G.B. Burlotto was a winemaker for over 70 years. Today, his great-great-grandson, Fabio Alessandria continues the legacy of the "Commendatore," crafting elegant Barolos in Verduno.

Fabio greeted us at the gate of his gorgeous cellar and we spent a good 15-20 minutes catching up in his courtyard, which features soaring palm trees. When we asked about how palm trees grow in Piedmont, he explained that his family traced some ancestry to Africa (we're still puzzled about how the trees survive snow).