Bright, Mineral, and Made for Summer – Gavi di Gavi 2023
When it comes to fresh, mineral-driven white wines from Italy, Cortese from Gavi remains one of the country’s great under-the-radar gems. And the 2023 Enrico Serafino Gavi di Gavi delivers everything I love about the style — purity, precision, and refreshment — all at an excellent price.
Founded in 1878, Enrico Serafino is one of Piedmont’s oldest and most respected wineries, with a deep commitment to regional expression and quality. While they are better known for their Barolo and Alta Langa, Serafino’s Gavi has quietly built a loyal following, thanks to its honest expression of the Cortese grape and its crisp, food-friendly profile.
Grown in the rolling hills around the village of Gavi, in the southeastern part of Piedmont near the Ligurian border, Cortese benefits from a unique meeting of maritime breezes and alpine influence. The result is a white wine with bright acidity, floral aromatics, and a distinct mineral edge. In the 2023 vintage, Serafino captures all of this beautifully. The wine offers delicate notes of white peach, lemon zest, and wildflowers, with a clean, citrusy palate and a finish that’s both vibrant and quietly elegant.
Enrico Serafino’s Gavi di Gavi is a classic for a reason — and the 2023 vintage is as good as ever. A crisp, easy-drinking Italian white that completely overdelivers for the price.
Winery Vintage Notes:
The year was marked by a colder winter than the previous one with two snow events and heavy rains which made up for the water deficit of the previous year. The spring was quite rainy, a factor that required great attention to avoid the establishment of plant diseases. The month of July had some very strong storms with uneven consequences. The beginning of August was characterized by intense heat without having repercussions on the water stress of the plants. The harvest began on August 16th, with the grapes used for the Alta Langa, to continue with the white grape varieties harvested in September and the red grape varieties harvested in late October.
