Gavi wine a great choice for hot summer days: Wine Press Leave a comment
Here we are in the midst of the dog days of summer and we have had some pretty hot and humid days needless to say. So, what to quench your thirst with?
Before we get started, just a reminder, while many of us want to consume adult beverages in the summer to quench our collective thirsts, it is vitally important to drink water as alcohol will dehydrate you. My suggestion is to alternate a glass of wine (or any alcoholic beverage) with a glass of water, you will be doing yourself a big favor.
Well, in our search for white wines to drink on these hot summer days, Gavi comes to mind. This region is in the southeast portion of the Piedmont region in Italy. Again, Gavi is the region, the grape is Cortese. This region takes in an area southeast of Alexandria and north of Genoa. Besides the actual town of Gavi, there are 12 other smaller villages in the region. Labeling is somewhat confusing, but, if you see one that reads Gavi di Gavi, it can only come from vineyards in the village of Gavi. There is no differentiation in the quality of the wines labeled Gavi versus the ones labeled Gavi di Gavi.
What is Gavi?
The wine made from this grape is a bone-dry wine. It is light, fruity, crisp and flinty and possesses fresh acidity from the mineral-rich soils of the region. An added feature is that typically it is low in alcohol, usually around 12%. This is considered by many to be one of Italy’s best white wines which is good to know as most people equate red wines to Italy but there are so many great white ones. The aroma is wonderfully floral, white flowers, lemons, green apples and honeydew — sounds like summer. On occasion, hints of almonds may arise. While the wine is best enjoyed young, it is an age-worthy wine, by that, a few years. And, as a young wine at times it may have a spritz to it, which is fine, just means fermentation hasn’t finished. By the way, sparkling wine is made from the Cortese grape.
What foods pair well with Gavi wine?
Now we come to foods to be paired with this wine. As we all know, our agricultural farms are harvesting the bounty of summer. The roadside stands have appeared, the farmer’s markets are bustling. Dishes featuring vegetables are perfect, obviously salads, lightly dressed or with a squeeze of lemon. It works well with fresh herbs and that ever-popular use of basil comes to mind — pesto — and basil is in its full glory now. We all enjoy chicken and Gavi pairs well with a roasted one or in a white wine sauce. Seems like so many restaurants are offering antipasti and this wine is a lock.
Switching to our aquaculture friends, Gavi is a perfect complement to our local oysters, and with the proliferation of oyster farming in Rhode Island, it is so easy to enjoy that plentiful bounty. Sushi is another seafood dish to be matched up with and certainly tuna tartare. Most white fishes will work well, especially when baked. As for cheese, one of my favorites is Taleggio, made from cows milk, which is a stinky cheese on the nose but delicious on the palate, to be washed down with Gavi. In addition, a great goat cheese also pairs up.
How should Gavi be served?
Gavi is best served at between 45 and 50 degrees. Now, as we all know, wines in this ambient heat will warm up rather quickly, so keep it in an ice bucket and pour a bit less. Use a chardonnay glass to drink from as well.
How much do Gavi wines cost?
One of the curious things I learned about this wine when in the restaurant business was that there seemed to be a cult-like following of it. It was an under the radar wine but, as I worked with lists in many restaurants, I always put one on with the full confidence it would sell, and it did. Which ones to buy then? My go-to was Principessa Gavi. It was very popular with those in the know, great quality at a great price, around $20 in a package store, maybe $30 on a restaurant list. A few others that should be available are Marchese di Barolo, again around $20 retail maybe $30 on a restaurant list followed by Pio Cesare that will be around $33 retail, maybe $45 on a list, then the big boy — La Scolca Black Label, $49 retail, maybe $65 on a list. All of these are in Rhode Island and as you can see, they won’t break the bank, especially in the context of quality. As summer is winding down, it’s not too late to enjoy this summer-friendly wine before fall arrives and we start changing our diets and our wine choices.
This month’s PSA. As I am sure all of you know, the hospitality industry continues to struggle with acute labor shortages and with the upcoming exodus of the few college kids that worked, it will only get worse. We are witnessing something I never thought I would see, closing for a day or two, or not serving lunch, menus being reduced in the restaurants, etc. Now, couple that with the increase in covid cases, what are we in for? To date, no “mandates” have been imposed by our governor, which is a good thing. But are they coming, which would be a bad thing! It is a day-by-day situation and hopefully, the rise in cases has peaked and they will settle down. I sure hope so. But, in the meantime, support our great restaurant community, tip well as all the employees are working inordinate hours to serve you and create a wonderful dining experience!
Len Panaggio is a wine consultant and former corporate beverage director for Newport Harbor Corp. Send feedback and suggestions to lcp23223@gmail.com. The Wine Press runs each month in The Daily News and online at newportri.com.
