Day 28...It's Finally Here...Our Last Day

Normal on-line check-in, packing decisions, alarm clock strategies and travel clothes selection aside...today we had to find the most typical, cost effective Dolcetto d'Alba to bring back to our buddy Jeff Runqhuist...Alessandro directed us at noon to a local producer that he feels fit the criteria we were looking for:

This baby was only 4.5 euros per bottle.  Or about $5.50.  But before we get to the details, can you tell me exactly what this "face of Peggy" (a term coined by the Jordans) is saying?

If you think this face said..."I wonder how I'm really going to kill those invading raccoons"  ...you'd be wrong!
If you think this face said..."That's the most exciting information about wine making I've ever heard!"...you'd be wrong.
If you think this face said..."That book "London" is so exciting I can't wait to find some new gems for Gary"...you'd be wrong!
If you think this face said..."My husband is so dreamy, I can't wait to give him another kiss."  you'd be...well that's enough guessing...
My opinion is that this face is saying "I've heard this wine making rap sooooooooo many times that I'm about to drop off in a deep slumber...can't we just get to the tasting part?"...but of course, what the face really said...only Peggy knows for sure.

Okay back to the tour...these little bottles on the top of the barrels are used in the summer to let the wine expand without bursting the tanks

They must be making some real coin at this place since they are driving Benz cars and doing some major remodeling...like adding this beautiful cellar about 20 feet underground:

The real joy of the visit was the fact that our tour guide was none other than Debbie Petersen!

The rest of their wines were good, and very cost effective (the most expensive Barbaresco was only 17 euros)...but none of the wines passed the key criteria...when I open it in 3 months with my dear friends, will I say "Wow, this is really super".  Since they tasted like solid wines, but nothing super special, they remain in the cellar of Adriano Marco and Vittorio :)))

Time for lunch, we went into the centro of Alba for Pizza....these were large pizzas so Peggy and I each had our own half...even so they were huge! Peggy needed olives and onions and little love

And I needed pure buffalo mozz, spicy oil and a whole lotta love...they had to send mine back for a second charcoaling:

One question still needs to be answered...with each meal you are offered water and asked whether you want flat or frizzante (gas).  Urban legend has it that frizzante is as bad for your teeth as soda's carbonation...what do you think?  We kept switching from one to the other...just in case...

After pizza for lunch the only option is....according to Peggy

and playing with Johnnie...

but when she came to her sense...this was our last day, and we hadn't hiked in 4 days...we decided to go out the back of the property, up the hill to get some views of the vineyards and the surrounding hilltop towns:

I may bring down the entire Barbaresco market, but I had to try one grape off the vine...

It was super bitter....way too early in the season...but at least I can say I tasted a Nebbiolo grape destined for Barbaresco fame...  We were excited to find out the actual cause of the Booms the previous few days...you remember the counter measures farmers took to avoid any heavy downpours and the most feared hail...Here is what their cannons look like

We also had a nice view of our B and B...with "Vanna" pointing her finger to our room...

The quantity of vineyards is remarkable..everywhere you look for miles:

and if it were a clear day, we could have seen the Matterhorn in Switzerland...

Hiking was the perfect way to spend the last afternoon...we then packed, or giving credit where it's due...I had the heavy, and under valued responsibility of guarding the room from all types of potential hazards, while Peggy did all the packing...(yes...a joke...and yes...I give her all the deserved maximum amount of kudos...)
Dinner time..our last dinner after 29 days...and the meal was classically local with all the Piemontese favorites.
The Osteria Italia was 2 km from our B and B...

We ate outside, and since we were the first to arrive...yep we had the power table again..which wasn't anything more than closest to the parking lot...To treat our last meal...we ordered a very tasty Barbaresco:

And then the amuse bouche arrived...the traditional anchovies on grilled peppers with capers and olive oil:

My sliced veal (roast beef) with the traditional egg and mustard based mayo was superb again...

Peggy enjoyed her zucchini tarts...

Her pasta was gnocchi with tomato and basil:

But the real winner was the tagliarini with porcini mushrooms....

No room for a secondi piatti...we went right to the delicious vanilla gelato with fruits...

But a meal or a vacation wouldn't be truly awesome unless Peggy...what?  unless Peggy...held a baby!!!

We enjoyed conversation with Pietro and Paola (and their 4 month old Gretta Emma), speaking halting Italian with their pretty good English...until we each discovered that French was a shared skill.  They are wonderful locals, and we exchanged addresses if they ever come to California...they better stay with us.  (Steve gave us the idea)...

Dinner finally ended (way too late since we had to be up at 5:59am)...and we returned to say goodbye to Alessandro...our b and B owner and our newest and best friend from Alba!

He's holding the bottle of grappa he would share with us each evening...but what you've all been waiting to see are his crocs...

Is this guy cool or what!!! Okay, so we've solved all the world's problems...regenerated and fully refreshed...we enjoyed God's amazing creation and many wonderful folks...made new friends and awesome memories...and I suspect the only way to end this trip, and this blog, is to show you the carriage that faithfully transported us from Milan to Piemonte to Abruzzo to Lake Como to Parma to Zibello to Cinque Terre to Alba and finally back to Milan....  over a thousand miles (Jim would have gotten the exact mileage...sorry Jim) none other than the Cinque Cento... or for you Americans the Fiat 500...lovingly coined by Jim and Christine...The Clown Car (wonder why?)

Signing off from Linate airport in Milan...for the last time...with hopes that you enjoyed the adventure with us....ciao bella from Gary and Peggy Gubitz