This full-day culinary expedition will introduce you to the wonderful world of truffles and will give you a taste of two of Italy's most festive wines. No gourmet morsel is as exotic and luxurious as the white truffle - il tartufo bianco. These delicacies, which can cost thousands of dollars per pound, grow only in the wild and can only be found by expert foragers aided by highly trained dogs.

Starting from and returning to your hotel in the Langhe area, this tour will take you to the heart of the truffle's earthy home, in the hills of the Monferrato region. At the "House of the Truffle Hunter", a trifulau will explain the area's food traditions and local truffle varieties. Armed with this knowledge, you'll head out with your guide and his two inseparable dogs, Diana and Birba, on your very own truffle hunt. A tasting of various truffles, local wines, cheese and salami will follow.

Asti, with its beautiful Gothic cathedral, will be up next. You'll have free time to explore this historic, medieval city, do some shopping and have lunch in a restaurant in the city center. Afterwards you'll visit a renowned Barbera producer. This fine violet-colored red wine, is considered to be one of the great "B"s of Piedmont, along with Barolo and Barbaresco. A tour of a local winery and a wine tasting concludes the day.