2024 Michele Chiarlo Gavi "Le Marne", Piedmont, Italy

ABOUT THIS WINE

This is a dry white from Gavi DOCG in southeastern Piedmont, made entirely from Cortese. “Le Marne” refers to the area’s marl-rich soils, and the wine is designed as a fresh, mineral-driven expression of Gavi rather than a richer, oak-influenced style. The Cortese comes from elevated vineyards near Gavi with clay-marl soils rich in iron. The area sits between the Ligurian Sea and the Apennines, where maritime breezes and cooler mountain air help Cortese retain acidity while reaching full ripeness.

The 2024 season brought back rainfall after the very dry 2022 and 2023 seasons, making vineyard management more demanding. A warm, dry stretch from mid-June through mid-September ultimately provided favorable ripening conditions for white grapes. Michele Chiarlo describes 2024 as an excellent year for Cortese, with good aromatic definition and acidity.

The fruit is hand harvested and carefully selected. After partial cold maceration/settling and gentle pressing, fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel, generally for 12-15 days at 16-18°C. The wine then remains 3 to 4 months on its lees in stainless steel before bottling. There is no oak maturation - the lees aging adds texture and complexity while preserving Cortese's freshness

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Michele Chiarlo is a family-owned Piedmont winery founded in 1956 in Calamandrana. After studying oenology in Alba, Michele Chiarlo opened his own estate, becoming an important advocate for Piedmontese wine internationally. Today, the estate is led by the next generation of the Chiarlo family. They farm vineyards across Langhe, Monferrato, and Gavi, including renowned sites such as Cannubi and Cerequio in Barolo, Asili in Barbaresco, La Court in Nizza, and Rovereto in Gavi.

The winery is particularly known for its commitment to native Piedmontese varieties, like Nebbiolo, Barbera, Cortese, and Moscato, and expressing individual vineyard sites. Michele Chiarlo was an early champion of high-quality Barbera and played an important role in elevating the reputation of Nizza. Across their portfolio, the wines emphasize elegance, balance, and terroir, with winemaking tailored to each variety rather than relying on a single house style.

Sustainability is also central to the estate's philosophy, with practices focused on biodiversity, soil health, cover crops, natural fertilization, and careful hand harvesting. The winery holds Equalitas and SQNPI sustainability certifications. In Gavi, Chiarlo applies the same vineyard-focused approach to Cortese, producing fresh, mineral-driven wines such as Le Marne, alongside more site-specific expressions from prized vineyards like Rovereto.