Villa Sparina, Gavi Di Gavi, Monterotondo, 2022
Villa Sparina, Gavi Di Gavi, Monterotondo, 2022
- 75cl
- 13%
- White Still
- Cortese
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Optimal drinking window: Now - 2028
Gavi di Gavi is the top tier of the Gavi appellation; the grapes must come from the commune of Gavi itself, rather than the wider zone, and Villa Sparina's Monterotondo single vineyard is one of the reasons the designation exists at all.
The Cortese grape has a reputation for being a little austere, even neutral, in lesser hands, but here it speaks clearly: there's real definition to the white peach and green apple fruit, a flinty, almost saline quality that comes from the soils, and an almond-skin finish that is distinctly Piedmontese.
The 2022 vintage delivered warm, dry conditions across northern Italy, giving the wine a little more flesh than usual without sacrificing the crispness that makes Gavi worth drinking. We find this sits in a lovely spot right now — bright and food-friendly, with enough substance to hold its own at the table.
At four years old, the 2022 Monterotondo is drinking well right now, with its primary fruit bright and the acidity carrying everything in good order. Over the next year or two it will soften fractionally, and a little more honey and waxy character may emerge.
What the critics say:
"Intense, bright straw yellow with delicate greenish reflections. Smells of peach, banana and a hint of dried mango on the nose, with a fine resinous undertone, complex and inviting. Racy, clear and precise on the palate, coated with a fine melting texture, spreads out well, with a slightly vegetal, animating undertone and a salty finish."
"A well-made, balanced and mellow white with pear skin, dried spices, dry earth and some wild herbs on the nose. Medium-bodied with citrus flavors on the palate. Lovely bitterness with a fresh, round and attractive finish. Drink or hold."
Tasting Notes
AppearancePale straw with a faint green tint and good clarity.
NoseClean and precise, with white peach, green apple, and a delicate almond blossom character. There's a flinty, almost chalky undercurrent that gives it lift and focus rather than weight.
PalateThe 2022 warmth shows in a slightly rounder texture than classic Gavi, but the acidity is still the driver here — bright and clean, with lemon zest and a saline, mineral edge. Not a fruit-forward wine; this is about clarity and structure.
FinishDry and persistent, with a characteristic bitter almond note that lingers pleasantly.
Overall impressionA focused, food-hungry white that makes a strong argument for Cortese as a grape worth taking seriously.
Food Pairings
In the Gavi zone, this would end up on the table alongside the region's famous tajarin pasta — thin egg noodles dressed simply with butter and sage, or with a white truffle shaving if you're lucky. It's a natural companion to fritto misto di mare, the battered and fried seafood that makes its way up from the Ligurian coast just over the hills. Locals would also pair it with vitello tonnato, the classic Piedmontese cold veal dish with tuna sauce, where the wine's acidity cuts through the richness beautifully. A plate of fresh goat's cheese or a simple risotto with herbs would be equally at home.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at around 10-12°C — cold enough to keep it crisp, but not so cold that you mute the mineral character. No need to decant; just pour straight from the bottle. A tulip-shaped white wine glass works well, giving you enough surface area to pick up the aromatics without letting the temperature climb too quickly.
The Monterotondo vineyard sits on calcareous clay soils with a significant proportion of limestone and decomposed rock — the kind of ground that keeps Cortese honest and drives the mineral, flinty character that distinguishes this wine from more generic Gavi. Altitude around 250-300 metres above sea level, with good diurnal temperature shifts, helps preserve the acidity that keeps the wine lively. The commune of Gavi itself sits in a geographic pocket that catches cool air from the Ligurian Apennines, which is the key reason why wines from here carry more energy and definition than those from the wider DOC zone.
Gavi DOCG, in the southeastern corner of Piemonte, is built entirely around the Cortese grape, an ancient white variety that thrives on limestone-rich soils. Gavi di Gavi is the most prestigious designation within the DOCG, restricting production to grapes grown in the town of Gavi itself, where soils and altitude tend to produce more mineral, structured wines. The appellation spent years being dismissed as a fashionable but ultimately thin white, largely because of overproduction in the 1980s, but the best estates — Villa Sparina chief among them — have spent decades making the case that Cortese at its best is a genuinely serious wine. It sits stylistically somewhere between a lean Chablis and a crisp northern Italian white, with more texture than either comparison quite captures.
The 2022 growing season in Piemonte arrived with a welcome reprieve from the extremes that had defined recent vintages. Spring brought steady warmth without the dramatic temperature swings that can rattle the vines, whilst summer delivered consistent ripening conditions that allowed growers to focus on finesse rather than fire-fighting. The harvest unfolded at a measured pace, with most estates picking in ideal conditions during September and early October.
What emerged from the cellars speaks to this balanced growing season: wines that marry immediacy with substance, showing vibrant fruit without sacrificing the mineral backbone that makes Piemonte special. Nebbiolo from the great crus displays that telltale combination of perfume and power, whilst Barbera and Dolcetto offer particularly charming expressions that drink beautifully now. We find ourselves with a vintage that rewards both patience and present-moment pleasure – the 2022 Barolos and Barbarescos will develop magnificently over the next two decades, but many are already showing their considerable charm.
FAQs
What does Villa Sparina Monterotondo taste like?
Crisp and mineral, with white peach, green apple, and a flinty, saline edge. The 2022 has a slightly rounder texture than usual, but the finish is dry and precise with a characteristic almond note. This is a wine about clarity and focus rather than richness.
When should I drink this wine?
It's drinking well right now and we'd enjoy it between 2024 and 2028. The freshness is the point, so don't sit on it too long — Cortese doesn't reward extended cellaring in the way that Burgundy or Barolo might.
What food does this pair well with?
It's a natural food wine. Think fresh seafood, light pasta dishes, vitello tonnato, goat's cheese, or anything where you want a crisp, dry white to cut through richness and cleanse the palate. It's also very good as an aperitivo alongside olives and light antipasti.
How should I serve it?
Straight from the fridge, brought up to around 10-12°C before serving. No need to decant. A standard tulip white wine glass is all you need.
What makes Gavi di Gavi different from regular Gavi?
Gavi di Gavi restricts production to grapes grown in the commune of Gavi itself, where the soils and altitude produce more mineral and structured wines than the broader DOC zone. Think of it as the village appellation within the wider region — tighter rules, higher bar, and in Villa Sparina's case, a specific single-vineyard site that has been central to the appellation's reputation for decades.
Is this wine worth the premium over standard Gavi?
We think so. The Monterotondo vineyard gives the wine a definition and mineral character that you simply don't find in generic Gavi, which can too easily be lean and anonymous. If you're serving it with food, the difference is clear from the first sip.
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