Gavi
Moderate continental, with maritime influence
A hilltop DOCG in south-east Piedmont making crisp, mineral dry white from Cortese, cooled by air from the Ligurian coast.
Overview
About Gavi
Gavi lies in the far south-east of Piedmont, close to the border with Liguria, around the small fortified town of Gavi. Its wine is made entirely from Cortese, a white grape that gives a dry, citrusy, almond-scented wine, medium in body and high in acidity, at its best with a touch of saline mineral character.
The wine is often sold as Gavi or Cortese di Gavi. The strictest version, Gavi di Gavi, comes only from vineyards within the commune of Gavi itself, on its clay and marl hillsides. It is one of the best-known Italian whites in export markets, made in styles from simple and fresh to more serious, textured wines that age for several years.
Gavi is marked on the map.
Italy
Shaded: Alessandria. Map units are states, provinces or départements, so a smaller place appears as the larger area that contains it.
The land
Climate & terroir
Climate
Moderate continental, with maritime influence
Cooler and breezier than most of Piedmont: the Apennines are low here, so air from the Ligurian Sea, less than 60 kilometres away, moderates summer heat and keeps the Cortese fresh.
Terroir & soils
What the vines grow in
White and grey marly clay with pockets of sand and ferruginous red clay. The mix of soils on the hillsides gives Gavi from different villages a noticeably different weight and texture.
Go deeper
Rules, years & producers
Gavi is a single-grape DOCG, with a stricter sub-designation for wines from the commune of Gavi itself.
Gavi del Comune di Gavi DOCG
From vineyards in the commune of Gavi alone, often labelled Gavi di Gavi.
Gavi Riserva DOCG
Aged for longer before release, for a more textured, mature style.
Gavi DOCG
100% Cortese from the wider zone; the standard fresh, dry white.
What's grown here
Grapes
Each grape's page links back here.