Ottosoldi Gavi DOCG 2016

The 2016 vintage was another banner year for Italy’s Piedmont as growers, winemakers, and critics all rightly sing the praises of the vintage. Not surprisingly, Ottosoldi’s 2016 Gavi DOCG once again embodies the essence of the Cortese varietal – supreme elegance and impeccable balance. From the wine’s pale yellow sun-splashed robe to its long snappy finish, the 2016 Ottosoldi Gavi offers delightful drinking. Fragrant with floral scents and the aromas of pear and citrus, this Ottosoldi Gavi is sure to elicit a smile and delight the senses. Lacking extremes in weather during the 2016 growing season, the 2016 Ottosoldi Gavi maintains a healthy tension between fruit and fresh acidity, which preserve the hauntingly delicate ethereal quality that makes the finest Gavi nearly irresistible. Add subtle minerality and a long, racy finish and it becomes obvious why Ottosoldi’s Gavi has consistently been lauded by critics and consumers. For optimal enjoyment, we suggest serving the delicious 2016 Ottosoldi Gavi moderately chilled (40° F). Salute!

The 2016 Ottosoldi Gavi provides the ideal wine to serve at the beginning of an elegant dinner party or simply after a long day, as it offers both comfort and refreshment to help wash away the cares of life. Very few white wines make better aperitifs than Ottosoldi’s Gavi, yet our preference is to bring it to table to accompany fish, shellfish, poultry, and veal. Sautéed Sea Scallops prepared in a cream sauce with unsalted pistachio nuts and Mediterranean herbs is one of our all-time favorite dishes to accompany Gavi. Pan Seared Red Snapper stuffed with sautéed spinach and melted Fontina cheese provides another delicious accompaniment to this wine. Shrimp Scampi with linguine and Pasta Primavera provide additional companionship. Chicken Francese and Veal Piccata offer more outstanding choices to serve with the 2016 Ottosoldi Gavi. In addition, the Cortese grape possesses an affinity for all kinds of young cow’s milk cheeses, so why not serve it with Gouda, Muenster, or a fine Comté? Enjoy!

Ottosoldi highlights the beauty of the Cortese grape in Gavi, Italy’s premier appellation for the elegant Cortese varietal. Owned by Stefano and Massimo Moccagatta and Michele Marsiaj, Ottosoldi was born from a small parcel that Stefano and Massimo’s grandfather purchased in 1920. Their grandfather, who purchased the small vineyard Ottosoldi now cultivates, referred to the land as “Otto soldi” (eight coins), an Italian expression signifying that it was worth a fortune. From this tiny southwest facing vineyard on limestone and marl soils Ottosoldi fashions exceptional Gavi, which is fermented in both stainless steel and large tonneaux barrels, imbuing the wine with both freshness and texture.

Stefano and Massimo Moccagatta’s unrelenting goal is to re-establish Gavi as one of the world's great white wines. In Gavi they tie together tradition, terroir, and the production of one of Italy’s most renowned white wines, which they dedicate to their grandfather and "all grandparents who pass on from generation to generation, fundamental family values."

In the north of Italy, nestled just beneath the great Alpine wall as it tumbles out of Switzerland and the gleaming Mediterranean Sea, lies Piemonte, Italy’s Piedmont. It is a region of myriad beauty. It is also the region of Italy closest to France in proximity as well as in the sheer quality and variety of exceptional wines it produces. For centuries, Italy’s Piedmont remained a prize to be won among warring European powers, no doubt at least in part on account of the province’s world famous cuisine that still draws happily on the abundance and quality of local truffles. Yet, today, it is the superbly made wines of Italy’s Piedmont that garner the most international recognition: complex, hedonistic red wines, delicate still whites such as Gavi, and sweet haunting Muscats. With such exquisite fare, should anyone question why the wines of the Piedmont and the hearty robust delights of the Piedmontese table remain the region’s most famous ambassadors to a hungry and thirsty world?