Axel and Jean-Francois Maye of Simon Maye in St.-Pierre-de-Clages, Valais, SwitzerlandChiara Boschis with Colorado importer Steve Lewis of Giuliana Imports and Zino Ristorante partners Chef Nick Haley and Giuseppe Bosco.Lucia Altare with her daughters Elena (left) and Silvia.Handprints of the three Grasso sisters of Ca’ del Baio – Paola, Valentina and Federica – on the roof of the newest addition to the winery.
Winemaker Nicolas Bagnoud (2nd from left) from Flanthey, Valais with me (left), dear friend Karen Haeffner and hubby Dani
Springtime fog kisses the vineyards of the Barolo appellation not far from Montforte d’Alba.
Sign of the noble vineyard of Valgrande, a great Barbaresco produced by the Grasso family of Ca’ del Baio.
The old town of Neive, one of the towns of the Barbaresco appellation.
Treiso, one of the towns of the Barbaresco appellation and home to Ca’ del Baio.
Wine dragon at the Villa Tiboldi near Canale in the Roero district.
Chiara Boschis with Colorado importer Steve Lewis of Giuliana Imports and Zino Ristorante partners Chef Nick Haley and Giuseppe Bosco.Lucia Altare with her daughters Elena (left) and Silvia. Photo Credit – Elisabetta VacchettoElio Altare with oldest daughter Silvia. Photo Credit – Elisabetta VacchettoMaria Teresa Mascarello Photo Credit – Elisabetta VacchettoSisters Marta and Carlotta Rinaldi Photo Credit – Elisabetta VacchetoThe Oddero women: Maria Vittoria (left), her daughter, Isabella, and sister Maria Cristina with proud patriarch Giacomo looking on. Photo Credit – Elisabetta VacchettoLivia Fontana of Ettore Fontana with her sons Lorenzo and Michele Photo Credit – Elisabetta VacchettoThe Rocca sisters – Daniela, Monica and Paola – with their late father and Barbaresco visionary Angelo Rocca.Serraboella vineyard at Cigliuti on Bricco di Neive in Barbaresco denomination.The Giulia Grasso family of Cà del Baio in Treiso, BarbarescoThe amphitheater of Martinenga and the Marchesi di Gresy winery in Barbaresco.Cellar master at Marchesi di Grèsy in Barbaresco.Luciana and my husband Dani, surrounded by family and friends in the winery’s tasting room, celebrating their birthdays together in 2008.Milo Grasso, Luciana’s trusted constant companion and guardian.The vines have done a wonderful job making beautiful grapes. But before the winter’s chill, they will serve as a canvas for a kaleidoscope of autumn leaves.The Cordero Family in the cellar at Il Centro in Priocca d’AlbaRenato Vacca, owner and winemaker of Cantina del Pino in Barbaresco.Elio Altare harvesting some of the early season beans in his prized chemical-free garden (everything he grows is chemical free).Dani and I enjoying an evening with the Deltetto and Grasso families.Precarious, single lane road leading from the floor of the Valle Grana to Colletto and the alpeggi above.
Ripe Castelmagno d’alpeggio DOP from Des Martin in Rifugio Valliera ready for sale.Azure blue skies and lush green landscapes with a view up the Rhone River Valley from Chalet Petite Tara on a late spring day.Suzi working behind the scenes with Belgian Chef Daniel Joly of Mirabelle at Beaver Creek Photo Credit – Alisha Quinn BoscoDaybreak over Lac Leman (Geneva) from the Quai de Veroix with Mt. Blanc in the distance on the right.Carlo Deltetto in deep discussion with daughter Lidia.Summer view of the ski domaine from Chalet Petite Tara in Bluche, Valais, CHView from Chalet Petite Tara, Bluche, Valais, CHOne swift stroke with a knife and the melted raclette slides off into a perfect puddle of cheese at Chateau de Villa, Sierre, Valais, CHThe stunning early autumn view of the upper Rhone River Valley from Chalet Petite Tara in Bluche, Valais, CH.Like all winemakers in Valais, Nicolas Bagnoud works hard during the vendange in Valençon.Terraced vineyards of Simon Maye et Fils in Chamason, Valais make the vendange a tricky exercise.Unusually heavy Easter snow blankets the 16th Century Chateau de Villa in Sierre, Valais, CHLes Faverges in Crans-Montana, Valais, CH.Terraced vineyards of Valais above the Rhone RiverMilking the cows in the alpeggio in Castelmagno, Piemonte, ItalyThe vineyards of Treiso in the Barbaresco denomination in autumn.Vineyards of Simon Maye et Fils in Chamonson, Valais, CHOld city of Neive in the Barbaresco denomination.Tasting room door at Deltetto in Canale, Roero.Zucchini at the Alba Mercato.Chef-Restaurateur Memo at Profumo di Vino in Treiso, Barbaresco, Piemonte.