My November trip to Piedmont was one of the most eventful in recent memory. It seemed like every day brought with it an important piece of news, ranging from the possible sale of one of the region’s historic estates, to reports of a second winery caught in a bitter power struggle among families, to the locals’ displeasure over the construction of an imposing new luxury hotel many view as an eyesore among these generally bucolic landscapes. Several landmark restaurants will be closing, changing ownership and/or relocating at the end of the year.