Wild Sauvignon from Monferrato
This past spring, among the usual daily emails, I opened up my inbox to a collection of stunning images. Margherita Rava sent me a bundle of photographs of the most recent harvest at La Casaccia in the Monferrato region of Piedmont.
Margherita has been working alongside her parents, Giovanni and Elena, for years now. She grew up watching her parents rehabilitate the derelict building that houses the underground winery and convert the vineyards to organic farming. While the estate is known mostly for growing Barbera, Giovanni’s restless mind and hands have yielded lots of idiosyncratic inventions around the winery, and some out-of-the-box wines coming from the cellar.
So, along with a report on the latest vintage and the goings-on at the winery, Margherita casually signed off by mentioning a new wine they have been working on.
“It’s called Sauvage.”
More details, please! Hearing about new projects from a producer we love is always exciting. It's a good sign when a producer is as curious and adventurous as we are when it comes to wine. And since we loved everything La Casaccia has put to bottle, this just seemed like more to love.
Here is how she described the wine in her own words:
“Sauvage comes from the first harvest of a small vineyard planted among the bushes. We picked ripe grapes, so the perfumes are less green than usual Sauvignon. It's fermented in barrique, and we also let it rest for about six months in barrique. It does rest in the bottle for about a year. Perfumes remind me of flowers, white/yellow fruits, hazelnuts, and butter. On the label, we represented 3 different bugs (dragonfly, bumblebee, and cricket) to talk about biodiversity in the vineyard and how insects are important!”
La Casaccia 'Sauvage' Sauvignon 2022
This Sauvignon is a different beast than what may come to mind when you hear Sauvignon Blanc. As the name implies, this leans into the wild side of things. The flavors move beyond the bright Springtime flavors of sharp citrus and cut grass, into the more round, autumnal flavors of quince, clover, and marmalade.
Key to this is their use of acacia barrels (not oak), which adds texture to the wine without imparting any obvious flavors. The goal was to add richness, without masking the exuberant flavors of the variety.
After having the chance to finally open a bottle for myself, I really love the mouth-coating richness on the palate, without the wine being heavy--it’s balanced by a clean, crisp finish. Pair this with a meaty fish, grilled chicken, or, as I did, a pasta salad. As usual, La Casaccia delivers a wine with energy and purity of fruit, every bit as enticing as their line-up of Barbera.
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Giovanni is a tireless experimenter, informed by years of hands-on work and questioning convention. While this wine was unexpected, it's exactly the kind of delightful surprise we've come to expect from La Casaccia over the years. This bottle of white will sit beautifully alongside bolder flavors on the table and offer a new perspective on Sauvignon.