Restaurant Review: Le Torri

Ristorante Le Torri

Piazza Vittorio Veneto, 10, 12060 Castiglione Falletto CN, Italy

Tel.+39 0173 62937 / +39 335 6850572

Castiglione Falletto is one of those cute Italian towns dating back to medieval times the country’s surface seems to be literally dotted with. It is situated between two branches of the Talloria stream smack dab in the heart of the Barolo production zone in the Langhe (UNESCO World Heritage site as of 2014), perched atop a hill dominating the valley below. Existence of the cute little town was first documented back around 1000 a.C., when Emperor Ottone II gifted it to the Count of Turin, Manfredi. Various important noble families were associated with the town throughout the centuries, including the Marquis of Saluzzo and the Falletti family. In fact, it appears more than likely that the Romans had already colonized this area around the first century a.C., as is indicated by the discovery of an ancient Roman plaque dating back to that time, found inside the Castiglione Falletto castle. The latter is the defining architectural feature of the town, an imposing building reinforced in the corners by cylindrical towers that are smaller than the main tower. The castle was built by Berthold Falletti of Alba, who was awarded the construction as a feud in 1225 by the Marquises of Saluzzo. Another site worth visiting when you’ll next find yourself in Castiglione Falletto is the parish church of San Lorenzo Church, located down at piazza Castello, where a narrow passage leads to the 1893 neo-Romanesque construction. I especially recommend taking a gander at the side altar (of Sant’ Andrea, or Saint Andrew), where an eighteenth century oval altarpiece attributed to the painter Bra Pietro Paolo Operti, offers a lovely rendition of the Immaculate Conception, Sant’Andrea and San Francesco (Saint Andrew and Saint Frances). But the one site in Castiglione Falletto that all food and wine lovers really don’t want to miss is the wonderful restaurant Le Torri.

At Le Torri, chef Luca Pellegrino, his wife Luisa Abello and son Matteo brilliantly revisit Piedmontese classic dishes in refreshing but highly faithful versions. Luisa and Luca are an extremely hard working couple, two genuinely nice, fun people to hang out with, and the restaurant is as charming as they are. Three bright spacious rooms with nicely distanced tables, large windows and a delightful terrace from where to admire the panorama of the valley and vineyards below make Le Torri a must-go to spot during your next trip to the area. I have had countless excellent lunches and dinners here, and can vouch for the quality of the food: but Luca being super-talented in the kitchen is only part of the story, as the wine list (arranged by commune) is one of the most complete Barolo wine lists you’ll find anywhere, and the ambience is at once warm and cozy. There are countless good places to eat in and around Barolo and Barbaresco, but also many that get talked up for no clear reason (given the poor quality of what lands in your plate) but Le Torri will provide an oasis of calm and a very serious professional dining experience.

Over the years I’ve tried many different dishes at Le Torri made with a slew of very different ingredients, from fish to fowl to beef. A short list of the many dishes tried here over the years would include classics like agnolotti del plin, vitello tonnato, braised pig cheek in Nebbiolo sauce, salt cod (baccalà) with a pumpkin sauce with hazelnuts and spinach, Castelmagno gnocchi, tajarin with Fassona beef ragù, buit also dishes featuring somewhat atypical ingredients for the Langhe, such as scallops and prawns. I would suggest leaving room for desserts, as these are some of the best you’ll eat anywhere in the Langhe, and I especially wish to single out the warm apple tartlet.

On my last foray at Le Torri, I also drank remarkably well, but then that’s no surprise, as the restaurant boasts an outstanding wine cellar. The 2018 GB Burlotto Verduno Pelaverga is one of Italy’s fifteen or so best medium-bodied wines. A simply stellar wine, it is always magically perfumed and lifted, with crunchy red fruit aromas and flavours that boast noteworthy aromatic spicy lift. The wine is just simply a knockout, even in what was at times a difficult 2018 vintage. And while this estate’s Verduno Pelaverga wine is now well-known to many insiders, I want to make sure you have also tried, or will look to give it a try, the Burlotto Langhe Freisa, simply one of the best Freisa wines you’ll ever drink. And there you were thinking that ultra-talented (not to mention likeable) winemaker Fabio Alessandria was only good at making magical Barolos! Another one of Italy’s very best least-known wines is the mesmerizingly good 2013 Accornero Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese Vigne Vecchie Bricco del Bosco: about the only thing longer than this wine’s name is its length, and the time in which you’ll be gyrating on the floor in paroxysms of joy after just one sip of it. For that’s how good the wine is: well-structured (made from over fifty years old vines on average and aged 24 months in oak), this amazing Grignolino is capable of lasting twenty years easily in a good cellar. Delicate nuances of vanilla and cinnamon colour the bright red cherry and redcurrant aromas and flavours, all of which will make you an utter believer. Barolo doesn’t get much better than when it is made by the super-talented Claudio Fenocchio, and the Giacomo Fenocchio 2015 Barolo Villero is a case in point. This wine often gets overlooked in favour of Fenocchio’s Barolo Riserva Bussia, but it is actually the better of the two wines in almost every vintage, if for no other reason because of its exceptionally old vines and the roughly 10% of Nebbiolo Rosé included in the blend (it used to be even more fifteeen years ago). Last but not least, we closed things off with another overlooked beauty, the Bovio 2005 Barolo Gattera, from a vintage that was grossly underrated from the outset (Mostly because of a little rain at harvest time, but the wines were showing great already from the barrel and only went from strength to strength). Bovio has always made classic Barolos that age gracefully, and the 2005 showed this and then some. Beautifully nuanced in its licorice tar and faded rose petal nuances, it proved the perfect way to bring a wonderful evening spent in the company of fine food, wines and friend to a magical close.

The dishes

Trio of Langa Vitello Tonnato, Insalata russa, Nocciola e Crema di Roccaverano

Guancia Brasata al Nebbiolo Veal (Cheek braised in Nebbiolo wine)

Semifreddo al Moscato Passito, Pere e Cioccolato (Moscato Passito Parfait, Pear and Chocolate)

Tartelletta di mela con gelato alla Vaniglia (Apple Tart with Vanilla Ice cream)

The wines

2018 GB Burlotto Verduno Pelaverga                            93

2013 Accornero Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese Vigne Vecchie Bricco del Bosco                     94

Giacomo Fenocchio 2015 Barolo Villero                        95

Bovio 2005 Barolo Gattera                                94