GET INTO GAVI

Location and geography make this high Piedmont region a haven for characteristically crisp, dry and minerally whites, perfect for summer drinking, be they young or bottle-aged Riservas

- ALESSANDRA PIUBELLO

Our story begins in the southeastern strip of Piedmont that borders the province of Genoa in Liguria: this is Gavi wine country. The old Salt Route passed through here, following the Via Postumia Roman road on its way up to Pavia and ultimately the country’s far northeast; and in the 12th century, the small town of Gavi became a crucial defensive outpost for the Genoese, as evidenced by its imposing fortress.

Here, a unique encounter takes place: the wind from the Ligurian sea, about 30km to the south, blows up to the snow-capped Apennines, caressing villages, castles and hills, woods and vineyards on its way and blessing the air with a special light. Sea, snow and light: the three distinguishing features of this area that seems suspended in time, permeated with an age-old nobility. In a region famous for its reds, this terroir is ideal for white wine.

ONE GRAPE, DIFFERENT SOILS

Within this unspoilt ‘Middle-earth’, which has been protected by its natural beauty, Gavi represents the dividing line between different soils and, therefore, different wines. The red soils to the north contain clay, sand and gravel, giving full-bodied, fruity wines. The white soils in the centre, characterised by marly limestone and clay, are the oldest and emerged from the sea; the wines here are graceful, more supple. To the south, at higher altitudes, the rocky, pebbly soil makes for more delicately scented, finely structured Gavis.