Gravina
Styles
Principal grape varieties
Greco (Greco Bianco Di Tufo)Malvasia Bianca (Malvasia Bianca Lunga)Verdeca B. (Lagorthi)Bianco Di AlessanoMontepulcianoPrimitivoMerlotMalvasía (Malvasia Dubrovacka)
Terroir
Natural factors
- Compact limestone soils: Cretaceous formation (~130 Ma), up to 3,000 m thick, with vine roots penetrating into the underlying lithological unit.
- Karst plateau with no permanent watercourses; the water table lies up to 400 m below sea level in the Murge Alte.
- All vineyards lie above 400 m a.s.l., with maximum elevations of 680–686 m (M. Caccia and Torre Disperata); constant natural ventilation throughout.
Human factors
- Underground cellars (cantine ipogee) carved into the tuff were used for sparkling-wine production by spontaneous re-fermentation of Greco, Malvasia, and Bianco di Alessano as early as 1871. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
- All vineyards lie above 400 m a.s.l. on compact Cretaceous limestone (130 Ma), with karst activity driving the water table down to 400 m below sea level.
Product characteristics
- Straw-yellow in colour with greenish highlights, a characteristic nose; dry or medium-sweet on the palate, fresh, savoury, harmonious, and sometimes lightly sparkling. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
- The elevation above 400 m and the pseudo-steppic climate favour wines of great finesse and elegance, with lower alcohol levels than those from more southerly zones.
Terroir / wine link
- The karst limestone soils of the Murge compel deep root development, low yields, and high minerality sustained by good acidity in the wine.
Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.
Sources
- eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-IT-A0550
- Official trade body site — Consorzio di Tutela del Vino Gravina DOP