A Pile of Letters, A Signature, A Wine From Another Time.
Giovanni Rava is a man who likes to talk. His own kids claim he starts from the moment he wakes up and doesn't stop until he closes his eyes at night. He'll respond to any question with a lengthy story or detailed explanation. Safe to say, he's never at a loss for words — unless he's speaking English.
I came through the courtyard of La Casaccia — named for the grand old house in the hilltop town of Cella Monte, in the rolling eastern reaches of Piedmont — to find Giovanni in his workshop, shaping a piece of wood for a new rudder on his sailboat. Unsure of my Italian, he chose his English words carefully, hesitating, trying to switch gears from his handiwork. Fortunately for both of us, we landed on French, and soon Giovanni was back in his groove — excitedly explaining the sailboat project, the weather, the latest news… He had a lot to share, and I just tried to keep up.
By the time Elena, Giovanni’s wife, had called us to dinner, Giovanni had barely paused for breath. With the same unstoppable energy, he opened one bottle after another, sharing the story of each one. But I kept coming back to two — wines that tasted like nothing else in the lineup, made from a grape called Grignolino. One bottle in particular caught my eye, with a jaunty signature across the width of the label.
Who is Ernesto? I asked
The house, Giovanni explained, has a lot of stories contained in it. When they were renovating the house, which had been in Elena’s family for generations, they found a trove of letters preserved in the attic, all signed by Ernesto.
Ernesto was Elena's grandfather, and by all accounts, he should not have survived World War I. Caught in the trenches in eastern Italy with no food, no resupply, and no bullets for their guns, he wrote letters home about the trials he was facing — trying to say his goodbyes, certain that death was near. Miraculously, he survived and returned home. Reading the letters, with that signature — flamboyant and bold — they marveled at what a personality Ernesto must have had, to persevere through all of it and remain so completely, undeniably himself.
Giovanni thought of Grignolino. Bold and assuredly itself.
Cella Monte sits in the Monferrato Casalese, where Barbera runs the show and there are not many Grignolino vineyards left. “Everybody loves Barbera, its easy to grow, it is a forgiving grape,” Giovanni explained. Grignolino, requires an entirely different approach. It is a thick-skinned, tannic grape that demands patience, and a methodology that most modern producers never contemplate: little intervention in fermentation, extended aging in barrel, followed by further time resting in bottle before release.
It’s a process that sounds almost antithetical to modern production, where wine is hurried through fermentation and stabilized with cold temperatures to soften harsh tannins. Speedy fermentation may get the wine to market fast, but the result is often superficial pleasure, and a basic, unmemorable wine. Grignolino almost demands the opposite, and rewards patience with a profound, and uncommon wine.
Giovanni makes two wines from the anachronistic grape — without shortcuts, a labor of love and a commitment to something he sees as worth preserving. We have both headed our way, and I hope you pick up these two captivating bottles for a taste of something unlike anything else you'll taste.
‘Poggeto’ Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese DOC 2024
Poggeto, Italian for small hill, references the geography of the vineyard where Giovanni’s Grignolino grows. It’s easy to see Grignolino’s relation to Nebbiolo in structure, but with a delicacy and perfume all its own. Giovanni crafts this one for earlier enjoyment, a more approachable expression of the grape without sacrificing its character.
Lighter in color than you might expect, but don't be fooled — there's real richness and intensity here. Aromas of strawberry, mint, eucalyptus, a hint of spice and marzipan. Lively and structured, with enough personality to hold its own at the table and enough freshness to keep you reaching for the glass.
‘Ernesto’ Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese DOC 2017
An ode to a family legend, this is made without modern techniques, no shortcuts — this is Grignolino made the ancient way, much like the best and longest-lived Barolos. 2017 is the current release, and Giovanni’s patience allows time to transform this wine into something resembling it’s namesake: bold and captivating.
My tasting note starts with simply: Wow! A swirling perfume pulls you in — nearly indescribable in its specific elements, but utterly whole and complete unto itself. Giovanni calls it an old-fashioned wine, but one with panache. Grab one or two for a rare window into what this grape is capable of.