Contents
Drinks from white Cortese grapes are produced in Piedmont, one of the most developed regions of Italy.
Gavi wines belong to the highest class “DOCG” (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita).
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Characteristics of the variety and drinks
Cortese is grown in the southeastern part of Piedmont and harvested in 11 communes, one of which gave the name to Gavi wines.
Grape plantations are located on the hills in close proximity to the Ligurian Sea.
The soils in the region are diverse, as are the climatic conditions. The best raw materials are collected on the Rovereto hill.
Cortese is one of the most expensive and famous local varieties, able to maintain freshness regardless of weather conditions.
Ripe fruits are characterized by high acidity, which is difficult to control, so the grapes are not popular outside the region.
In Piedmont, they learned to turn this feature into an advantage.
The Gavi DOCG zone unites about 400 wineries, each of which produces drinks with its own character and flavor properties.
Wine classification
Under the name “Gavi” three groups of wines are combined:
Quiet
Sparkling
Hairdresser
They produce drinks according to classical technologies with some additions.
The Cortese variety is considered quite difficult to process: only experienced winemakers know how to handle it.
The main problem is high acidity, which becomes even more significant in cold years.
Solve it in two ways:
By adding concentrated must to fermenting wine.
The use of partial malolactic fermentation to soften the taste.
Still dry wines Woof
During the manufacturing process, an additional six-month aging in bottles is provided.
Fortress of classic wines: 10-11%.
The perfect accompaniment to quiet Gavi is seafood and fish of all kinds.
The wine needs to be chilled well before serving.
Common to all wines made from the Cortese fruit is freshness and the predominance of citrus-floral notes in the bouquet.
In the aroma, you can catch sweet notes of spices, acacia honey, peach and almond shades.
The color of the drinks is determined by the pale yellow color of the berries: the wines are characterized by a light lemon hue interspersed with green.
The taste is elegant, harmonious with the obligatory inclusion of mineral components.
Gavi sparkling wines
The taste of sparkling Gavi is rich, light, balanced, necessarily supplemented with mineral notes.
High acidity is also less noticeable, but there is a slight bitterness.
It is better to use with cheeses, vegetable and fish snacks.
Suitable as an aperitif.
Production features
After entering the plant, the preparation of hand-picked raw materials is carried out as quickly as possible, since the fragile aroma of the “capricious” Cortese quickly disappears in the heat.
Venerable winemakers are trying to immediately send it under pressure. The finished wort is cooled to 5 °C and spends several hours in this state, after which the fermentation phase begins at a temperature of about 17 °C. It lasts for several weeks.
Exposure is carried out in steel tanks or oak barrels. The “capricious” character of Cortese makes itself felt here: he does not like long storage in the “tree” – the aroma of wine deteriorates from such content. Therefore, manufacturers have to adapt, changing containers in search of the desired “taste”.
Sparkling Gavi (dry, brut, sweet) is made according to the traditional Italian Sharma method. For frizzante, an interruption of the secondary fermentation process is provided, which reduces the level of carbon dioxide content in it.
Gavi Producers
The first worthy wine from the Cortese fruit appeared at the La Scolca winery. It was here that the drink was released, which later gained worldwide fame. Prior to this, white varieties from Piedmont were not given much attention.
Today, there are many good producers of Gavi, in addition to the oldest farm “La Scolca”, in the region, as well as the varieties of wines they produce.
Among the famous ones are: “Villa Sparina”, “Nicola Bergaglio”, “Broglia Gian Piero”, “La Giustiniana”.
Relevance: 25.09.2018
Tags: Wine and vermouth, Wine brands