The hills of the Langhe district south of Alba sketch out a helter-skelter route, uphill, downhill, and round the bends that form the boundaries of Piedmont's finest vineyards. This is the kingdom of Barolo: wine of kings, king of wines. Not that other important wines are lacking; Nebbiolo, Dolcetto and Barbera, for example. Within the space of just a few kilometres the route takes in all the most famous towns and hamlets of the area, from Barolo itself to La Morra, from Monforte to Serralunga d'Alba, in a succession of ancient estates and mediaeval towers hidden in a succession of fields and vineyards.