General description of the white piedmont wine Gavi DOCG
The white wine Cortese di Gavi or simply Gavi is a wine produced in Piedmont. The historical origin of this wine comes from the “Cortese” vines where it takes its name which are originating from Alessandria.
The Piedomontese Gavi is the proud holder of the DOCG (Denominazione di origine controllata e Garantita) certification; this is a very honorable certificate because it means that there is an elevate control during the winemaking process and it certifies the specific origin of production which gives to the wine specific organoleptic features that makes it unique compared to other delocalized productions.
As the Cortese di Gavi DOCG few other italian wines can guarantee that certification such as: the Albana di Romagna, the Fiano di Avellino, the Soave Superiore, the Vermentino di Gallura and the Vernaccia di San Gimignano. All of them whit its specific characteristics which from one hand valorize and characterize the origin territory and on the other hand allow with the time and the farmers knowledge to makes them different and “exclusive” with an higher quality compared to the other wines.
In fact the DOCG certification unify these two concepts: the relation between the product and its territory and the product and the production technics which are settled since long time, conserved and passed on through the generations.
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Description of the production territory of the Gavi Docg
This amazing white Piedmont wine is produced in the geographical area surrounding the little Gavi hamlet in the south of Alessandria where the Po Valley, near the Lemme stream, is get close to the Ligurian Appennines on the northern side (the one direct to the Piedmont) so this territory is protected by the winds that come from the sea.
In addition the name Gavi comes from an old ligurian etymology which associates the root of the word Gavi so “GA” to the land and to the hilly territory whereas the ending “VA” (Ga-Va : land of holes and dips) to the presence of holes, caves and orographic depression present on the territory that still today are well visible and characterized the area.
The wine which is exclusively produced with the “Cortese” vine grapes already cultivated in this territory since the Romans is kind concerning the colors, the taste and the scent. Depending on the grapes maturation degree when picked, it can assumes different peculiarities which determine a major structure and refinement.
The Cortese vine, which has white grapes, is native of Piedmont region, and it grows mostly in the area between the Po Valley and the Apennines hills of Liguria. The bunch has medium dimensions, with a conic shape which reminds an overturned pyramid with marked wings. The grape is big (medium-big) not perfectly spherical with a gold color tending to the yellow that allows to see some little chlorophyll veining with a copper color mostly if exposed to the sun.
On the surface is visible a light bloomy coat which protects the thin peel. The grape produces very high quality wine especially if pure at 100%.
The wine produced by the cortese are very elegant with a good balance between the taste in terms of acidity and the alcoholic degree. These characteristics are more marked if the picked is delayed. The latest picked (the end of October- beginning of November) permits a major refinement which valorizes the character and the complexity of the wine.
For this reason the Gavi wine, produced with 100% of the Cortesi grapes has a straw yellow color more intense or less depending on the refinement degree. If looked against the light, especially if it is young, it gives you some green emerald reflections that remember you its lightly acid taste which is only a pH 5 (as described in the DOCG technical policies of production).
The scent confirms its delicacy and lightness, by expressing it from its fresh fruit and flower flavors.
The taste of this fantastic white wine is dry, refined, fine and thin and definitely not mellow.
It is very fresh and harmonic even if drunk at the ambient temperature, it is able to balance the acidity together with the alcoholic degree and the scents which are always very well expressed. The minimum alcoholic degree is 10,5° but it can increases to 11° in other winemaking processes.
This spectacular grape which gives the Gavi, a still white wine also named GAVI TRANQUILLO (“quite” Gavi) in fact, it is perfect to be used for other wine typologies: Sparkling Gavi DOCG and Gavi Spumante.
These are respectively characterized by fine bubbles and a light and persistent foam. All the Gavi wines can be bought in our online wine shop Uritalianwines where you can also find the Gavi Riserva and the Gavi Riserva metodo Classico.
Ideal gastronomic matches with the white Gavi Docg wine
The piedmont white wine is perfect with fish starters especially the white meats and raw. The perfect match is made by the crustaceous, squids, clams, mussels, calamari and octopus.
All these foods can be fume, roasted or raw and enriched with a lemon juice and a sprinkling of parsley.
Other wonderful matches regard more structured dishes such as grilled vegetables such as aubergines, peppers and zucchini joined by tomatoes in oil and anchovies. It can be also matched with meats such as rabbit in humid and hams.
It is suggested to drunk it with both with a prawn cocktail or short pasta with zucchini or artichoke velvet sauces.
The white Gavi wine has to be served in a little-medium wine glass with a large bowl on the bottom and more straighten on the top to permit an adequate oxygenation that keep the wine scent. The ideal temperature to serve it is between the 12°C and the 14°C while for the sparkling varieties the temperature specifically decreases to a 8°C to structure the bubbles.
The best years of the Cortese di Gavi DOCG are : ’99, ‘’01, ‘’02, ‘’06 ‘’07, ‘’08, ‘’10, ‘’11, ‘’12.
Many different typologies of this wine can be bought on our online wine shop Uritalianwines, which is the best online wine shop that can satisfy the most passionate tastes.
The winemaking of this wonderful wine preview 6 months in barrels and 6 more months in bottles for the final refinement. The aging period starts from the 15 October that follows the grape harvest until the next October. It can be distributed after 13 months complete, within it has to be obligatory bottled in the original land which means the south of Alessandria in Piedmont, because if not there is the DOCG certification dissolution.
