A Barolo villa situated in the heart of the Langhe. Come on over, the wine – and water – are great!
Time for another edition of Piedmont Portraits – a new section I introduced a few months back. Apologies for the delay in an addition to this section. It has been a busy spring!
Piedmont Portraits highlights artisan producers and specialty service providers across the region. My regular readers know that wine is my main focus, but many other providers contribute to the magic of the area, so I’d be remiss not to include those as well.
For this post, that focus is on a Barolo villa owned by fellow expat Allegra. Her gorgeous Barolo holiday rental sits in the heart of the vineyards. Gather a group and book a stay. And, invite me over to use the pool – I’ll bring vino!
Welcome to Villa Ribota
Villa rentals are all the rage for Tuscan wine travels, but you don’t see them as much here in the Langhe. Some years ago Britons Allegra and Rich decided to pack in their life in Bristol and head for the Langhe hills. They found a crumbling old farmhouse to renovate and the dream took shape, giving the area one of the loveliest Barolo villa rentals around.
The romance of it all includes adventures in Italian bureaucracy, the arrival of Baby Bee, and even a burglary that ended in some losses, like photography equipment and Emmentaler cheese!?
Theirs is a true story of the trials and tribulations of chasing your dream – one that they chronicle on their blog Living in the Langhe. Focus and dedication kept them going and they officially opened for business in the spring of 2016. Shall we take a virtual tour?
Tradition meets modern amenities – truly the perfect Barolo villa
The villa is a traditional Piemontese farmhouse with modern appointments – between Allegra’s incredible eye for renovation and decor and Rich’s pro photos that cover the walls, you’ll be asking them to decorate your home! I have a few times.
Think vaulted ceilings, Langhe stone walls, a huge picture window, extra large bedrooms (yes, in Italy!), an open fireplace, and even your own private swimming pool. The sizeable kitchen has it all and you can even get a chef to come by to cook for you and / or do cookery courses.
The location is right smack in the Barolo vineyards, so you can hike, bike, or just sit outside and enjoy a glass of wine in the garden.
And, even better? Rich and Allegra live next door to their Barolo villa rental. They made the original farmhouse structure into two separate living units, one for their home and one for the Barolo villa. Each has its own private entrance. And, the use of the pool is 100 percent for their guests.
Villa Ribota Specs:
- Comfortably sleeps up to 12 people.
- 5 large double bedrooms, beds can be converted to double or singles as necessary and extra beds are optional.
- 4 bathrooms with showers, bidets, and two with bathtubs.
- Wifi, flatscreen HDTV with access to British channels, Bluetooth speaker, and a DVD player.
- Large, fully loaded kitchen with modern appliances as well as cooking and dining needs.
- Washing machine, iron, cleaning items.
- Private swimming pool (10-meters long).
- Covered patio dining area that seats 12 people.
- Herb garden for use during your stay.
- Private parking (up to four cars).
- Three primary Barolo villages are five minutes away, by car (Novello, Barolo, La Morra)
Langhe travel tips from Rich and Allegra
Thanks so much for your time! I love to give our readers local tips on the area. What are your favorite places to eat?
Wow, places to eat. That’s hard because it changes all the time. For now:
- Osteria del Vignaiolo is great.
- Fontanazza in La Morra is great for a lunch! Make sure to sit out on the terrace.
- Osteria della Torre in Cherasco is reeeeally good.
- And, nearby there is the always amazing Angolo di Rosina in Novello.
Sweet. That gives me a few to check out myself. And, we love Fontanazza. We take clients there a lot for wine tours. The food is great and such amazing views!
Okay, what are some must-do activities that you recommend to visitors?
We went out on electric bikes a couple of weeks ago and that was so much fun! You can learn more about it on our blog post: The Best Way to See the Langhe.
Also, you have to go for walks here, you see so much more by getting right in among the vines. Maybe walk to a village, have a long lunch with a glass or two of wine and then carry on walking.
And, then wine tasting, obviously, but at a really small, family producer.
Speaking of wine, what are you drinking these days? Anything our readers should try out?
We are always exploring new ones. For a short list, Osvaldo Viberti’s Nebbiolo is amazing. Stra makes a great Nascetta – they are very close to us, so our guests almost always do a tasting with them. And, we really love the Barbera Superiore from Vietto in Novello.
Great stuff – congratulations again on the amazing Barolo villa. Tanti Auguri!
Stay at Villa Ribota
- Website: Villa Ribota
- Location: Just outside the hilltop village of Novello (Barolo winemaking area).
- Contact: To reach out to Rich and Allegra directly for rates, availability, and other questions, click here.
- Social Media: For Langhe tips and amazing photography, follow the Villa Ribota Facebook page and find them on Instagram.
If you are ready for a luxurious stay in the Piedmont countryside, this is just the Barolo villa for you. Make sure to check out their site for more details and follow their social media channels.
Until next time.
Cin cin! Valerie
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