25-06-2013
A view of La Mesma in Monterotondo (Alessandria), a winery near Liguria, +39.0143.342012, the first of three stops included in the GoTour , a journey created by Federico Malgarini discovering some of the best white wines in Piedmont
Rocca di Gavi, the fortress, hanging on the hill as if it had always been there, was the proud beginning of the GOTour, a day trip discovering three different wine regions, just over an hour from Milan. The complete group, however, which included some twenty enthusiasts who answered Federico Malgarini’s invitation, only met in the barnyard of La Bella Alleanza, a building which once witnessed the signing of an important treaty during the Napoleonic Wars, and which today witnesses the hard work the three Rosina sisters, owners of La Mesma, dedicate to their vineyard and cellar. What was the common denominator of the day? An unrestrained curiosity towards wine and Davide Ferrarese, the agronomist of all the wineries visited. Even without an organic certification, he treats the vineyard and the soil with a respect which doesn’t burn off on the labels, but proudly moves across the rows of vines. La Mesma is a hard-working, family run winery with the objective of bringing back Gavi, a wine produced with 100% Cortese grapes, to its ancient splendour, when it was Piedmont’s top white wine. In the shadow of a beautiful mulberry tree, we tasted floral and elegant Gavi Docg La Mesma Etichetta Gialla 2012 and Gavi Riserva Etichetta Nera, with scents of apple peel and a stronger sapidity in the finish. An experimental bottle followed, which was label-less and was the fruit of one hectare of organic vineyard. It’s still a little too syrupy but has the potential of a great white wine, if it were to increase its acidity.
Altaguardia 2010 of Forti del Vento, +39.0143.849135, Albarossa grapes
Timorasso Derthona of La Colombera, +39.0131.867795
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Born in Milan, he works as a copywriter and lives in Romagna. He wishes he could age in a oak barrel. Twitter @martinolapini