Gavi is a crisp, dry Italian white wine made entirely from the Cortese grape in the hills of south-eastern Piedmont, around the town of Gavi. Classified as a DOCG (Italy's highest tier), it is prized for its clean, refreshing style — lemon and green-apple fruit, white-flower aromatics, high acidity, and a stony, saline, almond-tinged finish. It is one of Italy's classic seafood whites and a benchmark expression of Cortese.

What grape is Gavi made from?

Gavi is made exclusively from Cortese, a white grape native to Piedmont with naturally high acidity and delicate citrus and floral aromatics. Cortese is grown elsewhere in the region, but it reaches its finest, most mineral expression in the Gavi zone, where the soils and cooler hillside sites give the wine its characteristic freshness and structure.

What is the difference between Gavi and Gavi di Gavi?

Both are made from Cortese under the same DOCG, but the terms indicate origin. 'Gavi' can come from any of the eleven communes permitted in the appellation, while 'Gavi di Gavi' (or 'Gavi del Comune di Gavi') means the grapes were grown specifically within the commune of Gavi itself — traditionally regarded as the heart of the zone. Wines labelled Gavi di Gavi are often, though not always, a step up in concentration and minerality.

What does Gavi taste like?

Gavi is dry, light- to medium-bodied, and refreshingly crisp, with flavours of lemon, lime, and green apple, delicate white-flower and herbal notes, and a distinctive stony, saline minerality. The finish often carries a subtle bitter-almond twist typical of Cortese. Most Gavi is unoaked and made to show purity and freshness, though a few producers craft richer, lees-aged or barrel-influenced versions with more texture and ageing potential.

Should Gavi be drunk young, and how do you serve it?

Most Gavi is best enjoyed young, within one to three years of the vintage, when its citrus fruit and bright acidity are at their most vivid. That said, top wines from the best producers can develop attractively for five years or more, gaining honeyed, mineral complexity. Serve Gavi well chilled, around 8–10°C, ideally with seafood, and reach for a white-wine glass rather than a small flute so its delicate aromatics can show.

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⌈ Italy ⌉

Gavi Wine — Piedmont's Crisp, Mineral White from Cortese

Piedmont's answer to a great seafood white — crisp, citrusy Cortese with a stony, mineral core.

Cortese

At a Glance

Key Grape

Cortese — a naturally high-acid white grape that reaches its finest expression in the hills around Gavi

Style

Dry, crisp, light- to medium-bodied white — lemon and green apple, white flowers, a saline, almond-tinged finish

Classification

Gavi DOCG (Italy's top tier); 'Gavi di Gavi' denotes fruit from the commune of Gavi itself

Region

South-eastern Piedmont, in the Alessandria hills near the border with Liguria and its coast

Signature Names

La Scolca, Villa Sparina, Broglia, La Raia, Nicola Bergaglia

Gavi — Piedmont’s Cool, Crisp White

Piedmont is red-wine country: the great, brooding Nebbiolos of Barolo and Barbaresco define its reputation. But tucked into the region’s south-eastern corner, in the hills that tumble toward the Ligurian coast, lies its finest white. Gavi — made entirely from the Cortese grape — is crisp, dry, and mineral, the kind of clean, seafood-loving white that feels closer in spirit to the Mediterranean than to the fog-wrapped hills of the Langhe.

Its proximity to the coast is no accident of taste. The Ligurian Sea and its cuisine of fried fish, pesto, and shellfish are just over the hills, and Gavi has always been the wine to drink alongside them — bright, saline, and refreshing, built to cut through oil and flatter delicate seafood.

Cortese, and the Making of a Mineral White

Everything about Gavi flows from Cortese, a Piedmontese white grape with naturally high acidity and a restrained, delicate character. In the wrong hands it can taste neutral, but in the cooler hillside sites of the Gavi zone it finds its voice: lemon and green apple, white flowers, a stony, saline core, and the subtle bitter-almond twist that marks the variety. It is a wine of purity and precision rather than power.

Most Gavi is made unoaked and released young, to showcase that freshness. But the appellation has depth: wines from the commune of Gavi itself, labelled Gavi di Gavi, tend to show more concentration and minerality, and a handful of ambitious producers craft lees-aged or barrel-influenced versions with real texture and the ability to age. The best of these prove Cortese can be serious as well as refreshing.

How to Buy Gavi

Start here: a straightforward Gavi DOCG from a reliable producer. Crisp, citrusy, and clean — the ideal aperitivo and seafood white, best drunk young.

Explore: a Gavi di Gavi from a top estate such as La Scolca, Villa Sparina, or Broglia, where the extra concentration and minerality show.

The summit: a single-vineyard or lees-aged Cortese from a serious grower — more textured, more complex, and capable of developing honeyed depth with a few years in bottle.

Serve Gavi well chilled at 8–10°C, in a proper white-wine glass, alongside anything from the sea.

Gavi — The Short Version

Gavi is Piedmont’s benchmark white: crisp, dry Cortese from the hills near the Ligurian coast, all lemon and green apple, white flowers, and a stony, saline, almond-tinged finish. It is one of Italy’s great seafood whites — best young, though the finest Gavi di Gavi and lees-aged bottlings gain depth with age. Start with a bright everyday Gavi, explore the top hillside estates, and if you want to know whether you lean toward the zesty, simple style or the richer, more mineral one, let Sommvi map your palate and point you to the bottles that fit.

Food Pairings

Fried Seafood The wine's acidity and salinity slice through the oil of fritto misto or calamari

Oysters & Clams Crisp, mineral Gavi is a natural with raw and steamed shellfish

Pesto Pasta Nearby Ligurian pesto meets Gavi's herbal, citrus freshness beautifully

Sushi & Sashimi Clean, dry, and precise, Gavi is an excellent partner for raw fish

Goat's Cheese Fresh chèvre and Gavi's zesty, almond-tinged finish make an easy match

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Gavi wine?: Gavi is a crisp, dry Italian white wine made entirely from the Cortese grape in the hills of south-eastern Piedmont, around the town of Gavi. Classified as a DOCG (Italy's highest tier), it is prized for its clean, refreshing style — lemon and green-apple fruit, white-flower aromatics, high acidity, and a stony, saline, almond-tinged finish. It is one of Italy's classic seafood whites and a benchmark expression of Cortese.
What grape is Gavi made from?: Gavi is made exclusively from Cortese, a white grape native to Piedmont with naturally high acidity and delicate citrus and floral aromatics. Cortese is grown elsewhere in the region, but it reaches its finest, most mineral expression in the Gavi zone, where the soils and cooler hillside sites give the wine its characteristic freshness and structure.
What is the difference between Gavi and Gavi di Gavi?: Both are made from Cortese under the same DOCG, but the terms indicate origin. 'Gavi' can come from any of the eleven communes permitted in the appellation, while 'Gavi di Gavi' (or 'Gavi del Comune di Gavi') means the grapes were grown specifically within the commune of Gavi itself — traditionally regarded as the heart of the zone. Wines labelled Gavi di Gavi are often, though not always, a step up in concentration and minerality.
What does Gavi taste like?: Gavi is dry, light- to medium-bodied, and refreshingly crisp, with flavours of lemon, lime, and green apple, delicate white-flower and herbal notes, and a distinctive stony, saline minerality. The finish often carries a subtle bitter-almond twist typical of Cortese. Most Gavi is unoaked and made to show purity and freshness, though a few producers craft richer, lees-aged or barrel-influenced versions with more texture and ageing potential.
Should Gavi be drunk young, and how do you serve it?: Most Gavi is best enjoyed young, within one to three years of the vintage, when its citrus fruit and bright acidity are at their most vivid. That said, top wines from the best producers can develop attractively for five years or more, gaining honeyed, mineral complexity. Serve Gavi well chilled, around 8–10°C, ideally with seafood, and reach for a white-wine glass rather than a small flute so its delicate aromatics can show.

Discover Gavi Bottles Built for Your Palate

Gavi ranges from bright, easy, everyday seafood whites to richer, mineral, age-worthy Cortese from the top hillside sites. Sommvi maps your palate and points you to exactly the bottles worth your attention, whether you want a crisp aperitivo white or a more textured, serious one.