A Couple of Wines from Alvio Pestarino

Alvio Pestarino makes Gavi, in the town of Capriata D'Orba (Alessandria), and recently called to ask if I would be interested in tasting the Passito he makes form Cortese, the grape also used tom make Gavi. I said yes, and he sent a bottle, together with a bottle of the 2008 Gavi I tasted this summer. The Gavi has matured some since then, becoming more languid, and was very pleasant.

Alvio Pestarino Gavi 2008 DOCG
Pale brassy white with brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is delicate, with bitter almond blossoms supported by some honeysuckle and clean underlying spice; it has an airy feel to it. On the palate it's rich, and languid, with pleasant slightly savory minerality laced with hints of pineapple and honeydew melon, and supported by clean honeydew melon acidity with a slight greenish burr flows into a fairly long mineral finish. It's graceful, in a ripe key, and will drink nicely as an aperitif,or with boiled or steamed fish (including Oriental dishes), and will also be nice with delicate white meats. Expect it to go quickly.
2 stars

Alvio Pestarino Passito Vino Da Tavola
This is made from the Cortese grape, and since the regulations governing Gavi don't contemplate the possibility of making it in a passito form, is bottled as a Vino Da Tavola:
Tawny apricot with amber reflections and white rim. The bouquet is intense, with considerable sugar supported by green apricot bitterness and acidity, and by dried fruit, a combination of figs and nuts mingled with apricot. Quite a bit going on, and as it opens some greenish accents also emerge. Interesting! On the palate it's full, soft, and sweet, with elegant brown sugar sweetness mingled with some walnut skin bitterness and moderate acidity; there isn't as much fruit as I might have expected -- some dried apricot -- and the interplay is mostly between the sweetness and the bitterness, while the acidity is enough to provide steerage but not enough to really take charge. This might sound negative, but the overall impression is one of delicate harmony, and even though I generally prefer more acidity in sweet wines I found myself rather enjoying it.
88-90

Contacting Alvio: He doesn't so far as I can tell, have a web site. But he does have a phone: 338 622 4134.