The vineyards

At our farm La Raia we follow the biodynamic approach, not only dispensing with fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, but also using the soil and its vital resources in a careful and responsible way

Cortese, Barbera and a few rows of Pinot Noir: these are the vineyards in the La Raia hills

The native Cortese and Barbera vineyards of La Raia occupy an area of about 50 hectares, are planted in calcareous and clayey soils and have an average density of about 4,500 plants. Our two Gavi wines for ageing are made from the oldest Cortese grapes: Gavi DOCG Riserva, which comes from the La Madonnina vineyard at the entrance to the estate, and Gavi DOCG Pisé, whose grapes are grown between the rows of the Cascinetta. Two hectares of land that had been home to old vines that are no longer productive were recently planted: Cortese rootstocks were planted in April 2020. Furthermore, the most recently planted vineyards produced a Gavi DOCG and a Piemonte D.O.C. Barbera, labeled "Tenuta del Melo".

The Barbera vineyards extend in an area with excellent drainage, facing south. For the planting, a massive selection was carried out: we cut and grafted thousands of shoots from the best clones in the area, with the aim of maintaining maximum genetic variability within the same variety of vine. 

Cultivation follows the biodynamic method, which aims to strengthen the vitality of the plant and its ability to react in the best possible way to changes in its environment. The form of cultivation is Guyot: the vine has a trunk height of approximately 50 90 cm, while the fruiting head (fruit-bearing shoot renewed each year) is tied to the support wire horizontally in relation to the ground: this ensures reduced expansion and better management of the leaf wall and exposure of the clusters. 

Conventional agriculture nourishes the plant with soluble food that is passively absorbed by the roots: in this way, the vines lose their identity and relationship with the earth, standardising the flavour and characteristics of their fruit. The biodynamic method, on the contrary, aims at strengthening the plant in all its components, right from the roots, so that it maintains an optimal condition of balance with nature and the climate in which it lives. This is why, at La Raia, all the rows are planted in alternating rows with wild species and autumn green manure: these are in fact a selection of leguminous plants (broad beans, field beans, peas, vetch), but also cereals (oats, barley) which, thanks to their nitrogen-fixing properties and root action, have the power to improve soil fertility and structure. Wild grasses in the rows also help to increase the biodiversity of the subsoil by acting on the formation of humus and making it more stable. These plants will then be mowed to further benefit the soil.

The Guyot Method

In late winter, starting with pruning, we guide the vines to obtain a more balanced quality production. We leave an average of 6 buds per vine, following the Guyot trellis system, which is suitable to basically droughty soils. Vine has an average height of about 50 cm, while canes are tied to the sustain thread, so to grow in a horizontal position. This grants a good sun exposure for leaves and grapes.

Prevention through organic substances

In summer, depending on the weather, cave sulphur and copper are sprayed in small doses to prevent diseases. A rose, planted at the beginning of each row, protects the vine from two enemies: the grape mildew and the oidium.

The green manure phase

In spring, when the vine starts sprouting, we remove any unwanted buds so that the plant’s energies can concentrate and the leaves can breathe in the sun’s light, equally distributed on the rows, without overlapping too much. Legumes and grasses, grown in the vineyard rows in autumn, are now ready to be dug down into the soil. Grasses are left to grow among rows and a green manure – made of graminaceous, crucifer and leguminous plants – enriches deeply the soil, adding earth and humus and maintaining the soil’s peculiar feature. We use soft machines to till the land among the rows.

Vintage following nature

In early autumn the grapes are ready for picking. Regular analysis is done to choose the optimum vintage time, as exposure to the sun and the age of the vine strongly influence maturation. The best grapes are selected, handpicked, placed in basket, and immediately brought to the press, to avoid the fermentation starts.

The Gavi Pisé vineyard

In the vineyards where the Gavi Pisé comes from, the plants have an ideal placing – South-South/West – which allows a complete and constant grapes ripening. The soil is loose, loamy sandy, with a typical light colour. It is well-drained and grass is left to grow from spring to the end of summer.

The biodynamic cultivation enabled the recovery of this vineyard original note. A green manure among the rows, dynamized horn manure to increase the soil deep fertility, stable humus coming from the farm, no pesticides, copper and cave sulphur sprayed in small doses in specific periods of the year. Pruning follows the moon descending phase. Soft machines till the land.

Gavi Pisé grapes are selected directly on the vine, handpicked and placed on conveyor belts immediately after the vintage, which usually takes place in mid-September.

Thanks to the grapes care and the particular soil the vines grow in, Gavi Pisé wine can age extremely well in the bottle – an extraordinary feature for a white wine. What captures most, though, are its tastes and perfumes, surprisingly able to evolve, even when the wine has been uncorked.

The 2018 edition of Gavi Pisé offers a further surprise: a one-year passage into oak barrels, which highlights all the varietal characteristics of the Cortese vine.

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