Piedmont is the wine jewel of Italy, and everyone associates it with "the red trinity" of Dolcetto, Barbaresco, and Barolo. With the complexity of Italian wine regions, many wine lovers may not realize that Piedmont is also a birthplace of one of the best Italian white wines from the Gavi village.
If you a white wine lover Gavi wine is a must try.
And that's why we made Gavi di Gavi Toledana 2016 part of our themed tasting event "Taming the Italian Wine" focused on Piedmont wines.
Gavi di Gavi Toledana 2016 Tasting Notes
Gavi di Gavi for Gavi village is like Chianti Classico for Chianti - better sites and better expression of the varietal grape.
Toledana 2016 is 100% Cortese and comes from 20 years old vines. Toledana made a splash at the tasting and found fans right away. For some of our guests, this was the best wine of the evening despite "the red trinity" presence.
The delicate aromas of white flowers, ripe citrus fruit, a touch of almond and minerality. On the palate, a bit of sharpness on the palate lemon, orchard fruits on the palate with a lingering almond finish. Excellent balance between acidity and sweetness.
Now our guests know why in 1960-1970s Gavi was considered the top Italian wine. At that time Pinot Grigio was a characterless table wine that didn't warrant consideration. Only in 1980s Gavi standing was challenged when Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige started Pinot Grigio revolution. Now everyone knows Italian Pinot Grigio, and it's more highly thought of.
What can you pair it with?
Gavi proximity to Ligurian coast makes Gavi natural companion to local seafood and dishes incorporating famous Ligurian olive oil.
What's in the name?
La Toledana is a castle was built in the first half of the 16th century as a fortress and defense and after became a winery owned by the Martini family. In the mid 19th century they planted the first large plantation of Cortese grape native to Piedmont. Since 2002 the GMO vines banned in Gavi, to promote diversity and protect the authenticity of the wine.
Have you tasted Gavi yet? What's your favorite?