Gavi, Piedmont and its treasures (with videos)

Gavi, situated in south-east Piedmont in the province of Alessandria, is renowned for its white wine of the same name. While often in the shadows of its acclaimed neighbors Langhe and Roero, the municipality of Gavi is shrouded in history, boasts well-preserved medieval castles, lovely landscapes, fabulous food and of course, the wine.

Gavi, made from Cortese grapes, received the DOC certification in 1978 and awarded the DOCG status in 1998, and has been gaining international reputation. If you are in the vicinity this Sunday August 31, the Di Gavi in Gavi wine festival will be celebrating 40 years of its DOC recognition. It’s going to be a fantastic event with historical parades, music and tastings to name a few.

We’ll be honest and say that while planning our trip to Piemonte, Gavi wasn’t even on the radar. Thankfully, we got insider tips that we should stay at least overnight to get a taste of Gavi and its surroundings. We’re glad we did and here is some information about Gavi and the places we visited during our short stay.

Gavi, Piedmont and its treasures

History

The area of Gavi dates back to Neolithic times with the origin of its name linked to two different legends: one has has it that Gavi was named after the Princess Gavia, the beautiful daughter of the Clodomir, the king of the Franks, and the other attributes it to the entourage of the Genose court.

However, what is for sure is that the cultivation of  vines in Gavi can be traced back to 3 June 972. The evidence is in a historical document, today housed in the State Archives in Genoa, which mentions that the vineyards and chestnut groves in the area were leased to two citizens from Gavi by the bishop of Genoa, a testament to its identification of wine with the territory to this day.

Today there are 11 municipalities in the production zone: Bosio, Capriata d’Orba, Carrosio, Francavilla Bisio, Gavi, Novi Ligure, Parodi Ligure, Pasturana, San Cristoforo, Serravalle Scrivia and Tassarolo. As is evident from some of the names of the town, this area had ties to the ancient Republic of Genoa.

Forte di Gavi

Although its wine is what draws visitors in the know to this area, no visit would be complete without a stop at Forte di Gavi, an imposing fortress built in the rocks overlooking the town. Sitting at the crossroads linking Genoa, Turin and Milan, it is likely that Forte di Gavi was a fortification built by the Romans to guard Via Postumia as far back as the 2nd century B.C.

Through time, it was used as a castle, in the hands of different noble families, seen countless battles, and during the World War II served as a prison for British soldiers and later for Italians captured by the Germans.

Restoration work has been carried out over the years covering a vast area including 1100 meters of walls and parapets. Guided tours are available every hour (in Italian only) as some areas as still closed off due to safety issues. More details on the Forte di Gavi website.

Even if you don’t understand Italian it’s worth joining in as you’ll be treated to sweeping views of the area from this vantage point. You can get there by car navigating a narrow road, which fortunately doesn’t have much traffic, and for the more adventurous, you can hike there from the town. Here’s some information on the hiking trail to Forte di Gavi.

Town of Gavi 

A laid-back pace of life, with one main street in town, there is more here than meets the eye. Boasting a charming piazzetta and lovely aristocratic buildings built in the 18th century most have beautifully kept internal courtyards. Get a peek of one of them by heading to Pasticceria la Pieve that has seating outdoors in the internal courtyard.

A more noticeable presence in town is the tower of Chiesa di San Giacomo Maggiore, octagonal in shape but with each side varying in width built during the Medieval period. Another highlight to point out here is the carving depicting the Last Supper in the lunette above the main door dating back to 1165.

Here is the video of our visit to Gavi and Forte di Gavi.

Food

With historical ties to Genoa, the typical dishes in the area incorporates the flavors from Liguria and Piemonte. For example, foccacia is a local favorite, for breakfast where it is rolled thinly and sprinkled with salt and olive oil, and as an afternoon snack with potatoes on top.

Ravioli, which I was surprised to learn, is originally from Gavi as they were invented by the Raviolo family. In Gavi, you will easily find menus with ravioli al tocco, mainly filled with meat, vegetables, and parmigiano, and served with meat sauce. It can also be served with Gavi or “a culo nudo”, simply boiled and sprinkled with parmigiano. 

Also try the risotto made with Gavi and of course, don’t forget to enjoy a glass or two of Gavi.

Surrounding towns

With only 48 hours in Gavi, it was impossible for us to visit all the 11 towns in the area. We made a quick stop in Novi Ligure, the town that produces Novi chocolate, to visit Museo dei Campionissimi just on the edge of town where it pays tribute to the cycling world and showcases an extraordinary collection of vintage bicycles.

At our next stop, the Oratory of the Confraternity of Saint Mary Magdalene, it looks like you standard church when the curtains were drawn but as we got closer to the altar, you begin to understand what makes this place of devotion unique. Behind the altar you’ll see a scene that represents Mt. Calvary and a group of 21 wooden statues and even 2 life-size wooden horses dating back to the Renaissance.

As we proceeded through town to the Torre di Novi Ligure, I was impressed with many of the noble buildings lining the streets and the beautiful facade in trompe l’oeil. Novi Ligure has a lively vibe, with many people out in the streets for the customary evening passeggiata. When we reached soaring tower, we were unsure about the climb up but upon reaching the top, the 360-degree view was worth every step.

Below is the video of our visit to Novi Ligure and dinner at Ristorante Cantine del Gavi.

Special thanks to the following for our stay in Gavi:

Azienda Agricola Magda Pedrini for taking us around the town of Gavi, Forte di Gavi and being our host on the first day.

Laura Gobbi for arranging the visits in Novi Ligure. Laura is also the organizer of the Di Gavi in Gavi event taking place on August 31. If you are visiting Alessandria, she is the person to get in touch with.

The Ottone Park Hotel (owned by Laura’s family) Address: Tenuta San Michele 1, Mugarone Bassignana, Alessandria. Email: ottoneparkhotel@virgilio.it  Tel:+39 0131 940245.

Ristorante Cantine del Gavi

Lucia Hannau at Turin Epicurean Capital for putting us in touch with Laura.