La Giustiniana

La Giustiniana comprises 110 hectares of vines in the heart of the commune of Rovereto in Gavi. Originally, this land was part of a Benedictine convent and was bought by the Giustiniani, a military family from the Republic of Genoa, in 1625. At that time, wine was already produced from the estate's original 40 hectares of vineyards. The Benedictine monks cultivated the first vines planted here. Today, the winery is managed by Magda Pedrini and production is focused on expressing Gavi di Gavi's potential from the estate's two single vineyards, ‘Lugarara’ and ‘Montessora’. These vineyards sit side by side at 300 metres above sea level yet have very different soils and subsequently showcase different expressions of the Cortese grape.

The ‘Lugarara’, planted on marl soils with sandy layers, is always the more open and forward of the two wines. Its aromas of stone fruit and lime peel are immediately beguiling. The ‘Montessora’, planted on alluvial and clay soils, is more mineral and has greater intensity, requiring more time to come into its own. It will age easily for up to a decade or more.

Terre Antiche

Terre Antiche is made with some of the wine not used for La Giustiniana’s ‘Lugarara’. Originally it was declassified to ‘Gavi’, but it is now considered worthy of the ‘Gavi di Gavi’ appellation. Sealed under screwcap to maintain maximum freshness, the resulting wine is scented and delicate, with hints of lime zest on the nose and a lovely zip on the palate.