Notify me
2021 Gambellara Classico “El Gian”
Davide VignatoWhen we talk about the most crisp and mineral white wines from France and Italy that so clearly convey their terroirs, we often use Muscadet and Chablis as the benchmarks. But it’s time that the best Garganegas, like this one from Davide Vignato, join their French counterparts in the conversation.
Take one sip of Davide’s El Gian and you know immediately that its almost salty stoniness bespeaks a unique and exhilarating terroir. In the foothills of the Italian Alps east of Verona, Davide farms fourteen hectares of mostly Garganega planted in soils composed of basalt columns originating from a small, extinct volcano just a few hundred meters from the winery. His decades-long organic and biodynamic practices have made him a pioneer here in the small village of Gambellara, and they are crucial to capturing an astonishingly pure expression of terroir in the glass. Bracing, floral, and stony, this bianco offers notes of herbs, citrus, and pear that make it a perfect match for all varieties of fresh seafood. Try it with Georgeanne Brennan’s spaghetti nero with Dungeness crab for an exquisite and regionally inspired springtime feast.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Garganega |
Appellation: | Gambellara Classico |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Veneto |
Producer: | Davide Vignato |
Winemaker: | Davide Vignato |
Vineyard: | 25 years average |
Soil: | Volcanic, basalt soil |
Aging: | Ages on fine lees in stainless steel tank for 5 months until bottling |
Farming: | Biodynamic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 11.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2021 Bardolino “Le Fontane”
Italy | Veneto
There is actually a depth of interest that can reflect man’s insignificance in the solar system. Take me to the terrace!
2021 Veneto Frizzante “Primo Incontro”
Italy | Veneto
In his hometown of Gambellara, a sleepy village about halfway between Verona and Vicenza, Davide Vignato is making waves with his stony, acid-driven white wines.
2020 Veneto Garganega “Col Moenia”
Italy | Veneto
It’s made from his oldest, highest-altitude vines trained in the traditional pergola style, creating a beautiful canopy from which his Garganega dangles in slinky, loose bunches.
2021 Colli Trevigiani Verdiso
Italy | Veneto
The 2021 has a sweet nose with summery whiffs of peach and apricot, a silky mid-palate, and a lovely citrus and mineral finish.
Vino Spumante “Cuvée dei Vignato”
Italy | Veneto
Durella with a splash of Chardonnay—rich texture, laser-sharp acidity, and bone-dry finish.
2021 Colli Trevigiani Manzoni Bianco
Italy | Veneto
Crisp, clean, and aromatic, this is a delightfully refreshing white.
Prosecco Superiore Brut
Italy | Veneto
This quaffable bubbly can be enjoyed as a cheerful weeknight wine or try it in a spritz with one of our Bèrto Vermouths.
2021 Bianco di Custoza “Mael”
Italy | Veneto
A masterful blend of Garganega, Trebbiano, Trebbianello, and Riesling, this perfumed charmer punches far above its weight.
2020 Veneto Garganega “Sera”
Italy | Veneto
Four months of skin contact leaves this Garganega from Vignato Davide bursting with fragrant clementine and almond blossoms, while volcanic soil imparts lingering salinity.
Rosato Spumante Brut
Italy | Veneto
A spritzy rosato with scents of frutti di bosco and wildflowers.
About The Producer
Davide Vignato
About The Region
Veneto
Italy’s most prolific wine region by volume, the Veneto is the source of some of the country’s most notorious plonk: you’ll find oceans of insipid Pinot Grigo, thin Bardolino, and, of course, the ubiquitous Prosecco. And yet, the Veneto produces the highest proportion of DOC wine of any Italian region: home to prestigious appellations like Valpolicella, Amarone, and Soave, it is capable of excelling in all three colors, with equally great potential in the bubbly and dessert departments.
With almost 200,000 acres planted, the Veneto has a wealth of terroirs split between the Po Valley and the foothills of the Alps. While the rich soils of the flatlands are conducive to mechanization, high yields, and mass production of bulk wine, the areas to the north offer a fresher climate and a diversity of poor soil types, ideal for food-friendly wines that show a sense of place. Whether it’s a charming Prosecco Superiore from the Glera grape, a stony Soave or Gambellara from Garganega, or a Corvina-based red in any style, the Veneto’s indigenous grape varieties show real character when worked via traditional production methods.
Since his first visit in 1979, Kermit has regularly returned to the Veneto to enjoy its richness of fine wines and local cuisine. Our collaboration with Corte Gardoni, our longest-running Italian import, is a testament to this. The proximity of beautiful cities like Verona and Venice, with their deep culinary heritage, certainly doesn’t hurt, either.
More from Veneto or Italy
2020 Bardolino “Le Fontane”
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto
Vino Spumante “Cuvée dei Vignato”
Davide Vignato Italy | Veneto
2020 Bianco di Custoza “Mael”
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto
2021 Bianco di Custoza “Mael”
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto
Rosato Spumante Brut
Sommariva Italy | Veneto
2021 Veneto Frizzante “Primo Incontro”
Davide Vignato Italy | Veneto
2021 Colli Trevigiani Verdiso Frizzante “Sui Lieviti Erti”
Gregoletto Italy | Veneto
Prosecco Superiore Brut
Sommariva Italy | Veneto
2020 Veneto Garganega “Sera”
Vignato Davide Italy | Veneto
2021 Prosecco Treviso Sui Lieviti
Gregoletto Italy | Veneto
Prosecco Superiore Brut Magnum
Sommariva Italy | Veneto
2021 Colli Trevigiani Verdiso
Gregoletto Italy | Veneto
2020 Bardolino “Le Fontane”
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto
Vino Spumante “Cuvée dei Vignato”
Davide Vignato Italy | Veneto
2020 Bianco di Custoza “Mael”
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto
2021 Bianco di Custoza “Mael”
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto
Rosato Spumante Brut
Sommariva Italy | Veneto
2021 Veneto Frizzante “Primo Incontro”
Davide Vignato Italy | Veneto
2021 Colli Trevigiani Verdiso Frizzante “Sui Lieviti Erti”
Gregoletto Italy | Veneto
Prosecco Superiore Brut
Sommariva Italy | Veneto
2020 Veneto Garganega “Sera”
Vignato Davide Italy | Veneto
2021 Prosecco Treviso Sui Lieviti
Gregoletto Italy | Veneto
Prosecco Superiore Brut Magnum
Sommariva Italy | Veneto
2021 Colli Trevigiani Verdiso
Gregoletto Italy | Veneto
Where the newsletter started
Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch