Roero

Roero is a hilly wine region in the southeast of Piedmont, Italy, on the north (left) bank of the river Tanaro, mostly in the province of Cuneo between Alba and Asti. With the neighbouring Langhe and Monferrato it forms the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato".

The Roero is the quietest and least-visited corner of the three, and the most varied: its sandy, fossil-rich soils give lighter, fragrant wines — above all the white Roero Arneis — and the hills are broken by the Rocche, dramatic eroded sandstone cliffs cloaked in woodland. Between the vines the region also grows peaches, strawberries and hazelnuts.

• 44.77.851 Bra — the larger town on the southwestern edge, birthplace of the Slow Food movement and host of the biennial Cheese festival; a common gateway to the region.
• 44.882 Canale — the main town and unofficial capital of the Roero, centre of Arneis production, with the regional wine cellar (Enoteca del Roero) and famous for its peaches.
• 44.7394868.0348363 Guarene — a hilltop town crowned by an 18th-century castle (now a luxury hotel), with wide views over the Langhe.
• 44.88.14 Govone — home of the Royal Castle of Govone, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Savoy Residences, and a large Christmas market.
• 44.814747.954775 Montà — a northern gateway town near the Rocche, with a hilltop sanctuary and hiking trailheads.
• 44.76666786 Vezza d'Alba — a wine village with a naturalistic museum displaying the region's marine fossils.
• 44.7833337.957 Santo Stefano Roero — set right among the most spectacular Rocche cliffs.
• 44.8272228.0019448 Cisterna d'Asti — on the Asti-province side of the Roero, with a castle housing a museum of arts and crafts.

• The Rocche del Roero — a belt of eroded sandstone canyons and cliffs running through the region, formed when the Tanaro changed course; wooded, rich in fossils, and threaded by walking trails such as the Sentiero del Roero.

The Roero is named after the Roero (Roreto) family, who held these lands in the Middle Ages and left castles at Guarene, Govone, Monteu Roero and elsewhere. Geologically it is younger and sandier than the Langhe across the river, which is why its reds are lighter and its whites — Arneis above all — so distinctive.

It is thoroughly rural and sees few foreign tourists, which is much of its charm. Autumn (harvest and truffle season) and late spring are the best times to visit; the peach and strawberry harvests fill the summer markets.

The nearest airport is Turin Caselle (TRN ^IATA), about an hour away by car. Milano Malpensa Airport (MXP ^IATA) and Genoa (GOA ^IATA) are also within reach for international connections.

Bra and Alba are the rail gateways, reached from Turin via the regional lines; from either it is a short drive into the hills. There is no rail line through the heart of the Roero itself.

Easiest by far. The region sits just off the Alba–Asti road (SP7) and is reached from the A6 (Turin–Savona, exit Marene/Bra) or the A33/Alba. The hill roads between villages are narrow and winding.

A car is all but essential — villages are close together but public transport between them is minimal. The quiet roads and the Rocche paths are excellent for cycling, e-biking and walking; local tourist offices signpost vineyard and Rocche routes.

• Castles — Guarene, Govone (a UNESCO Savoy residence), Monteu Roero and Cisterna d'Asti are the finest, several open to visitors or hosting events.
• Rocche del Roero — the region's signature landscape of sandstone cliffs and canyons.
• Museo Naturalistico del Roero in Vezza d'Alba — the region's fossils and natural history.

• Wine tasting — small family cellars across the hills pour Arneis and Roero Nebbiolo; the Enoteca del Roero in Canale offers a broad tasting in one place. Appointments are appreciated.
• Walking and cycling — the Sentiero del Roero and other marked trails cross the Rocche and vineyards.
• Markets and harvests — Canale peaches, strawberries and autumn truffles all have their seasons and fairs; Bra's biennial Cheese festival is a major event.

Roero cooking is shared with the wider Langhe–Monferrato table: tajarin and agnolotti pasta, carne cruda (raw veal), bagna cauda in the cold months, and white truffle in autumn. The region's own produce — peaches, strawberries, hazelnuts and honey — turns up in markets and desserts, and nearby Bra gives its name to a well-known sausage and cheese.

The Roero's signature wine is Roero Arneis DOCG, a fragrant dry white from the native Arneis grape — one of Piedmont's few notable whites. The red Roero DOCG is made from Nebbiolo and is lighter and earlier-drinking than the Barolo and Barbaresco across the river. Barbera and Favorita are also grown. Most producers are small and welcome visitors by appointment.

Accommodation is mostly agriturismi and bed & breakfasts among the vineyards, with a few country hotels and the castle hotel at Guarene. Bra and Alba (across the river) have the widest choice of town hotels. Book ahead in autumn.

The Roero is very safe. The main hazards are narrow rural roads and, for walkers, steep and sometimes crumbly edges along the Rocche — keep to marked paths.

• Langhe — just across the Tanaro, home of Barolo, Barbaresco and the white truffle of Alba.
• Monferrato — the wine hills to the northeast, around Asti and Alessandria.
• Asti and Turin — the nearest cities.