Part of the appeal of Gavi is that it’s just Gavi. Historically, the very best Gavi has been labelled “Gavi from Gavi”, which is a little cheeky if you think about it. As wine merchants, we appreciate the confidence. Fontanassa’s owner Marco Gemme, however, wanted to be a little more specific. He inherited some of the denomination’s finest vineyards in the late 1980s, on iron-rich clay soils in the rugged yet impossibly green countryside of southeast Piedmont. As a veteran grape grower, he knew that his vineyards each had individual character, and he became one of the first in the appellation to make single vineyard Gavi. While those impressive wines have made the estate famous, the Cà Adua, their humble house wine drawn from all five Fontanassa vineyards, is anything but simple. Nose of orange peel, green apple, wintergreen and sweetfern, with a delicate touch of pepper. The palate is full bodied and silky textured, with flavors of apple sauce, lemon and orange zest, with a salty mineral finish. For best results, follow the Genoese example and serve with just about every kind of seafood.