“Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more civilized.” Andre Simon
Hunting season has begun in Italy. But not all of the hunters walking down our street carry rifles. Some wander through the forests surrounding our home with their dogs in search of truffles. Yes, the fragrant, flavorsome tuber grows right in our back yard, practically. And each year at this time, I am reminded of my trip to the Alba white truffle festival in the northern Italian province of Piedmont. It has been a number of years since my husband, Jim, and I visited the truffle festival in the hopes of finding some products to import to California, but I still have many memories (some fond and others not) of that journey.
Alba white truffles
Let me preface my comments by saying that this was our craziest trip to Italy ever. In my eagerness to find foods and wines to import and also visit friends, I crammed so many locations into 2 weeks that it was like taking one of those horrid package tours where you visit 12 cities in 12 days. In 14 days we took 11 different train rides crisscrossing the peninsula in a frenzied haze. But it was not just the overly ambitious schedule that made this trip so memorable, it is the many vignettes that played out along the way.
At the train station in Santa Margarita Maggiore, on our way to Alba, a young woman tried to steal my husband's wallet from his back pocket. Two days later, I lost a crown while eating the truffle fondue in an Alba restaurant. Little did I know as I secured the crown in my purse, that yet another surprise awaited me in this same establishment. Entering the ladies' room, I did a double-take. I asked myself, "Did I enter the wrong restroom"? A little embarrassed, I exited and looked again at the sign on the door, and looked again at the sign on the other restroom door. No, I am sure this little figure is wearing a dress and that signora means woman. But is this door a time portal to the past or have I entered some parallel universe where they don't really get the concept of toilet? There before me was merely a hole in the floor with marks on either side to place your feet. I panicked. How am I supposed to use this facility? Okay, honestly, if I hadn't been desperate, I would never have tried.
It was in the town of Alba also that we first encountered what has now become routine for us - out of work immigrants playing parking lot attendants in public parking lots in order to make a living. However, after receiving a small payment for directing us to an open parking space, this particular guy kept haranguing Jim about buying some socks. Jim, of course, refused the socks, but the guy kept following us through the parking lot, socks in hand, insisting that Jim buy them. Finally, frustrated and a bit irritated due to the persistence of this person, Jim emphatically said, "NO, GRAZIE," and we continued walking. We still wonder whether the elderly Italian gentleman who was yelling at us as we crossed the parking lot was chastising us or supporting our stance. But, having lived in Italy for 5 years now, we know that this is just the way things work. But we still say no to the socks.
My final striking memory of Alba was the cold reception we received in the bed and breakfast. The owner just plain refused to try to talk with us. When asked a question, she just shook her head no and said, "Wait until my daughter is here", and walked away. We finally concluded that the daughter was imaginary as we never did see her. Well, it is true that there was a language barrier, but everywhere else we had been in Italy, people at least tried to communicate with us even if our Italian was elementary.
As I write about my memories of that trip, part of me is not surprised that we have not returned to Piedmont even though it is now only a five hour drive from our Le Marche home and, more importantly, Giorgio Rivetti personally invited us to his winery, La Spinetta. But along with these memories, the smell of truffles still fills my senses and the taste of Gavi lingers on my lips. And these memories overpower all others calling to me as the leaves turn, the grape harvest commences, and the truffle hunters arrive. And in my memory I return to a cool, sunny day in Alba, with a glass of Gavi and a dish of pasta with white truffles.
At the train station in Santa Margarita Maggiore, on our way to Alba, a young woman tried to steal my husband's wallet from his back pocket. Two days later, I lost a crown while eating the truffle fondue in an Alba restaurant. Little did I know as I secured the crown in my purse, that yet another surprise awaited me in this same establishment. Entering the ladies' room, I did a double-take. I asked myself, "Did I enter the wrong restroom"? A little embarrassed, I exited and looked again at the sign on the door, and looked again at the sign on the other restroom door. No, I am sure this little figure is wearing a dress and that signora means woman. But is this door a time portal to the past or have I entered some parallel universe where they don't really get the concept of toilet? There before me was merely a hole in the floor with marks on either side to place your feet. I panicked. How am I supposed to use this facility? Okay, honestly, if I hadn't been desperate, I would never have tried.
It was in the town of Alba also that we first encountered what has now become routine for us - out of work immigrants playing parking lot attendants in public parking lots in order to make a living. However, after receiving a small payment for directing us to an open parking space, this particular guy kept haranguing Jim about buying some socks. Jim, of course, refused the socks, but the guy kept following us through the parking lot, socks in hand, insisting that Jim buy them. Finally, frustrated and a bit irritated due to the persistence of this person, Jim emphatically said, "NO, GRAZIE," and we continued walking. We still wonder whether the elderly Italian gentleman who was yelling at us as we crossed the parking lot was chastising us or supporting our stance. But, having lived in Italy for 5 years now, we know that this is just the way things work. But we still say no to the socks.
My final striking memory of Alba was the cold reception we received in the bed and breakfast. The owner just plain refused to try to talk with us. When asked a question, she just shook her head no and said, "Wait until my daughter is here", and walked away. We finally concluded that the daughter was imaginary as we never did see her. Well, it is true that there was a language barrier, but everywhere else we had been in Italy, people at least tried to communicate with us even if our Italian was elementary.
As I write about my memories of that trip, part of me is not surprised that we have not returned to Piedmont even though it is now only a five hour drive from our Le Marche home and, more importantly, Giorgio Rivetti personally invited us to his winery, La Spinetta. But along with these memories, the smell of truffles still fills my senses and the taste of Gavi lingers on my lips. And these memories overpower all others calling to me as the leaves turn, the grape harvest commences, and the truffle hunters arrive. And in my memory I return to a cool, sunny day in Alba, with a glass of Gavi and a dish of pasta with white truffles.
The Cortese Grape
For many years, Gavi di Gavi has been one of my favorite Italian wines. One of Italy's premier white wines, Gavi, is made from the Cortese grape grown on the hills of 13 communes in the Piedmont province of Alessandria. It is known for being a dry, crisp wine with a good acidity which reflects the mineral rich soils of the area. The story of how the wine came to be named for the city of Gavi in the center of the DOCG area has been handed down for generations. And like all good stories, it begins "Once upon a time. . ."
Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful, princess named Gavia. She was the daughter of Clodimir, King of the Franks. And it came to pass that Gavia fell in love with a lowly soldier in the King's guard. But, of course, a King cannot permit his daughter to marry a lowly soldier, so one night Gavia and her beloved fled the kingdom taking up residence in a small town on the other side of the Alps in Italy. For a while, they lived happily eluding the King's troops. And as time went by, Gavia and her husband, became more secure in their safety and even a little careless. One night, while enjoying a bit too much vino in the local bar, Gavia's husband told the inn keeper their story. You got it. The inn keeper was a stool pigeon and spilled the beans to the King in exchange for a reward. A few days later, the King's men showed up to escort Gavia and her recalcitrant husband back to King Clodimir.
Well, the King had been grieving over the loss of his daughter, for years now. So when she was finally returned to him, he had a change of heart. Overcome with happiness and the wonderful wine that she brought with her to soften him up (smart girl), he forgave her and blessed her marriage. As a wedding gift, he gave Gavia and her husband the small town in Italy to which they had fled, naming it and it's magic wine Gavi. To this day, locals will tell you that the romance of Gavia and her soldier lives on in every glass of Gavi di Gavi. Well, I cannot attest to whether it is due to the romance, but I do believe it is a magic wine especially when it has bubbles.
Here are two of my favorite Gavi producers making sparkling wines.
The first Gavi that I ever drank was a Principessa Gavi di Gavi from Banfi. Banfi, an American company started in 1919 by John Mariani, Sr., is best known for their Castello di Banfi estate in Tuscany. But they have also owned a historic estate near Novi Ligure in Piedmont since the late 1970s. It is here that they produce a variety of white, red and sparkling wines bearing the prestigious appellations of the Piedmont region. My favorites from this portfolio are their Principessa Gavia di Gavi and the sparkling wine Principessa Gavia Perlante.
Principessa Gavia Perlante is a single vineyard wine made from 100% Cortese grapes. It's distinctive clear bottle showcases the beautiful pale straw color of the wine. As the name implies, this is a sparkling wine in the perlante style meaning slightly effervescent or what in Italy is generally called frizzante. On the nose it has ample notes of apple, melon, pineapple. And in the mouth it is crisp and gentle with a balanced acidity. Wine Spectator has awarded it 88 points. This wine pairs particularly well with antipasti especially cheeses like brie or havarti, but it also can be served with fish or poultry dishes.
Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful, princess named Gavia. She was the daughter of Clodimir, King of the Franks. And it came to pass that Gavia fell in love with a lowly soldier in the King's guard. But, of course, a King cannot permit his daughter to marry a lowly soldier, so one night Gavia and her beloved fled the kingdom taking up residence in a small town on the other side of the Alps in Italy. For a while, they lived happily eluding the King's troops. And as time went by, Gavia and her husband, became more secure in their safety and even a little careless. One night, while enjoying a bit too much vino in the local bar, Gavia's husband told the inn keeper their story. You got it. The inn keeper was a stool pigeon and spilled the beans to the King in exchange for a reward. A few days later, the King's men showed up to escort Gavia and her recalcitrant husband back to King Clodimir.
Well, the King had been grieving over the loss of his daughter, for years now. So when she was finally returned to him, he had a change of heart. Overcome with happiness and the wonderful wine that she brought with her to soften him up (smart girl), he forgave her and blessed her marriage. As a wedding gift, he gave Gavia and her husband the small town in Italy to which they had fled, naming it and it's magic wine Gavi. To this day, locals will tell you that the romance of Gavia and her soldier lives on in every glass of Gavi di Gavi. Well, I cannot attest to whether it is due to the romance, but I do believe it is a magic wine especially when it has bubbles.
Here are two of my favorite Gavi producers making sparkling wines.
The first Gavi that I ever drank was a Principessa Gavi di Gavi from Banfi. Banfi, an American company started in 1919 by John Mariani, Sr., is best known for their Castello di Banfi estate in Tuscany. But they have also owned a historic estate near Novi Ligure in Piedmont since the late 1970s. It is here that they produce a variety of white, red and sparkling wines bearing the prestigious appellations of the Piedmont region. My favorites from this portfolio are their Principessa Gavia di Gavi and the sparkling wine Principessa Gavia Perlante.
Principessa Gavia Perlante is a single vineyard wine made from 100% Cortese grapes. It's distinctive clear bottle showcases the beautiful pale straw color of the wine. As the name implies, this is a sparkling wine in the perlante style meaning slightly effervescent or what in Italy is generally called frizzante. On the nose it has ample notes of apple, melon, pineapple. And in the mouth it is crisp and gentle with a balanced acidity. Wine Spectator has awarded it 88 points. This wine pairs particularly well with antipasti especially cheeses like brie or havarti, but it also can be served with fish or poultry dishes.
Principessa Gavia Perlante
La Scolca, a major producer in the Gavi DOCG area, is the oldest company with continuous management by the same family. In addition to a variety of still wines, La Scolca produces a half a dozen sparkling wines made from the Cortese grape (two of these add a small amount of pinot nero (3-5%) to make a rose). These wines are made in both the charmat and classic methods. Rugre, named for the forest surrounding the vineyard, is the youngest of the La Scolca sparkling wines enjoying a second fermentation of only 3 to 4 months on the yeast in the bottle. This is a fresh and delicate wine with good mineral notes and a persistent perlage. It is available in the US from a number of retailers at prices similar to Prosecco.
But what is more exciting about La Scolca is the variety of their methodo classico spumante starting with the Soldati La Scolca Brut which has matured on the yeasts for 24 months to the millesimato wines (single vintage not a blend of various years) bottle aged for 6 to 10 years. Their award winning Millesimato Riserva D'Antan is a testament to the aging ability of the Cortese grape. Resting for 10 years in contact with the yeasts, the wine maintains a balance of freshness and harmony. If you can find any of the La Scolca methodo classico wines, treat yourself to a glass and let me know if you like it.
 Rugre |  Millesimato Brut |  Millesimato Riserva D'Antan |
Are you a Gavi drinker? Which are your favorites?
