2010 La Soraia Gavi di Gavi DOCG Piedmont Italy

La Soraia Gavi di Gavi Piedmont Italy

La Soraia is located in Bosio, a little commune about 5.6 kilometers south of Gavi, one of the numerous appellations or DOC of the Piedmont region surrounding the eponymous village, northwestern part of Italy.

La Soraia is one of the oldest producers of Gavi di Gavi Docg from estate-grown Cortese grapes (it is enrolled as bottler n.4 in the district’s land archives!). The estate dates back to the first half of the XX century and the property vineyards have been run by the Natalino family ever since.

The Soraia vineyard is located at 550 mt asl, planted on a high-altitude site long renowned for its calcareous white soil and steep south-east exposure. The combination of good exposure, high altitude and limestone soil make for a very nervy, sharp and flinty-stony Gavi di Gavi DOCG, bearing resemblance with a fine village Sancerre or Muscadet.

Nowadays, Guido Natalino keeps growing his 30 year old Cortese grapes in accordance to a few simple principles of non- intrusive, low-impact viticulture (zero pesticides, zero systemic treatments, no use of chemical herbicides). Cortese grapes are hand-picked around the end of September / beginning of October. The vine density is up to 5.000 plants per hectare, and the average grape yield x Ha. is down to 6 tons. Malolactic fermentation is let occur or intentionally prevented depending on the quality of the crop and the seasonal weather conditions.

The cellar protocol is simple: Guido makes Gavi, Dolcetto Ovada and Barbera on his own, trusting his own palate and going for a traditional white wine fermentation in stainless steel vats at controlled-temperature (plus a short stay on the lees in stainless steel vats, prior to bottling).

In addition to his prized Gavi Docg and Gavi di Gavi Docg, Guido makes two traditional reds worth your attention: an elegant, warming and savory Barbera d'Asti aged in old French oak tonneaux, and a super fruity, crunchy and delicious Dolcetto di Ovada Doc (Ovada being the true ancient cradle and homeland of the Dolcetto variety, which later spread through the rest of Piedmont; here the soil is pure white chalk, which results in a more refined, lighter-color yet more complex style of Dolcetto, reminiscent of a Cru Beaujolais).

2010 La Soraia Gavi di Gavi Piedmont Italy
Suggested retail price $14-$17
Imported / distributed by Moonlight Wine Co. in NYC

Made from 100% Cortese grapes grown with organic practices in limestone-rich Piedmontese soil near Gavi, the 2010 La Soraia Gaivi di Gavi displays delicate, light, fresh and zesty, lemony aromas with fresh almond touch combined with floral, sappy and flinty hints. Coating, juicy and crisp, the palate is also light, fresh and fragrant, loaded with minerality and zesty lemon, yellow fruit flavors. The finish is extremely mineral and integrated .It definitely calls for another glass. Versatile, elegant, food friendly and summery, it will pair well with fish, cold pasta salads, grilled poultry, Mediterranean dishes and feta, goat or mozzarella cheeses.

Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin

Info about the winery courtesy of the importer website at http://www.moonlightwineco.com/la-soraia/ and the man behind Moonlight Wine, Tony Gibson.

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