Pio Cesare Gavi 75cl

Crisp Italian white wine with proper snap, that’s the whole point here. Made from the Cortese grape in Gavi, Piedmont, this is dry, bright, and clean without feeling thin or boring. It’s the kind of bottle that makes a simple seafood dinner feel like someone planned ahead, even if you absolutely did not.

Gavi can be a brilliant next step if your usual white wine order is Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. You still get that refreshing citrus lift, but Cortese brings a slightly more savoury edge: green apple, pear skin, white flowers, and a quiet almond note on the finish. Less “look at me,” more “why is this glass already empty?”

• Appearance: Pale straw yellow with a bright, clear look that pretty much tells you what’s coming: fresh, crisp, and clean.
• Nose: Lemon peel and green apple lead the way, followed by pear, white blossom, and a faint mineral note that feels like wet stone after rain.
• Palate: Dry and lively, with crisp acidity, crunchy orchard fruit, citrus zest, and a subtle almond bitterness that keeps everything focused.
• Body: Light to medium-bodied, refreshing enough for an aperitif but with enough texture to sit confidently beside food.
• Finish: Clean and gently savoury, with lingering lemon, pear, and that classic Gavi almond-mineral snap.
• Food pairings: Grilled prawns with lemon, spaghetti alle vongole, roast chicken with herbs, creamy risotto, or a salty plate of burrata and prosciutto.

Pour this when the food is simple but good: grilled fish, fresh herbs, olive oil, lemon, maybe a bowl of pasta that took twenty minutes and tastes like you tried harder. It also works beautifully as a pre-dinner glass, especially if you want something fresher and more structured than a casual patio white.

What makes this one worth noticing is the producer. Pio Cesare is based in Alba, better known as serious red wine country, yet their Gavi shows they can handle white wine with the same clear sense of place. The Cortese grape comes from the Gavi area in south-eastern Piedmont, where the cooler hills help lock in acidity while giving the wine that orchard-fruit character.

There’s a reason Gavi has stuck around as one of Italy’s most loved dry white wines. It doesn’t need tricks. No heavy oak, no syrupy fruit, no confusing lecture required. Just a bright, food-loving white with enough detail to keep curious drinkers interested and enough freshness to make beginners feel instantly at home.

If you’re building a fridge door lineup, this is your seafood and weeknight dinner specialist. Keep it chilled, pour it with something salty, creamy, or lemony, and let the Cortese do its thing. It’s polished without being stiff, and that’s exactly why we like it.

Fun Fact: Pio Cesare has been making wine in Piedmont since 1881, and the family still works from historic cellars in the centre of Alba, built partly into ancient Roman walls. Casual flex, honestly.