Behind the Cork™ - Three Great Wines to Enjoy with Traditional Italian Christmas Meals

Riva Leone Gavi GOCG ($14.99) - From the Gavi area of Piedmont in Italy, this wine is produced from 100% Cortese grapes. Fermentation is carried out in stainless steel tanks and aged in steel for 2-3 months before bottling.

This Riva Leone Gavi is a very pale yellow-green in color with very delicate aromas of citrus, lime and green apple. On the palate, this light-bodied wine has flavors of light citrus and melon, bright acidity and a soft, light finish.

Gavi is a classic starter that is crisp and immensely fresh. The mineral and citrus notes allow it to pair well with seafood dishes, as it complement and accentuate the salty-mineral flavors of shellfish and seafood.


Riva Leone Barbera DOC ($11.99) - From Piedmont Italy comes another of the classic Italian wines - Barbera.

This Riva Leone Barbera is a medium ruby in color with classic aromas of cherry and dried herbs. On the palate, this medium-bodied wine has flavors of tart cherry, a hint of black pepper and good acidity that finishes with fruity zip.

Barbera pairs well with meat-filled pasta, the medium tannins and bright acidity will match with the richness of fresh pasta.


Acquesi Asti Spumante ($17.99) - This Italian sparkling wine is produced from 100% Moscato. It is a sweet sparkling wine at just 7% alcohol by volume and 95 g/L residual sugar making it a sweet sparkling wine.

Its pale gold color and greenish hue leads to complex floral aromas of fresh tree fruits, honeycomb and exotic spices. On the palate it is fresh, sweet and persistent with a lingering, sweet fruity finish.

While this can be enjoyed with cheese and spicy Asian foods, it is most classically paired with desserts such as pastries, fruit tarts, cakes and butter creams. A perfect way to end a wonderful meal!

Each of these wonderful wines is imported by Mack & Schuhle and widely available and, at these prices, are a great fit as Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers and Happy Holidays!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Samples Provided by Mack & Schuhle

Some Italian Christmas Traditional Meals and Great Wine Pairings

Italians really feel the holiday atmosphere starting in late November, but the Christmas season officially starts on December 8th, the Day of Immaculate Conception. On this day many Italian families decorate their home and trees, bake cookies, wrap their presents, and schools and offices are formally closed.  Christmas day and Christmas Eve are observed in different ways all over the country, but here’s a sample of Christmas meal traditions and some great wine pairings to go with them:

Riva Leone Gavi

Christmas Eve - The meal for Christmas Eve, La Vigilia, doesn’t have any red meat; it’s all fish and vegetables. That’s in keeping with most meals served on the eve before a religious festival in Italy, you’re supposed to be eating lean to help purify your body for the holiday.  A wonderful pairing is one of the many classic Italian white wines, Gavi (aka Cortese). It is named for the town of its origin and has reached the prestigious DOCG ranking. It is a classic wine that is crisp, racy and immensely fresh. The mineral and citrus notes are often why Gavi is paired with seafood dishes, as these notes complement and accentuate the salty-mineral flavors of shellfish and seafood.

Riva Leone Barbera


Christmas Day Lunch - After you’ve refrained from indulging on Christmas Eve, you’re allowed to really eat-up on Christmas Day. Lunch is the main meal. Pasta is a common kickoff to the meal across Italy. In Bologna, it’s all about meat-filled tortellini.  A great wine to pair with this meal is Barbera. The medium tannins and bright acidity will match with the richness of fresh pasta. Barbera traditionally has bright red fruit flavors, including cherry and spice, which complements the flavor of the meat.


Acquesi Asti

Dessert - Italians aren’t generally big on desserts, but when it comes to sweets and the Christmas season, all bets are off. Of course, sweet breads, like panettone and pandoro, are popular across Italy. Other desserts include cavallucci, cookies with the image of a horse; dita degli apostoli (“fingers of the apostles”), chocolate- or coffee-flavored ricotta-filled omelets; and mostaccioli, spiced nut pastries.  Asti is an excellent dessert wine, and pairs particularly well with fruit-based desserts. Its sweetness and fruitiness complement the flavors of the dessert, while its effervescence cuts through the richness and provides a refreshing contrast.

So, if you’re planning an Italian meal, or any meal, this holiday season, give these wines a try! And, check out the next installment of Behind the Cork™ that will feature more details on each the three wines shown: Riva Leone Gavi, Riva Leone Barbera and Acquesi Asti. Happy Holidays and Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Wines of La Scolca Italy

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The La Scolca estate was purchased in 1919 by the great-grandfather of Giorgio Soldati who, today, leads the company with his daughter Chiara. The surname Soldati meaning “soldiers” is particularly symbolic for the approach taken by the company’s owners. The name of the property, as well, is symbolic. La Scolca brand comes from “Sfurca” or “Look off into the distance” and the farmhouse that stood there was exactly that: a lookout post. These names reflect the proud and tenacious character of the owners and their wines.

2020 La Scolca Gavi White Label ($19.50)

The White Label Gavi from La Scolca is their traditional Gavi that is produced from young vines that are located in the Rovereto heart, the “Gavi Grand Cru.” It’s made from 100% Cortese (kort-tay-zay) grapes that are almost exclusively grown in Piedmont, Italy.

This one is light straw in color with delicate aromas and a hint of sweetness. On the palate, it has bright fruit flavors of apple, lemon, pear and melon with refreshing acidity that leads to a long, pleasant finish.

2019 La Scolca Gavi dei Gavi Black Label ($42.99)

Gavi dei Gavi® has been a registered trademark in Europe since 1969 and in the US since 1971, and is best known as "Black Label".

This La Scolca Black Label is also produced from 100% Cortese (kort-tay-zay) grapes. It is pale gold in color, has delicate citrus and floral aromas, hints of Honeydew melon and peach. On the palate this Black Label Gavi is very delicate and light. Its subtle flavors are enhanced by its very rounded acidity that results in a light finish.

La Scolca does an extremely nice job of capturing the essence of the wonderful Cortese grape.

These two wines from La Scolca fit right in as Behind the Cork™ wines of the week for being attainable and affordable. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Making Business Happen USA. LLC

Behind the Cork™ - La Scolca Gavi dei Gavi Black Label Bianco Secco

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2019 La Scolca Gavi dei Gavi Black Label ($39)

Gavi is the name of a little town in the Apennines mountains, located in the Piedmont border to Liguria, from where the famous white and dry wine has taken its name.

Thanks to La Scolca® who began production of Gavi 101 years ago, Gavi obtained DOC in 1974 and later DOCG (Denomination of Origin Controlled ano Guaranteed) in 1998.

Gavi dei Gavi® has been a registered trademark in Europe since 1969 and in the US since 1971, and is best known as "Black Label".

This La Scolca Black Label is produced from 100% Cortese (kort-tay-zay) grape. It is pale gold in color, has delicate citrus and floral aromas, hints of Honeydew melon and peach. On the palate this Black Label Gavi is very delicate and light. Its subtle flavors are enhanced by its very rounded acidity that results in a light finish.

Last time I described my first experience with Gavi and stated “I can tell you that La Scolca has done an extremely nice job of capturing the essence of this wonderful Cortese grape.” With their Black Label, La Scolca has gone above and beyond…this is a really nice wine! And yet another wine that fits right in as a Behind the Cork™ wine of the week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Camilla Fondelli from Making Business Happen USA, Pr&Global Brand Communication & Marketing of La Scolca, Gavi, Italy.

Behind the Cork™ - La Scolca Gavi

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2019 La Scolca White Label Gavi ($19)

Last year, La Scolca celebrated one hundred years of oenological passion. They are a company that looks at the future with an innovative spirit, keeping their focus on the pursuit of a high level of quality.

At just over 100 years old, La Scolca is the oldest company in the area, with continuity of the management by the same family, but at the same time it is also the most modern.

This White Label Gavi is their first label and their most traditional Gavi, made from young vines located in the heart of Rovereto and represents the true essence of Gavi.

The Cortese (kort-tay-zay) grape is almost exclusively grown in Piedmont, Italy. It is known as Cortese de Gavi or just Gavi.

Using in Italy a classification of vineyards as in France, Rovereto of Gavi would be, without any doubt, the “Grand Cru” of Cortese.

This La Scolca Gavi is pale gold in color and has a very delicate aroma with a hint of sweetness. On the palate it has bright fruit flavors of apple, lemon, pear and melon with good acidity that leads to a long, pleasant finish.

This is my first experience with Gavi and I can tell you that La Scolca has done an extremely nice job of capturing the essence of this wonderful Cortese grape. This is yet another wine that fits right in as a Behind the Cork™ wine of the week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Camilla Fondelli from Making Business Happen USA, Pr&Global Brand Communication & Marketing of La Scolca, Gavi, Italy.