Every once in a while I stumble upon a place that makes me smile. Il Cascinalenuovo made me more than smile; it evoked a sense of magic and enlightenment in me that is hard to express in words...but I'll try.
I stayed 3 nights at the Albergo: Oct 5 and 6th and then again Oct 15, 2011. The rooms are elegant and well thought out with a sense of class and minimalism. I felt right at home and slept like a champ on the very comfortable queen sized bed. Dinner on oct 5th was spent eating at some local pizza joint as the "in-house" resto was closed. I was told by the super nice and extremely generous owner that the next night I would be able to eat at the resto if I so-desired (it was very understated on his part about how good the resto was). I decided to book a table for one person without seeing the menu...or even knowing what the price range was. Making my way down to dinner on the eve of Oct 6th is what makes this review so important... I was transported to an exquisite, understated surrounding of white-draped elegance. Perfect ambiance, perfect lighting, perfect seating...Perfect! The service was so good that I do not even know how to describe it...They read my mind at every level and made the experience just amazing. I have not mentioned the meal yet :) The cuisine at Il Cascinalenuovo, is, as far as I am concerned, the best I have ever tried....anywhere. My 1st dish; millefeuille of foie gras and veal tongue was transcendental... and that was just the start! I cannot mention here all the menu items I tried, but rest assured I was in pure heaven throughout the entire meal. I am not sure what was put together first: the menu, or the wine list. The selection of local and international wines is simply perfect. I would say they have the top 5 wine lists I have ever been privy to peruse. My favorite selection was the bottle of 2005 Bricco d'ell Uccellone, Barbera D'asti. They "only" have 32 pages of wine, but the selections are incredibly well thought out and balanced...not to mention very reasonably priced. Of course, they are heavily weighted towards local varietals, but who can blame them... Barbaresco, Barolo, Gavi, Langhe...very nice neighbors to have.
Last but not least, as a side bar (and to perhaps let the cat out of the bag...) upon my return visit, I was mesmerized by a certain "employee". She had recognized me from my previous stay and wanted to make sure everything was alright for my current stay. I am not sure why I had not noticed before, but she is absolutely remarkable. Her beauty and energy are quite simply breathtaking and I became mesmerized by her. Her beauty is matched only by her elegance, poise, and kindness.

So, all in all I will find a way to return shortly. To Eat, Love and Stay :)