The history of Ca ‘d’ Gal starts from these three fundamental elements:
the men and women who love and respect their land, the vineyards that draw nourishment from that land and the wines that come from the grapes of those vineyards. These are the things that create a unique and exemplary combination.
We are in Santo Stefano Belbo, specifically in Valdivilla and for four generations our family has been in the heart of these hills of Moscato d’Asti.
The marriage of tradition and new experiences comes from the stories and memories of my father, specifically a dinner with some friends, the “seigiornisti” by Giacomo Bologna. During that evening, as always relaxed and friendly, they told their stories, retracing their memories and different harvests. It was at that moment as I listened to them, I suddenly found myself thinking that those memories could become reality again. It was that night that I decided exactly which vineyards could fulfill my dream: the vineyard of Mr. Pierino Valdivilla and Brichet would become the “Vigna Vecchia” from Ca ‘D’ Gal.
From that long ago moment in 1990, the road has been long, intense and full of trials and research, testimonials and confirmations but today, tasting our wines, visiting the winery or by sitting with us at the table in our agritourismo, you will find all these experiences and the understand of our history.
It is a history of men, vineyards and wines from Ca ‘d’ Gal.
Some of our vineyards are more than 50 years old, with soil that is light in color and texture and rich in sand with ideal exposures, combined with a limited production, all of which contributes to the structure, longevity and quality that is consistent over time.
The continuous work of rigorous selection of the production of our winery, that we started in 1997, has allowed us to make wines that express their full potential, especially in terms of richness of aroma and taste that can be found in our Moscato.
While it is true that memories are the basis of dreams, the seeds of those dreams are planted while fantasizing about stories told by our fathers and their experiences, it was thus by listening to my father was the birth of my dream.
With skepticism of new winemaking technology which has allowed us to create a modern Moscato, my father and I talked about vineyard land, and grape harvests in which is almost, but not quite, overripe and prey for hungry bees and the aromas of the grapes filling the air and our lungs with sweetness.
One day, I found myself with my father at dinner with some friends; the “seigiornisti” of Giacomo Bologna who joined us for dinner. We talked together recalling many special experiences, I found myself thinking that these memories could once again be brought back to life.
It was on that very evening that I decided which vines were best suited to my dreams and I even gave them a name. The vineyard of Mr Pierino of Valdivella and the Brichet, was to become the “Vigna Vecchia” (“Old Vine”) of Cà d’Gal.
We have come a long way since then, starting back in 1990, having travelled a long, intense road marked by trial and research, experience and confirmation, through to 1997.
It was during that year that I decided to start making a final selection of our winery’s production to be devoted to the Vigna Vecchia, starting from 40 year old vines, which are now a good 60 years old, with extremely low yields and grapes harvested when very ripe, only then approaching the memory of the wine my father told me about.
When I first tasted it, I though that this intense, full-bodied, creamy yet fresh, aromatic and balanced wine deserved to be treated differently from that described in the production rules: the “Vigna Vecchia” was therefore scheduled for release to the market the September of the year after harvest.
But my curiosity was not yet satisfied – I still had plenty of questions to be answered. First and foremost was how to store the “Vigna Vecchia”. I remembered the bottles resting, for several years, on sand in the cool cellars and I can clearly recall the bowls filled with this aged moscato, in which my grandfather used to dip whole loaves of bread, savoring this nourishing, yet tasty snack.
I was determined to do the same and starting in 1997 I began to put away dozens of bottles from each vintage we produced. Certainly storing them in a more modern way, but at the same time working to keep the vision and intention of that time.
Today, I am proud to say that the dream has now come true, which demonstrates unequivocally how Moscato can be clearly characterized by a notable link with the territory, the terroir, and possessing a strong personality, able to express complex perfume and depth of flavor on a par with a great many more famously noble wines.
Since 1997 we have harvested, vinified and bottled Vigna Vecchia every year with the exception of 2002, which was a problematic year and one that didn’t fit with our quality objectives. In 2003, in light of the results we’d achieved, led us to opt for further aging before being released for sale. Therefore starting that year we set aside 1,330 bottles of each vintage for presentation to the market in September of the fifth year after harvest.
In September 2009 we started selling the 2003 vintage.
Having gotten this far, we thought that the time had come to meet, talk and most of all share our findings of the past few years, asking friends, journalists and experts to come and taste together all the vintages available, hearing their opinions and observations on the results of our work.
This tasting and comparison needed an approach that would reflect the philosophy that inspired the production, an approach that would respect the results of the various vintages. For this reason we did not follow a chronological order, but instead we sequenced the bottles relying on our experience and considerations of the vintage like weather conditions, plant growth, vine age and the characteristics that the grapes had been able to express in each year.
A tasting session, in short, that was sequenced by our historic memory.”
This comparison and tasting but needed an approach that reflected the philosophy that inspired the production and that would respect the result of various vintages. For this reason we did not follow a chronological order of service vertical, but instead entrusted the succession of bottles to our experience and taking into consideration the climatic conditions, the trend growing and maturation, the characteristics that the grapes had able to express in each year. A tasting was sequenced based on our memory…
Alessandro Boido
Together, we established an order of service for the vintages starting with the 2008 vintage, then continuing with 2007, followed by 2005 and then 2003, before returning to 2004 and then 2006 and finally ending up with 2001, 2000 and 1999 before concluding with 1998. Ten years of Vigna Vecchia for the first time presented all together to a select group of experts for an evaluation of their evolution and potential.
The overall analysis must consider that for decades there has been a common view of Moscato d’Asti which is a traditional wine, rooted in the collective Italian mindset, that all too often has been made into a banal product with little attention paid to the quality of production and industrial production, which is effectively responsible for a decline in quality and almost irreversible damage to its image.
Moscato d’Asti is potentially a strong product that was drained of any possibility of expressing its strengths and natural characteristics, relying exclusively on quantity and the global market, while the territory was forgotten together with concepts such as its identity, uniqueness and, above all, quality.
We started off by retrieving these fundamental aspects, combining them with our memory of what could be reconstructed of the traditional structure of Moscato, firmly convinced that by taking great care of the vines and harvesting the grapes with the perfect level of ripeness and balance, we could indeed take the first steps that would result in obtaining an increase in quality.
Il Moscato non può certo prescindere da concetti di produzione innovativi, controllo delle temperature e acciaio inox oltre a migliorarne il profilo organolettico, sono infatti fondamentali per poter utilizzare poca solforosa e per rimettere in fermentazione il mosto, così da permettere imbottigliamenti recenti. Ma tutto questo diventa soltanto un banale processo industriale replicabile ovunque, se non è accompagnato da consapevolezza e ricerca qualitativa.
Meeting at this table, we also chose to bring together these concepts, recovering the value by discussing what the wine was able to express.
2008 VINTAGE
This vintage has a very young appearance, straw yellow in color with greenish hues suggesting a very fresh wine. Indeed, this freshness also becomes evident in the nose, with hints of flowers and acacia and golden apple, citrus fruits and lychee, making for an aromatic, slightly mineral result. It is a wine that shows a good capacity to evolve with an intensity and persistence of flavor that promptly matches the flavors giving rise to excellent harmony. In short, a Moscato that, in its first year, already suggests its potential longevity.
2007 VINTAGE
A moscato with a lively, bold bright straw yellow color with golden hues and a slight, yet perceivable effervescence. To the nose, the initial impact is fresh and floral, wisteria and acacia, yellow peach and good mineral level with a slight hint of hydrocarbons. We are looking at a wine with a good depth, long and persistent, with a suitable harmony, appropriate balance. It is a juicy and complete wine that suggests reasonable capacity to evolve.
2006 VINTAGE
This vintage is notable for the decision to harvest four days late, a choice that is evident in all aspects of the tasting. Visually, the wine is bright golden yellow in color but with little carbon dioxide. The nose opens up immediately with notes of intense sweetness, honey-like with hints of candied fruit and Italian Christmas cake. On the palate, the lesser vein of freshness is rewarding with a greater emphasis on softness and sugary sweetness than on aroma and acidic structure. This is the sample with the clearest signs of evolution with respect to the relatively recent year of production. A slightly marked expression, therefore, of the harvest choice made, more ready to drink young and less well-suited to lengthy ageing.
2005 VINTAGE
This is an interesting wine with a beautiful bright, lively straw yellow color. To the nose, it is suitably complex and with a degree of evolution that is already perfectly clear in its hints of sage, golden apple and citrus fruits and above all in its mineral levels and balsamic sensations it leaves on the palate.
A somewhat “slimmer” year than earlier vintages, yet, is able to offer an intense, persistent, harmonically-compounded wine with good potential for further ageing.
2004 VINTAGE
The color is intense, as is the still-lively effervescence and the ensuing creamy, dense sparkle. Almost as fine as a dry white wine, with a very clean feel and an extremely interesting nose: it opens with the sweetness of dried fruits, almonds and hazelnuts, develops into full peach and mild citrus, before then relaxing with characteristic minerals and intense, complex aromas.
The palate corresponds perfectly, with acidity and sweetness harmonically integrated. A long-lasting, absolutely intact wine, capable of new evolution and further ageing.
2003 VINTAGE
Obtained in a year with by extremely warm weather, we have this straw yellow wine with golden hues, bright and slightly effervescent. The nose opens with intense perfumes of exotic fruit, aromatic hints of sage and rosemary followed by precise mineral notes, together with freshness and persistence. The palate is in harmony with the perfume, giving rise to complexities and depths in this traditional moscato, all accompanied by excellent evolution and a good tendency to age.
2001 VINTAGE
A bright, golden yellow wine with a slight effervescence that can still be noted. Powerful nose, full and evolved but at the same time still fresh and distinct: slight hints of oxidation that do not disturb the overall result but rather coherently accompany candied fruits, honey and a undercurrent of hydrocarbons and minerals. Harmonic and perfectly coinciding, the sweetness filled with ripe fruits and considerable intensity and persistence rests on a still-evident acidic structure. A moscato perfectly able to represent the philosophy of our project.
2000 VINTAGE
This vintage characterized by a warm autumn expresses a wine with a full, golden color and an evolution that offers the olfactory senses fairly complex, but less fine notes than the previous version: perfumes of raisins, ripe and candied fruits, honey and citrus fruits, on a gentle caramelized sensation. On the palate, it is balanced but is clearly less fresh. We find in succession; candied fruit, notes of caramel and honey but persistence is slightly penalized by a an acidic backbone on the finish.
1999 VINTAGE
A vintage that comes in a golden yellow dress with coppery reflections, a slight effervescence that is still evident and an appealing brightness. A less intense nose, but extremely fresh with hints of sweetness, honey and candied fruits, perfectly integrated by citrus notes and aromatic rosemary and lavender.
In the mouth, the balance is clear, sweetness and freshness integrate perfectly, obtaining a very harmonious, persistent result. A fine, extremely elegant wine, almost an anomaly in its type for some of the tasters, able to evoke suggestions recalling the great international white wines.
1998 VINTAGE
A moscato, now at 11 years old has a color that is still a fresh, intense yellow but not golden and a slight effervescence still perceived by the palate. Freshness that is incredibly intact in its perfumes, able to combine notes of citrus and candied fruits and honey with mineral depth and aroma.
Consistent, harmonic and therefore perfectly intact as it strikes the palate, this vintage amazed all tasters both for the demonstrated long life and expression of personality and typicality represented.
Almost the archetype of our dream.
Dai vigneti aziendali la cui età varia dai 20 ai 35 anni, nasce il Moscato d’Asti Lumine.
Our Moscato d’Asti Lumine wine is produced from our estate vineyards that are between 20 to 35 years old.
The production area is quite large, so there are different compositions of soil, which has led us to work harder to obtain lower yields and therefore achieve a higher quality. The optimal balance between total sugars and proper acidity, is an important decision that we make every year to choose the right time to harvest and allows us to make a fresh Moscato with an intense bouquet that is also delicate and elegant.
Aromas of acacia accompany scents of sage, rosemary and musk, the fruitiness that is perfect on the palate with a final note of green apple, peach and apricot.
With lively bubbles that are never aggressive, it has a perfect balance of sweetness and freshness.
Moscato accompanies the classic desserts made with hazelnuts, fruit tarts and cream but is also for perfect for adding a lovely sparkle to a bowl of mixed berries or a fruit salad.
Here as well, thanks to our memories, we can also suggest an unusual yet traditional combination with a slice of salami or rustic bread spread with a strong cheese like Bruss or gorgonzola.
Our Vigna Vecchia Moscato d’Asti wine comes from three plots of land situated in the Valdivilla hills. They are combined to create a one-hectare vineyard, planted with an old clone of the white Canelli Moscato, which is now 60 years old. Thanks to the perfect and completely south-facing exposure, in which the term Sorì has its most eloquent expression, all the vineyard rows ripen regularly with uniformly golden clusterss of grapes.
The earth is light and whitish and the higher percentage of limestone which makes it ideal for giving structure and body, while the temperate climate, with cold winters and rainy autumns alternating with hot but dry summers give this Moscato the necessary freshness and mineral content.
In 2003, we decided to lengthen the resting and maturing time in bottles of part of the production, before selling it. Since then 1,300 bottles are kept each year and only placed on the market in September of the fifth year after the harvest.
It is a real reserve within a reserve, therefore, a rarity that we are proud to present with in new packaging, with very elegant, customized wooden boxes.
With the harvest 1998 MOSCATO D’ASTI VECCHIA VIGNA that met along its way the “painter of wine” DIDIER MICHEL, who has tasted it and described in one of his paintings, which later became its label.
The two plots that produce Moscato d’Asti San’Ilario are facing southeast and all the vineyards enjoy an even maturation and produces golden and balanced grape clusters. Harvest is at the optimum moment to fully appreciate the peak potential and characteristics. The soil is light, almost white, with a high percentage of limestone, which is ideal for giving the grapes structure and body. The temperatures and climate are cold in the winter with rainy autumns that alternate with hot summers, which are quite dry, and give this moscato a wonderful freshness and minerality.
Moscato d’Asti Sant’Ilario is deep yellow with greenish and golden hues. The nose is big, complex and elegant, with fruity notes of peach and apricot, acacia and sage. In the mouth it opens sweet yet is never heavy, sustained by good acidity (due to the great balance resulting from the perfect ripeness of the grapes), the presence of carbon is creamy and not intrusive with good and persistent freshness. This wine has a very long finish, intense without being cloying. The finish has shades of interesting complexity.
These features make it sought after and able to compliment many meals, even with unusual food combinations. We decided based on our previous experience with our Moscato Vigna Vecchia, also Moscato Sant’Ilario to produce this wine in the spring following the vintage. This wine is released in the late summer, after a short resting period in the cellar, which is needed to allow the wine to recover its complexity, and better to express all of its magnificent features.
At Cà d’ Gal we have been producing our Asti Spumante since 2004. It all started with an encounter with Mr. Brad Lewis from the USA at Vinitaly and our desire to respond to his request to have an Asti Spumante that matched the quality and purity of our other wines, he encouraged me to take this challenge.
Over the course of two years we selected the vines that would be the best suited for the production of this wine. We decided on our youngest vines that are more generous with their grapes per hectar and have the right balance of sugar and acidity.
We only harvest by hand in the early days of September. It is a very refreshing wine with elegant perfumes with notes of elderflower, musk and peach with a finish of lemon and sage. It is an excellent wine with a lovely perlage that is typically enjoyed at all seasonal celebrations throughout the year like Christmastime with a typical Italian ‘Panettone’ or the Easter ‘Colomba’ and all the way through summertime salads.
A brilliant combination of international grapes, Chardonnay and Sauvignon, are perfectly suited to the calcareous soil where they were planted over twenty years ago.
This is a soft and smooth wine which has an aromatic freshness with floral notes and aromas at the start, with characteristic vegetable hints that later evolve into a long fruity flavorful finish with a hint of almond that is dry and lingering.
It is extremely pleasant to drink, making it perfect for an aperitif, but also a great match for seafood, fish dishes or white meats and young cheeses.
This is a wine based on our love for
this extremely popular, but equally challenging and delicate vine.
Our first important decision was a careful selection of the best land on which we would plant our first Pinot Nero vineyard.
In the end the obvious choice could only be
a part of Sorì di Valdivilla, not only
for its great exposure, but also for its ideal soil.
With sandy soil and veins of limestone, clay (tufo) and stone at a depth of 50 cm, it is ideal
for guaranteeing the right mineral content and fullness of the fruit. The vineyard is now six years old and
we presented our first bottles of Ca’ d’ Gal Pinot Nero in 2011. We are convinced of the great potential of this wine planted in this territory.
This is a light wine with a marked mineral verve, with delicate fruity
notes of currant, blackberry and raspberry and a spicy finish, and demonstrating that it is able to evolve and integrate over the years. On the palate there is a gradual intensity that is perfectly balanced.
It can be combined with any meal, pleasant with meat dishes, but also with fish in sauce, soups and spicy dishes.
The production of this Barbera d’Asti is from the area of Cassinasco, also known as the gateway of the Langa of Asti.
With the vines over 50 years old, this wine represents a special choice for our winery, for both the territorial origin, and for the quality and characteristics of the vineyards.
The vines have a strong personality and an extremely low yield, with small clusters of extraordinarily intense grapes balanced in all aspects. As a result this wine represents the best qualities of Barbera in this territory. It is full-bodied yet soft and warm on opening and it gradually relaxes due to its freshness, which makes it at the same time structured and elegant. It is an excellent accompaniment for salami, ravioli ‘plin’ and the classic Piemontese dish of ‘bolito misto’ and even with a very mature cheese.
Our Freisa comes from a vineyard that is over 50 years old and is characterized by its robust intense and full-bodied flavor.
Freisa is considered to be similar to the Nebbiolo grape, both in terms of its genealogy and its late ripening, we decided to maintain its identity and organoleptic characteristics through simple and pure vinification entirely in stainless steel.
With notes of red berries, like raspberries and cherries, it evolves with flowery notes of rose and a slight spiciness. It is harmonious and has excellent body on the palate, with a dry and persistent finish.
We recommend serving it with well- structured plates like braised meat with polenta, grilled red meats, medium and mature cheeses.
Nel corso degli anni alcuni artisti ci hanno accompagnato, realizzando per i nostri vini etichette speciali, diventate nel tempo per noi motivo di orgoglio e distinzione.
Massimo Ricci
( www.
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Michèle Didier
( www.micheledidier.com )
To call it a compote is too generic and simplistic, moreover, the term “mostarda” is misleading and doesn’t fully explain what it is.
As in many cases, we believe it is better to let the name in dialect to convey of the meaning. Cugnà has its own history in the Langhe in the microcosm of farms where out of necessity, tradition tended to self-sufficiency through the principle of using everything that the land offered. Which in this case included “grape clusters of S. Martino”, the last clusters that remained behind after the harvest and which formed as the base of grape-must, combined with any fruits from the farm, too little to be sold, yet too much to be unused. Cugnà comes from a time when polenta was daily nourishment, it also became a daily and lasting addition. It has a distinct culinary and cultural importance that still continues to deserve all of our attention and care to produce it as it was in the past. It is also here for your enjoyment and to keep the tradition alive on your table.
Our Cugnà comes with a brief description Download a brief description that you can frame DOWNLOAD PDF !
