Our Rendez-Vous begins with a lively, sparkling clink of glasses. Undisputed protagonist? Our host Carola Braggio, was born and raised among the hills where Piedmont’s most famous wines are produced.

Her passion for wine made her madly fall in love with Champagne and led her to work today for the “French cousins.” Nevertheless, her attachment to the food and wine of her homeland remains alive in her heart.

The story of our dear friend Carola, marketing manager of Maison Veuve Clicquot, after more than four years of experience in Krug and other Moet Hennessy brands, is first and foremost a story of passion, of the search for beauty, of curiosity, between wine, food, and experiences that leave their mark.

The specialty of the day of our Gourmode Menu is inspired by a place of rolling hills where rivers of wine flow accompanied by the heady and characteristic scent of truffles: the Langhe. Let’s savor the proposal of the day, scouring the area, and imagine in the meantime our next weekend!

Good afternoon Carola! Did your homeland, your childhood colored by gold, orange, and magenta foliage, the fairy-tale atmosphere, and the uncontested call of nature, play a key role in the birth of your passion for good wine and good food and your choice to turn it into a profession?

Munching on fragrant roasted hazelnuts, we note your connection to Piedmont.

Carola – Yes, definitely yes, the relationship with my homeland was fundamental in creating my passion for wine and the world of enogastronomy in general. I was born in Turin but grew up in Nizza Monferrato, a place that together with the hills of Asti and the Langhe has become a Unesco heritage site. In this area of the Langhe and Monferrato, some of the most famous wines in the world are produced such as Barolo, Barbaresco, and Nizza itself, DOCG 2016 typical of my area that is Barbera d’Asti Superiore with special aging.

Being born and breathing the atmosphere of this area, allowed me to cultivate this great predilection for wine, also linked to my family who owned a winery. During my university period at Bocconi University in Milan, where I also got to know Clara, founder of Gourmode, I declined my desire to dedicate myself to the fashion & luxury world in sommelier courses. I attended the École de Champagne, specializing in wines and champagnes, directing me, after graduation, to join Moet Hennessy, the wine & spirits division of the LVMH group, initially interning at Dom Pérignon, Ruinart, and Veuve Clicquot and then as a brand manager first at Krug and later at Veuve Clicquot, a historic Champagne Maison. Although I am now adopted by my “French cousins,” coming home and spending the weekend in the Langhe and Monferrato remains one of my favorite activities.

I would like to mention a very pleasant childhood memory related to the Ristorante Guido da Costigliole. My parents and grandparents always took me to the famous Ristorante Degli Alciati, located in those days in Costigliole d’Asti, to see Signora Livia, famous for her agnolotti, of which I admired every stage of production, Guido, its founder, her son Ugo, pastry chef, and the chefs. In short, my encounter with Vitello Tonnato and agnolotti was fatal and it has been love ever since! Even today, for me, Livia’s recipe agnolotti is the best in the world!

Dispensing delicious advice is your specialty and our gou gous readers’ mouths are watering! As a first course, we ask you to reveal your must tastes among recipes, typical dishes, and restaurants where to taste them.

Carola – As already anticipated, Piedmont and in particular Langhe and Monferrato, are famous for some iconic dishes: first among all is Vitello Tonnato, the second among appetizers is Insalata Russa, both of which exist in different reinterpretations, and I assure you that in most places they are sensational! My suggestions of places of the heart to taste a good Vitello Tonnato and exquisite Russian salad is respectively La Piola in Alba, a restaurant I recommend for the veal by starred chef Enrico Crippa, and Osteria More e Macine in La Morra for the Russian salad. In these places, the traditional recipes are outstanding! For agnolotti, my favorite, the ones in Livia’s recipe, today can be enjoyed at both Ristorante Guido in Fontanafredda with Ugo Alciati chef and Piero Alciati and Ristorante Guido da Costigliole at Relais San Maurizio where Andrea Alciati awaits us instead. Tip regarding good agnolotti is Locanda del Sant’Uffizio, Enrico Bartolini’s restaurant in Cioccara di Penango, the chef is Gabriele Boffa, also served at Guido’s, i.e. Livia school, so a guarantee! Tidbit regarding agnolotti? They are typical in two versions: agnolotti al sugo d’arrosto e agnolotti al tovagliolo. The agnolotti al tovagliolo are simply put to cook in salted water, drained, laid on the napkin, and to be eaten strictly with the hands, a bit like cherries that one pulls the other!

Not to forget the subject of formaggi piemontesi, recognized for their extraordinary flavor, of which I mention the address where to go, La Ciau del Tornavento in Treiso, here by chef Maurilio Garola and you can admire the sensational views of the Langhe one of the most beautiful wineries in Italy and the world. Or a valid alternative Borgo Sant’Anna a Monforte from chef Pasquale Laera, common denominator incredible views and goodies not to be missed!

A simple place renowned instead for its authentic food and a beautiful view is La Terrazza da Renza Castiglione Falletto, while a historic address in Nizza Monferrato for egregiously eating Bollito Misto Piemontese-style is Trattoria Da Bardon.

For dessert? How not to mention the Bunet, the chocolate pudding Piedmontese version because of the presence of macaroons, and the legendary Baci di dama (lady’s kisses) with hazelnut flour. Pasticceria Marabotti in Nizza Monferrato to mark for baci di dama, its historic location.

What are your favorite gourmet places à la mode in this wine paradise?

Carola – Gourmet places à la mode, because of their design and elegance, are l’Osteria Campamac  in Barbaresco opened by chef Maurilio Garola with a focus on meat aging, and Palas Cerequio of the Chiarlo family, winemakers, near La Morra, truly splendid.

In autumn, our parure is tinged with “white gold,” and the most overstated nose uncovers the diamond of the kitchen. Where to have the best truffle tasting?

Carola – In all the previously mentioned restaurants definitely yes, especially at La Piola in Alba and Osteria More e Macine in La Morra. Since at this time there is a famous truffle fair in Alba, gourmode advice is to go there personally to buy your truffles, prepare them and eat them at home. For this reason, I would like to mention some recipes for you to make, reminding you that the simpler the dish, the more you can perceive its flavor! Truffles go well both with cold dishes, so raw meat such as Fassona Battuta or Carpaccio would be ideal and with hot dishes with egg component for an ideal duo. Eggs in general, fried egg, fontina fondue prepared with egg yolk, egg noodles known in my parts as “Tajarin,” plin stuffed with fondue, or for a truly sophisticated combination excellent truffle grating on cream ice cream. A delight!

An equally exciting and memorable experience is about truffle hunting, luck would be to meet a “Trifulau” truffle seeker in the Piedmontese dialect, a word derived from “Trifula” the name of the truffle precisely, really seeing firsthand how this activity takes place!

Special activities, secret appointments, fairy tale castles, and other locations to discover in our seasonal destination, cultural and artistic initiatives, and much more! With a leather notebook in hand, we are ready to draw our insider’s map.

Carola – Starting the route from Alba is a good idea to visit the truffle fair and walk around the town that is really full of nooks and crannies to discover. Then by car, heading toward the Serralunga and Barolo area, you cross a sea of vineyards that offer unique views. A must photo should be taken towards La Morra where the famous colorful little church of Barolo, a creation of David Tremlett, owned by the Ceretto family, stands out with its paintings in the middle of the vineyards. Still seeing these sunny days, taking a ride through the vineyards on an e-bike will allow you to feel part of the landscape among dirt roads and vines, without tiring too much, while enjoying breathtaking views. Other suggestions are the castles around Alba, which are numerous; among the most fascinating are the Castello di Guarene, il Castello di Serralunga, il Castello di Grinzane Cavour, the Castiglione Falletto Tower, and the Castle of Barolo, which stands out among them all.

As navigated explorers in constant search of the perfect outfit for every occasion, reveal what to pack in your gou gou suitcase for an off-the-beaten-path trip to the Langhe.

Carola – Those who know me are aware that I only wear dresses and skirts, so even in Langa, I wouldn’t give up a nice little dress! In my opinion, the ideal piece is a pair of boots, with a comfortable heel that allows long walks to explore the area, a matching dress, and a scarf as a très chic accessory! Some Hunters will be perfect for discovering the vineyards and getting lost along the expanses of vines!

Chic and elegance are the watchwords served on our tables daily, along with a bubbly glass. Every day you play a spirited role, reveal interesting and fun facts about your Lady Champagne attire, amaze us!

Carola – That’s right, every day for me is a challenge with the “glass in hand”! Bubbles are part of my daily life and so for work, I am always in the Champagne world, Clicquot specifically now, but in my private life I love red wines, perhaps always because of the bond that unites me to these lands! A glass of red wine is for me unfailing! Curiosity about Champagne? There are many anecdotes, among the ones I like to tell recently are various episodes related to Madame Clicquot. Not everyone knows about her, the grande dame of Champagne, just as she was called, for me and for us the first true entrepreneur of the modern era, in that she was widowed at the age of 27, in 1805 at the time in history when women could not even open a bank account, she had the courage and audacity to carry on a winery and make her Champagne one of the most famous in the world. She was a great innovator; the invention of vintage and rosé Champagne is hers. I like to remember her as a great tribute to women, women entrepreneurs, and women with style because she first wanted to give a certain charm and a style to the bottles as well, devising the yellow label and putting ribbons around them, distinguishing her labels from the white labels of the time. It was a kind of scarf put around women’s necks. In fact, even today our vintage Champagne has a sort of collar around the bottle, just to remind us of these yellow ribbons that she used to put on back in the day.

Our Bunet is served. To end this appetizing talk with a mouthwatering dessert, we are interested in finding out the trends and news in the food & beverage world that await us Gourmode Trendsetters.

Carola – Definitely the Covid period also had positive implications because people anyway during the lockdown started drinking better and discovering the high prestige products and then also afterward continued to demand that. So the trend is related to the consumption of high-end products, consumption even at home turned out to have grown in addition to consumption in restaurants, as people like to get together with friends; and just because of the pleasure of being together another novelty is more and more to meet informally or to discover places where you don’t have to be super encrusted, but a place where you can enjoy the moment in a convivial situation. More and more such venues will develop, where you can enjoy music and entertainment already during dinner and not only after the evening. Just on the subject of music, another trend is the passion for karaoke because people have discovered they love the 70′, 80′, and 90′ revival genres. We have been able to notice it this summer with our clients in Costa Smeralda and other coastal areas and summer destinations, here the piano bar, the throwback to the past years, even for young people, is very popular compared perhaps to the classic deejay. Clicquot, by the way, has exactly this retro-chic vision and for the brand, this dip into the past is very appropriate. One place I feel like recommending in this sense is the Belmond Hotel Splendido in Portofino, here, the pianist Vladi Gatto, a historical character of the hotel, polyglot and great entertainer of the crowds, brings joy to everyone with his music, enticing the guests to sing along, 90% of them foreigners, with an old-fashioned way of doing things.

To conclude this wonderful Rendez-Vous, we ask you for a sentence that you would like to dedicate to us, to share with our gou gous, that you feel could belong to you, related to the wine world or your work.

Carola – “Make your work a passion and you won’t work a single day of your life” because for me it really is! This world is my passion and it is the best job in the world!

Ready to head off to the hills of Piedmont and toast to the next gourmet adventure à la mode?

À bientôt!