Cascina ‘Tavijn, ‘Ottavio’ 2022

• producer: Cascina ‘Tavijn 
• region: Piedmont
• country: ITA
• grape variety: grignolino
• production notes: woman owner/ winemaker, no sulfites added

This wine is named for winemaker Nadia Verrua’s father, Ottavio, who is pictured on the label. The vineyard, located in the Monferrato zone of Asti in Piedmont,  is a family business that Verrua took over from him.  Her parents still both work on the vineyard and in production. All farming, tending and harvesting is done organically and by hand.  This wine is 100% grignolino. The grapes are destemmed with berries kept whole and gently pressed without breaking the skins, just enough to kick off fermentation in vat. Fermentations can be very lengthy in this cold cellar, where there is no addition of yeasts or sulfur and no temperature control; maceration is often as long as two months. The wine ages on its lees for a few months before being bottled without fining or filtering and with only a gram or two of sulfur if any. 

This expression of grignolino is light-bodied and is the classic pale red color associated with this varietal. Tart cherry and rose petals notes meet bright acidity, complemented with very light, smokey high notes.