From the Heart of the Langhe to the World: The 324th Chapter of Tradition Celebrates Wine, Culture, and International Guests.
Against the magnificent backdrop of the Castle of Grinzane Cavour, the 324th Chapter of Tradition of the Order of the Knights of the Truffle and Wines of Alba took place on Saturday, May 24.
An event that seamlessly blended history, flavor, and international openness, reaffirming the Langhe’s central role as a crossroads of gastronomic excellence and culture.
A distinguished guest of the day was the FICB – Fédération Internationale des Confréries Bachiques, represented by its new president, Mark Lesk, who was awarded the title of Honorary Knight. Alongside him were 36 delegates from wine brotherhoods around the world, visiting as part of the Wine Discovery Tour organized by the Order with the support of the FICB and in collaboration with Langhe Experience.
The Grand Master, Tomaso Zanoletti, highlighted the remarkable cultural and tourism growth of the territory – the result of collective work between communities, institutions, and the Order itself, which now boasts 20 international Delegations spanning from Chicago to Hong Kong, Toronto to São Paulo, Lithuania to Taiwan. These delegations continue to carry out their own activities in parallel with Grinzane, with numerous investiture ceremonies taking place since March, further evidence of the Order’s expanding global mission.
“An expansion that demonstrates the Order’s value in promoting the Langhe, Monferrato, and Roero as regions of excellence, where the culture of wine and food merges with identity, tradition, and vision for the future.”
Master Luciano Bertello emphasized the cultural importance of traditional Langhe cuisine, which recently made headlines in The New York Times, where esteemed journalist Dawn Davis described “plin” agnolotti as sacred, listing them among the world’s top culinary treasures.
He celebrated the rich heritage of Piedmontese cuisine, describing it as “the result of a fruitful encounter between the rural, peasant culture – rooted in wise use of raw ingredients – and the bourgeois culinary tradition, enriched by more refined techniques.”
Following him, Master Ugo Venturino delivered a passionate overview of the wines of the Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato, highlighting the resilience of local winemakers who brought Barolo and Barbaresco to international fame. He also spoke about the sparkling wine tradition of Alta Langa and the region’s legacy of aromatized wines, such as Vermouth and Barolo Chinato – both symbols of local creativity and production diversity.
The event also honored the Selezione dei Grandi Vini dell’Albese, which this year celebrates its 50th edition. Since 1975, this prestigious initiative has awarded outstanding wines selected through blind tastings by a technical panel. This year, 180 wines were submitted by 85 wineries from the Enoteca Regionale Piemontese Cavour. The winners will be announced on September 20, during the 326th Chapter, which will be entirely dedicated to the Selezione.
The day concluded with a gala dinner curated by Chef Alessandro Mecca of the Castello Restaurant, with wine pairings featuring selections from the 49th Selezione of the Order.
The next appointment is scheduled for Saturday, June 14, with the Summer Solstice Chapter, which will welcome the Delegations from Switzerland, Singapore, and Rio de Janeiro. The cultural segment will be led by Mariano Rabino, President of the Langhe Monferrato Roero Tourism Board, with a talk entitled “Current Realities and Future Prospects of the Tourism Sector.”
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Ph. Credits:
Maurizio Milanesio Photography
