Just across the piazza and down the street from us is Longoria, yet another winery with in crawling distance from our home.

We hade a wonderful time meeting Carlo, along with his wife. who showed us around the property.

The wines all showed well but it was a bit to cold in the tasting room, as a result, the reds were a little closed so we all
decided to come back when the weather warms up. Since we are neighbors, no problem to stop back later in spring!

Gabrielle............ working on winter pruning, he's 84 and still works 6 days a week.

The new clone of Barbera (cross between Barbera and a palm tree) is showing up in a few vineyards here in
the Langhe, expect tropical fruit on the nose!

The vines like sunshine, therefore every spring the trees and brush that grow between the vineyard and the street are cut
down. What is not saved for wood heating is burned off next to the road (almost on the road). Chiaro, the firebug, loves
lighting fires, this year she taught our friend Lorenzo what girl scout water is, benzina (diesel).

Roberts first ride of 2011 was only 6 weeks since his last ride, almost makes winter bearable. Snow on north facing
vineyards is almost gone.

First BBQ on the balcony, not bad weather for feb. 10

And the strongest sign is that the vineyards are full of growers working there vines.

The streets of Neive alto are clean and dry, waiting for the much needed crush of tourists.

Just up the street from us is Hotel Castelbourg, which has a resturant / wine bar around back called Degusto and has recently
reopened under new ownership. Great wine list paired with a menu of well chosen local “Piemontese” specialties, plus,
always important, a nice spread on the bar at aperitivo time.
The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, with Andrea or his sister Alessia always right there to get you your drink of choice or seat
you at a table in the arched, brick dining room for lunch or dinner. We can’t wait for spring to sit outside, looking over the piazza.

Andrea on the far right is the new owner, Massimo the chef in the middle and on the left is Danielle, Andrea’s cousin, who
has helped his cousins to get the place open and given lots of support during the first week.

Being sommeliers we are very excited about the wine list. Andrea has a strong wine background working in italy and around the
world in the wine trade. There are a lot of our local favorites and he’s not afraid to think outside the zone (the Barbaresco zone),
we even spotted a Gruner Veltliner in the wine cooler along with a Timorasso from Gavi.

Leslie is displaying one of her paintings, “Ciabot in La Morra” in the display window of the wine bar.

Later in the spring we will post an update of Degusto’s coolest outdoor dining/wine drinking deck in Neive along with a few food shot’s.

We just had our second snow this winter and its almost all gone . Snow melt patterns were used here hundreds of years ago to
find the warmest microclimates on a given hillside. This area is saved for producers top Nebbiolo, usually their Barbaresco or
Barolo. Above is the sweet spot in Cru Montersino.

Just to the east of Barbaresco, all the prime spots are snow free. In the foreground is Cru Gallina, one of the top vineyards
in the Neive sub-zone of the barbaresco region. In the distance to the right of the tower of Barbaresco is Cru Montefico
one of our personal favorites in the Barbaresco sub-zone in the Barbaresco region (wow doesn’t that roll off the tongue nicely)

Stumbled across this chart in USA Today. We find this a funny because pasta is never a main course. Here in Langhe,
pasta is served as a primi (starter course) and always a small amount hmm... must be because pasta is eaten every day
as a primi for lunch and dinner.