About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
The fruit comes from selected vineyards in the hills of Langhe and Monferrato.
Vinification
The grapes are gently pressed in the historic Marmonnier press, housed in Gancia’s nineteenth-century, UNESCO-listed cellars. Fermentation takes place in oak barrels and sealed, temperature-controlled tanks. Secondary fermentation occurs in bottle over 40 days.
Ageing
The wine remains on its lees for at least 36 months in the Gancia cellars.
Label / history
Carlo Gancia founded the house in 1850. Born in 1829, he spent several years in Reims learning Champagne production methods before returning to Piedmont, where he established his wine house and worked with the region’s vineyards. Convinced that Piedmont’s soils were suited to sparkling-wine grapes, he experimented with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; this work resulted in an Italian sparkling wine produced in 1865 and now known as “Asti.”
Gancia later acquired vineyards in Puglia and Sicily for projects drawing on the potential of different regions. The house became exclusive supplier to the Italian royal court in 1870, gaining the right to display the monarchy’s coat of arms. It was appointed a supplier to the Vatican in 1924 and granted the right to use the Pope’s coat of arms, then became an official supplier to the Swedish royal court in 1951. Its sparkling wines, vermouths and aperitifs are now sold in more than 60 countries.
