Monthly Archives: October 2010

During my last weekend in Novi Ligure, my cup runneth over. I was surrounded by good people, good food and plenty of great wine. On Saturday, thanks to a friend of a friend (who was once just a cousin of … Continue reading →

At the end of my first week harvesting grapes, I got an email from my friend Josh. “So,” he asked, “Are you a naturally gifted grape picker?” Not quite. I wasn’t half bad, but in those first few days it … Continue reading →

During week two of my vendemmia, I spent a morning working in la cantina to get a fuller picture of what happens from grape to glass. Conceptualizing a cantina as a place for making wine instead of a place with … Continue reading →

The food, like most everything here, is rustic and simple. Breakfast and dinner are up to us to make on our own or as a group, but lunch comes from the restaurant. We get homemade milk, yogurt, bread, apples, vegetables … Continue reading →

My first WWOOF stop is in the hills of Novi Liguri, Alessandria, at Cascina degli Ulivi. Despite its name (“Farmhouse of Olives”) this biodynamic farm’s shining star is its wine, made from their 22 hectares of vineyards. I’m staying at … Continue reading →