Ever since launching Wijnatelier Amsterdam, we could finally say it out loud: We're going on a wine trip. You could call it a working holiday, but this was a much more enjoyable version of one. Because let's be honest, wine is still a hobby. And a wine hobby in one of the world's greatest wine regions? Even better. Our destination was Piemonte, in Northern Italy. You know, the region that gives us some of Italy's most iconic wines. The king of wines: Barolo. And its equally impressive counterpart, which we secretly love even more: Barbaresco.
For a week, we stayed in a beautiful apartment just outside Monforte d'Alba, with a view you could happily stare at for half a day without doing anything at all. Rolling hills, endless vineyards and, to be fair, quite a few bare vines in February. But with soft spring sunshine on most days, that was hardly a downside. Quite the opposite. It was peaceful, full of promise, and there is something special about feeling the sun on your face for the first time after winter. That quiet season also turned out to be perfect for wine tasting. No crowds, no queues, no rushing from one appointment to another. Just time. Time for stories, explanations, conversations, discoveries... and occasionally an extra glass of wine. Or two. Not exactly a hardship, as we may have mentioned already.
A Winery Within Walking Distance
One of the highlights of the trip was, as is often the case, completely unplanned. There happened to be a winery within walking distance of our apartment. Which meant that both of us could fully enjoy the tasting. Including the designated driver, whose services were suddenly no longer required.mIn practice, that designated driver is usually Manuel. Something I may have strategically arranged when we booked the rental car. Small decisions. Big consequences. This time, however, it worked out rather nicely for him. And as it turns out, the wineries you discover by chance because they're just around the corner often end up being the real gems. We expected Nebbiolo. Powerful reds. Barolo. Barbaresco. Instead, the tasting began with a sparkling wine. And what a sparkling wine it was.
The surprise: Alta Langa
This wasn't just another sparkling wine. It immediately had our attention. Honestly? Champagne-level quality. Perhaps even more exciting because it was something new to us. This was our introduction to Alta Langa DOCG, Piemonte's premium traditional-method sparkling wine. Made using the metodo classico (the same production method used for Champagne), Alta Langa is crafted from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and is always vintage dated. The harvest year is displayed on every bottle. The ageing period? A minimum of 30 months. Fresh, elegant and complex, with beautiful texture and a long, creamy finish. And that was only the beginning.
This Alta Langa was fresh, elegant, complex, with a creamy, long finish. And that was just the beginning.
Barbera with Character
After the sparkling wine came a series of impressive wines, including a Barbera d'Alba of exceptional quality. Carefully crafted, hand-harvested and aged in oak. Elegant and pure, yet full of that unmistakable Barbera energy that somehow keeps encouraging you to take another sip. Which, conveniently enough, wasn't a problem. After all, we had walked there.
Meanwhile, the children were having an excellent time of their own. They decorated things with stickers, demolished the complimentary grissini (which are essentially luxury breadsticks), and seemed perfectly content while we enjoyed "just one more sip." It probably comes as no surprise that our almost two-year-old quickly added the word wine to her vocabulary.
During the tasting, we met owner Sara Saffirio of Josetta Saffirio, based in Castelletto di Monforte d'Alba. With genuine enthusiasm, she shared more about the winery and the philosophy behind it. "We are not authors of wine, but actors of nature." A wonderfully simple statement that perfectly captures their sustainable approach. And honestly? At that point, we were already sold. Stories like this are exactly what make us excited. The winery traces its roots back to the beginning of the twentieth century, when grandfather Ernesto cultivated the family's first vineyards. In the 1980s, his daughter Josetta Saffirio, an agricultural scientist and oenologist, took over the estate. Since 1999, her daughter Sara has been leading the winery. So rather than the classic father-to-son story so often found in wine, this is a story of strong women passing knowledge, passion and craftsmanship from mother to daughter. A story built on respect for the land, dedication to quality and a clear commitment to sustainability.
Walking Back Up the Hill
Unfortunately, we couldn't take many bottles home with us. Airlines do have their limits. But one thing was certain: These wines belonged in the Wijnatelier Amsterdam collection. With that decision made and our heads full of flavours, stories and plans, we walked back to our Airbnb. Up the hill, admittedly. But with wines like these on the horizon, the climb felt surprisingly easy.
New in Our Collection
Of course, that left us with one practical problem: How exactly were we going to get these wines to Amsterdam? The winery doesn't work with a Dutch importer, and arranging a shipment wasn't quite as straightforward as we'd hoped. Fortunately, we discovered many other wonderful wines during the trip. And in a slightly impulsive moment, Manuel came up with a solution: "I'll just go and pick them up myself." So in early April, he set off on a road trip through Piemonte, revisiting our favourite wineries and bringing back the wines we loved most. Naturally, the Alta Langa made the journey. As did that exceptional Barbera d'Alba. A wine we are now officially declaring to be the new red house wine of Wijnatelier Amsterdam. And honestly? We couldn't be happier about it.