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La Luna e i Falò
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Lovers of fine wine and food will never want to leave this panoramic winery, whose romantic name means "The Moon and The Bonfires" and refers to an ageold local tradition, whereby the farmers burn old grapevines on the night of the August full moon as an omen for a good harvest. Perhaps it was on one of these bewitching evenings that your host, Franco Carnero, first fell in love with this hilltop paradise and vowed to make it his. Back in Turin, where he and his wife Ester were pluri-awarded local chefs, the city folks thought he was mad. But Franco knew better. Nestled in the hills of Piedmont's famed Le Langhe region, overlooking the world's best moscato and spumanti vineyards, the land he has owned for thirty years now offers a tranquil setting for his friendly hospitality and his wife's unforgettable meals.
This is genteel country living at its best. Ester and Franco have restored every inch of their property, with loving concern for even the tiniest detail. The Main House actually had to be rebuilt from scratch, because it had been constructed using bricks made from limestone and moscato wine - this ancient local technique may sound enchanting, but the bricks had a nasty habit of melting in the heat! So they replaced them, creating a portico that would capture the summer breezes and the winter sun. Inside, a vast collection of paintings and baskets of fresh fruit enliven the warm, spacious sitting room where guests can enjoy an early evening aperitivo or catch the latest news on CNN. Upstairs, the homelike accommodations include a double room with private bath; a triple room with double bed, single bed and private bath; an apartment featuring a living room with TV, two single sleep sofas (suitable for children), a table for four overlooking the vineyards, a kitchenette with mini-fridge, sink and stove, a double bedroom lined with picture windows, and a bathroom with washing machine; and a small cottage featuring a living room with sleep sofa, double bedroom, bathroom, and panoramic balcony accessed by living room and bedroom. This cottage is 20 yards from the house and is accessed via a short stairway. Inside the house, the triple room can be connected to the apartment for larger groups. If no rooms are available for your dates, you may stay in the Apartment or Cottage for the same price as the rooms.
Five hundred yards away is the Guesthouse. Here you'll find a spacious shared living room with fireplace, a sunny breakfast room, a wine tasting cellar, and six double bedrooms all with private modern tiled bathroom (with bathtub, hand-held shower and glass door). On the ground floor, Bianca has a queen canopy bed and full-sized day bed. Vistavigna has a Liberty-style dresser and bed. Upstairs, Gialla and Rossa each open onto the garden and have a queen bed. Verde has a queen canopy bed and room for a single bed. Blu has a queen canopy bed and full-sized day bed. While all the bathrooms in both houses are modern, the rooms are furnished with the heavy wooden 19th-century pieces that are typical of this region.
Back at the Main House, the sitting room serves as center stage for meals, prepared using ageold local recipes and the farm's own fresh fruits and vegetables. Each course is accompanied by a different wine, and you'll be able to sample plenty of the Dolcetto, Cortese and Moscato wines which come from the lush vineyards just outside the doors.
There aren't enough days for trips in this area: you'll want to visit lovely Asti (just 15 miles away), the truffle haven of Alba (20 miles) and the spa town of Acqui Terme (15 miles - its pristine medieval streets are virtually devoid of tourists). Or set out with no known destination, ramble through the rolling hills and stop in every picturesque little town, tasting world-class wines and delicious hearty food along the way. If you're here in the fall, you'll encounter myriad local festivals celebrating wine, grapes, truffles and wild mushrooms. Of course you can also relax on the estate, learn how to play bocce, stroll through the vineyards to the Guesthouse, or drive a mile down the road to the public tennis courts, swimming pool and riding stables. When you do have to leave, you're about 65 miles from Turin and Genova, about 100 miles from Milan.
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| Nightly Main House Rates for 2008 (per room) Two-Night Minimum |
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| Includes taxes, services & breakfast |
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| Double Room for Single Use | 90.00 EURO |
| Two People | 130.00 EURO |
| Three People | 150.00 EURO |
| Four People | 170.00 EURO |
| Nightly Guesthouse Rates for 2008 (per room) Two-Night Minimum |
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| Includes taxes, services & breakfast |
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| Double Room for Single Use | 90.00 EURO |
| Double Room | 130.00 EURO |
| Triple Room | 150.00 EURO |
We strongly urge you to dine at least once at La Luna e i Falò - the price is 30 Euro/person plus beverages and you will not get better food
in the area at any price. Click here to see a sample menu
French, Spanish and basic English spoken
Prices are based on double occupancy
Franco and Ester (whose specialty is reviving ancient Piedmontese recipes) were featured in the book "The Four Seasons of Italian Cooking," by A.J. Battifarano and Alan Richardson. Click here for information about purchasing this excellent book online.
Please note that you need a car to stay here.
