100 km away from the French Alps), but it's warm in the sun so I took a tour of the grounds and discovered so much on one plot of land. Vines, livestock, edible garden, tasting room, fermenting cellar (photos posted below). There are two dogs, Lucky and Tommy, who are as sweet as ever and make me miss my pup!
As soon as you walk into the building, it smells of fermenting fruit and it smells just like hard liquor and it gets me every time I walk back in. This area is known for their Barolos and I'm staying with a top notch producer (eat your heart out Hugh Hughes)! The land the vineyards lay on the hillside behind the inn. After years of hearing about "terrior" I had to check it out for myself. The soil was surprisingly mushy (check out my shoes in one of the pix below) but in some of the drier spots, the texture was identical to molding clay. This was not the same for the soil in the edible garden, which was a little more like dirt, not clay.
As far as food and drink, I kept it simple for the first night; a salad of greens from the garden (now that's farm to table) and a glass of 2007 Franco Molino Barolo, which is one of the wines they offer from their winery.
But, after almost 24 hours of travel and adventure, I have to say, it was one hell of a day. I'm crawling into bed, covering myself in every free blanket in this joint (brrrrr). Tomorrow will lend itself to more opportunities.
(Click to enlarge photo)
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