Gavi DOCG: the Cortese between villages and Ligurian horizon

The area includes territories of Gavi, Bosio, Carrosio, Capriata d’Orba, Francavilla Bisio, Novi Ligure, Parodi Ligure, Pasturana, San Cristoforo, Serravalle Scrivia and Tassarolo. The disciplinary perimeter defines the permitted parts: the number of municipalities offers a reference, while the origin of the grapes requires to look at the actual delimitation of the vineyards.

The landscape of Gavi is read through the encounter between hills and Appennines. From the center of the village, the presence of the Fort introduces a history of passages and connections; outside the town, the rows open the agricultural story. The alternation between these two environments gives concreteness to the name on the label and invites you to travel even the least known countries.

Gavi obtained DOC in 1974 and DOCG in 1998. The name Cortese di Gavi is also admitted, which expresses the link between variety and origin. The two forms help to understand the dual identity of wine: a Piedmont vine and a delimited area that interprets its cultivation.

Wineries add to this story the diversity of plots and productive choices. The presence of vines in different municipalities makes it interesting to ask where the bunches of the bottle are cultivated. A route between Gavi, Francavilla Bisio and Tassarolo can thus transform itself into a reading of the denomination through several points of the territory, maintaining as a thread the same white grape.

All types of Gavi DOCG require the 100% of Cortese. The discipline includes quiet, sparkling, sparkling, Riserva and Riserva Spumante classic method. The varietal purity therefore coexists with different forms of processing and maturation: the name of the type completes the reading of the bottle and directs the tasting.

The quiet version allows you to approach the freshness of white; the other versions open the theme of effervescence and time. The comparison with the Cortese dell’Alto Monferrato shows another territory of the same variety, with a minimum base of 85%. Fish dishes, risottos and delicate preparations are opportunities to recognize the role of wine at the table.

The Riserva Spumante classico method involves at least two years of ageing, with eighteen months on the lees in bottle. The data makes the difference in terms of a simple reference to bubbles: time and stay on yeasts enter into productive conditions. A tasting that includes this type can also follow the maturation, connecting the Cortese della vigna to the steps completed before the bottle is opened.

Dedicate a first stop in the center of Gavi and its historical heritage, then reach Tassarolo and San Cristoforo. The passage between roads of the country and countryside shows how the villages fit into the hills. A visit to the company can complete the tour with the story of one or more vineyards, bringing the taste back to their position.

For a second day, Parodi Ligure and Bosio allow you to explore other areas of the area. The municipal pages accompany the choice of supports and insights. A tasting of Gavi quiet and sparkling finally binds the two days: the territory remains common, while processing offers different perspectives on the same raw material.