The Gavi docg

The Denomination

The Gavi Docg appellation includes all or part of the territories of 11 municipalities in the Province of Alessandria: Bosio, Capriata d'Orba, Carrosio, Francavilla Bisio, Gavi, Novi Ligure, Parodi Ligure, Pasturana, San Cristoforo, Serravalle Scrivia, and Tassarolo.

Quality and characteristics of Gavi docg

The DOCG "Gavi" or "Cortese di Gavi" refers to 4 types of white wine - Still, Sparkling, Spumante e Riserva - cw hich have the following characteristics:
The straw colorerine more or less faint with greenish highlights;

The elegant and delicate scent, with hints of fresh fruit and white flowers, with hints of citrus and bitter almonds, which is enriched with aging by mineral scents and complexity;

Taste dry, full, pleasantly fresh and harmonious, with great elegance and finesse.

As for the types of the Reserve, it is no longer only the aromas of the fruit, but also the l' breadth of nose and the fuller, richer mouthfeel; a long-lived white wine that retains its freshness but is ennobled by tertiary aromas that enable it to hold its own against the world's greats.
The Grande Bianco Piemontese is the child of a territory deeply permeated by its geographical formation and microclimate.
It is the encounter between the sea wind blowing from the Ligurian Sea and the snow of the Apennines that makes this corner of Piedmont special. The cold winters and warm, breezy summers, the slopes' altitude and exposure, and the marly, limestone and clay soils give birth to the Great White Piedmont. These are the characteristics of a terroir that we find in every glass of Gavi.

Why a great White in Piedmont?

The area had been Genoese for centuries, first a defensive and commercial outpost, then a place of pleasure and resort. The centrality of the Forte di Gavi, an imposing bulwark on the most important route between the plain and the sea, had given way in the 17th century to the splendid summer residences of Genoa's greatest families, from the Giustiniani to the Lomellini.
The Ligurian aristocracy elected the Cortese vine as a court berry and spread its cultivation. The first specialized Cortese plantings took place starting in 1856 on the estates owned by Marquis Cambiaso, La Centuriona and La Toledana in Gavi. In a few decades Gavi became synonymous with dry white wine.
The presence of a great white wine in Piedmont, a region of extraordinary quality for red wines, is therefore revealing of this deep connection that the land of Gavi has always had, even with the cuisine of the lords of Genoa based on fish, lean meats and vegetables, which marries perfectly with Cortese, the "noble" native grape variety, which finds its highest expression here.

The Origin of the Name

Gavi is an area of hills and mountains, but where you can already smell the scents of the Mediterranean, which arrive with sea breezes; it is agricultural land with vineyards that mingle with forests and intact natural landscapes; it is courteous and noble land, like the stories and legends and kept in the villages and castles. The best known is that of Princess Gavia. In 528, the maiden fleeing the wrath of her father Clodomiro, King of France, who denied her love for a young page came to these hills, where she found refuge from French troops, thanks to the intercession of the Pope. In her honor the inhabitants dedicated her name to the village. Legend has it that the beautiful and "courteous" young woman also inspired the name of the grape variety that gives rise to Gavi. Whether Cortese derives this appellation from the entourage of the Genoese nobility or from the virtue of the princess Gavia, there is no doubt that "Cortese di Gavi" today identifies a great Italian wine-making excellence that is a model of quality in the vineyard and research in the cellar.

The Specification

The quality of Gavi Docg is guaranteed by the production regulations that delimit the production area and establish specific constraints on production, winemaking and bottling.

The Terroir

The extreme southeastern corner of Piedmont constitutes a physical and geological frontier where the great plain and the mountains, alluvial soils and outcrops from remote eras meet. The terroir of Gavi from a geological point of view is divided into three bands, which influence the characteristics of the wine and the landscape.

The red soils originated from the fertigation of gravels mixed with clay from ancient alluvial deposits. They are located north of Gavi, toward Tassarolo and Novi Ligure. Here the hills are gentler and the vineyards alternate with oak and locust forests.
The central belt, which emerges on a line from Serravalle Scrivia to Gavi and San Cristoforo, sees alternating marls and sandstones. These are the soils of Monterotondo and of the vineyards at the foot of the beautiful Mount Mesima forest.
The southern part, which becomes steeper as the Apennine foothills approach, is composed of white clay marls whose marine origin is obvious seen also by the presence of numerous fossils. The area is part of the "Tertiary Piedmont Basin, " which includes various stratigraphic formations of the Oligo-Mio-Pliocene series. In particular, the characterizing formations are the "Serravallian Marls," soils particularly suited to the Cortese grape variety because they are able to enhance its qualities.

Gavi and Typical Products

History links the Raviolo di Gavi family with the origin of this filled pasta, whose recipe is now jealously guarded by an Order of Knights that has been dedicatedly promoting it for more than 40 years. Gavi raviolo is traditionally prepared with beef and pork, eggs, cheese, borage and escarole. It has a thin and tasty sheet of pasta and is tasted mainly in 3 ways: al "tocco," the local meat sauce, in bowls with wine, and "a culo nudo," that is, just skimmed, without seasonings.
The tradition for fresh pasta that has ancient origins in this area also brings to the table taglierini and lasagnette also called "stringoni" and "corzetti" seasoned, depending on the season, with game, mushrooms, tomato or pesto.
The simple and tasty cuisine of this "border" land also translates into the preparation of farinata and focaccia - "ironed" in the morning or with potatoes in the afternoon - and the "testa in cassetta" sausage made with pig's head, tongue, muscle and bovine heart, already a Slow Food presidium.
And finally in desserts: the Gavi macaroons, made with almonds, sugar, egg whites and honey. The patent for this delicacy dates back to 1780.
Famous in Italy and abroad is artisanal chocolate from the area, of which the municipality of Novi Ligure is the most important witness.

Gavi and PDOs

The Consortium promotes and enhances the gastronomic excellence of Piedmont, through tastings and recipes by star chefs.

The Raschera

Is produced and aged in the province of Cuneo. Its flavor is fine and delicate, fragrant, moderately savory when aged.

Robiola di Roccaverano

has very ancient origins, dating back to the Celtic-Ligurian period. It is the only PDO cheese that can be made exclusively from goat's milk.

The Murazzano

is a cheese produced in the upper Langa of Cuneo made exclusively by hand has a fine and delicately fragrant flavor.

The Castelmagno

is produced in three municipalities in the province of Cuneo and has ancient historical origins dating back to 1277. It is made mainly from cow's milk and the minimum aging period is 60 days.

The Rice of Baraggia Biella and Vercelli.

is obtained by processing rough rice or paddy rice to whole, refined or pairboiled rice in the following varieties: Arborio, Baldo, Balilla, Carnaroli, S. Andrea, Loto and Gladio.

The IGP Piedmont Hazelnut

variety grown in Piedmont is the Tonda Gentile Trilobata, and because of its taste and aroma it is universally known as the best in the world.

Italian Salamini alla Cacciatora PDO

only the best Italian pigs, the same ones used for Parma and San Daniele PDO hams, can become Salamini Italiani alla Cacciatora PDO, the original 'Italian Hunters'.

The Golden Humped Tench of the Poirino Plain

refers to the 'Tinca Tinca' variety bred in the ponds of the Poirino Plateau, distinguished by a large number of small and large fishponds.