The real story behind Reset Retreats, and how wine, truffles, and a medieval pig roast changed everything

We landed in Milan on a crisp autumn morning, picked up a rental car that was just barely emotionally equipped for two women with big feelings and bigger outfits, and headed north. No rigid plans. Just a desire for something different—something soft, maybe a little slow, definitely Italian.

Our first stop? Barbaresco.

This storybook hilltop village offers sweeping views, excellent wine, and one unforgettable surprise: a former church turned wine shop.

Now listen, Melinda is not exactly a wine-o. She enjoys a drop, sure, but she’s not one to swirl and sniff and talk terroir. Still, when she stepped into that vaulted sanctuary of Barbaresco reds, she lost her absolute fking mind**.

“Are you kidding me?” she whispered, wide-eyed. “This is the most sacred place I’ve ever been.”

We took photos like pilgrims. Sampled like sinners. Bought wine we had no business buying. The kind of bottles that practically begged to be smuggled home in our luggage with no regrets and no customs declaration.

…and then came Alba

Our next stop was Alba, and something in me shifted.

There’s a softness to Alba that sneaks up on you. The kind of place that doesn’t beg to be noticed, but instead waits – like it knows you’ll get there when you're ready. Truffles perfume the air. Cobblestones slow your pace. Everything tastes just slightly more real.

We wandered the Saturday market. Bought fig jam and hazelnut spreads. Picked up Christmas gifts we knew we’d keep for ourselves. Ate pasta. Sat in silence. Laughed too hard. Took turns saying “we should move here”, but only half joking.

And somewhere between a second espresso and our third purchase of truffle anything, we looked at each other and said it out loud:

“We need to come back here.”

Not in a touristy, “we should totally do this again” way. But like a knowing. A cellular-level whisper that said – this isn’t just a visit. This is a beginning.

Somewhere between the wine, the truffle-scented air, and the gentle rhythm of the town, I remembered a version of myself I hadn’t met in years.

And that’s how Reset Retreats was born. Not in a boardroom or brainstorm, but in a moment of quiet joy, a deep breath, and the sweet remembering that life can feel really, really good.

Window shopping in Alba’s storied streets.

The White Truffle Festival: where pleasure is devotional.

Each autumn, Alba hosts the world-famous White Truffle Festival, and when I say it’s a feast, I mean it in every sense. This was the entire reason for being in Alba, and it did not disappoint.

Stalls overflow with truffle everything – truffle honey, truffle butter, truffle salt. Local wines are poured freely. Cheeses and truffle-infused sausages are sampled on the spot. Chefs do live demos. You taste. You wander. You inhale joy.

We include ticketed access for all Reset Retreat guests, because this is more than just a foodie moment – it’s a cultural immersion. A sensual reawakening. A deep yes to beauty, flavor, and slowing down.

It’s not indulgence. It’s reverence.

Come for the truffles, stay for the truffles, take truffles home:

The medieval fair: yes, there was a man in full armor serving truffle fries

As if the Truffle Festival weren’t enough, Alba also throws a full-blown medieval fair, also known as the Alba Bacchanal

Picture this:

Townspeople in head-to-toe Renaissance garb
Knights clashing swords in the square
Children playing traditional games
Flag-throwers performing synchronized routines
Pig roasting on a spit
Truffle fries served with no shame and full glory

It was theatrical, joyful, slightly chaotic, and completely perfect. A reminder that life doesn’t always need to be profound to be healing. Sometimes you just need to have a man in chainmail serve you potatoes dusted in gold.

why we keep coming back (and want you to come with us)

By the time we’d survived the Truffle Bacchanal, made it through a medieval pig roast, and sampled truffle fries with a man in chainmail, we knew.

We weren’t done with Alba. Not even close.

This place wasn’t just somewhere we visited.
It became a part of us.

Melinda goes to Alba almost every single year, without fail, to stock up on truffles, visit her sacred wine church, and “accidentally” bring home a suitcase full of Barolo.

And me? I fell in love the first time. Not with a person, or even a place exactly, but with a feeling… a rhythm of life I didn’t know I’d been missing. It was like my nervous system recognized Alba before I did.

That’s why we created Reset Retreats.
That’s why we return each November.
And that’s why we’re not gatekeeping this magic anymore.

We want you to experience it firsthand.
With us. With laughter. With truffles. With tenderness.

Come for the pasta. Stay for the presence.
Reset your body, your breath, your joy – on the cobblestones and in the hills, just like we did.

Will you join us this November?

✨ Two nights in Alba
🌿 Four nights of full-body-mind-soul restoration in Barolo
🛏️ Five-star spa resort, daily wellness, cooking, coaching, and joy
📍 November 2025 | €200 off until Augusrt 31

Request an Info Pack

Reserve your spot

She dragged me to Alba, and the rest is history…