The Grape Path

The Sentiero dell'Acino winds through the Barbaresco and Nebbiolo vineyards around Neive, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy according to the Touring Club classification, whose medieval center preserves the 13th-century tower of the Counts of Castelborgo. From the center of town, the route descends between the rows of vines along white roads of calcareous marl, typical of the Langhe hills, and passes through the hamlets of Borgonuovo and Starderi, where historic cellars preserve the oak barrels of Barbaresco DOCG. The route partially follows the Tinella stream, a tributary of the Belbo River, passing through riparian vegetation of willows and alders that contrasts with the orderly geometry of the vineyards. At the Gallina locality, you reach one of the most famous crus of the Barbaresco denomination, officially catalogued since 2007. The best time is autumn, between September and November, when the vineyards light up with the reds and ochres of the harvest and the still mild days allow you to enjoy the views of the Barbaresco Langa all the way to the first snows of the Ligurian Alps.