Best wine shop around Alba?

[goofy md]

I'm going to alba in july, and am looking to get some bottles of barolos. I am only going to be in the area for two day, and hopfully will be going to a few winerys. I was wondering if there are wine shops that either have better selections then others or have better prices?

[Bill Klapp]

Gmd: I do most of my business with Enrico at Enoteca Grandi Vini on the main shopping street (Vittorio Emanuelle II, www.grandivinialba.com) in Alba, although I have also found some good bottles at Carosso, a food and wine shop on the same street (www.carosso.it). Also, Massimo at Vinolanghe (www.vinolanghe.com), which is exclusively an e-business with no shop (but which drops your wine at the cafe at the Piazza Savona end of Vittorio Emanuelle II), has also done well by me. I have not become similarly attached to any of the wine shops in La Morra, Barolo or Monforte d' Alba, as they have not proven to me that they can consistently deliver the goods. I also occasionally buy things at the affiliated wine and food shop across the way from the restaurant La Contea in Neive (the high part of the town).

[goofy md]

thanks Bill,

apreciate the advice. BTW baised on more of your advise I have a room at Cascina reine of mid July for a few nights.

[futronic]

Bill,

Good to see you posting again! It's been a while.

Thanks again for all the Piemonte tips. I leave in a few weeks.

[Bill Klapp]

Had to deal with a little real world stuff over the past couple of months, but I'm back and I'm sassy!

[futronic]

Excellent! I hope all is well. :)

[RRainey]

Parking suggestion for Alba cascina reine is above the town.Drive towards alba

at the traffic circle at the edge of town at the bottom of a hill is a parking lot. park there or go to the right and park on the street near the circle.It is confusing to try to drive all the way to town.

[futronic]

Or just walk to town from Cascina Reine? Is it that far? Only a couple kilometers, right?

[robert brown]

For a good selection of recent wine I always go to Frachia & Brachiola (or something close to that) which is a left turn into a little street as if you were going to the beginning of Vittorio Emanulle starting from the market end of town. (There's a yellow and black sign at the turn-off). On the right before you make the turn is a food shop and cantina called Gola. In the basement is a good sdelection of the best Barolo/Barabaresco producers, sometimes with recent acquisitions of older bottles. The owner is an experienced shipper of wines to Americans. I've checked out a few other places, but I always go back to these two. I guess the best is to check them all out and then pick and choose if you have the time.

[Bill Klapp]

I was in a hurry on my first post on this. Robert is quite right to name the additional two, the latter being Peccati di Gola (fod and some wine upstairs, good-sized cellar in the basement that you are free to peruse). Peccati di Gola is up Via Cavour from Piazza Garibaldi (where the Saturday market is held) in the direction of the intersection of Via Cavour with the main drag, Vittorio Emanuelle II, on the right as you head toward the cathedral. I believe that, as you continue up Via Cavour toward the cathedral, Frachia is off a side street to the left (I think either Via Cerrato or Via Vernazza) a short block or two off Via Cavour, on the left. And I Grandi Vini is close at hand, on Vittorio Emanuelle II on the left (assuming that you are walking from the cathedral end toward Piazza Savona) , very near the cathedral end of that street.