This was a last-minute decision. A few weeks ago, Pat got an email sent to Patreon supporters of Elizabeth Schneider, host of the Podcast “Wine for Normal People,” saying that there had been a cancellation for her Piedmont wine tour, and anyone interested should act fast.

Why not?

So here we are, in Torino, in the Italian Piedmont. Not far from France. Not far from Switzerland. Ready for our group to depart Sunday morning for a week that will include visits to vineyards, 11 tastings, and more information than I will be able to retain about Italian Piedmont wines.

This is our first group tour. There’s something to be said for having everything taken care of — accommodations, itinerary, etc. — especially when you depart a month after deciding to go. Up to now, we’ve taken care of our own travel arrangements and accommodations (except for a weekend tour of Montreal back in 2001).

Getting here was a bit of an adventure. ITA, the Italian airline, and Air France teamed up to remind me that the overnight flight to Europe on a modern airline is torture. Schedule changes, cancellations and rebooking ultimately had us on an ITA flight to Rome a day later than intended.

We got to Torino (Turin) just an hour before our group was to head out to a local cafe for a vermouth tasting. Our guide, Silvia Di Fiore led the group to the historic Caffè Fiorino (founded in 1780), where we were given a flight of three delicious vermouths.

Other than “delicious,” I remember little; I was on autopilot after a night on the plane. After the tasting, Silvia took us through the streets of Torino, to our hotel, and we immediately went to bed.