Walking base towns in Piemonte or elsewhere in italy?

We are four friends planning to visit Italy in September or October (I know! -- late, but that's how we roll), and are looking for a town or city that would make a good base for five or six days of daily walks or easy hikes. Cassandra Overby, on the Rick Steves podcast, had mentioned the concept of using a single town as a base for multiple walks (as opposed to inn-to-inn hiking). We are hoping to find a such town to be our base, with easy to moderate hikes in mind. We are hoping to visit places unfamiliar to us in northern areas such as Piemonte (we've been looking at the Langhe region) but are open to other suggestions for uncrowded places that will offer relatively relaxed walking, good food, and beauty. While we enjoy wine, we are not oenophiles. I know it's asking a lot, but I appreciate your expertise!

In the past, we have used Cicerone guide books, but can't seem to find one for Piemonte. Perhaps you can suggest an alternative?
To be clear, I am not asking about walking tours of cities, nor are we interested in a guided tour. Many thanks!