Vinitaly: the debut of the Relais Bianc Particulier 2019 of the Bava winery

At Vinitaly 2025 ( 6-9 April 2025, Pavilion 10 Piedmont Stand Q3 ), the Bava family, from the historic winery in Cocconato d'Asti , will bring a special bottle for tasting that expresses the ability to best interpret the characteristics of each harvest.

Relais Bianc Particulier 2019: the evolution of Sauvignon according to Bava.

Bava has been cultivating a true passion for Sauvignon Blanc for twenty years; in the early 2000s, he began searching for positions and lands to evaluate and understand where this vine could best express its character, planting vines in small portions of the vineyard and then carrying out small winemaking tests.

Once the “right place” was identified, in 2006, the first vineyard was planted, and since 2011 the first vintage of Relais Bianc has been added to the international wines range, alongside Chardonnay, already historically vinified for Thou Bianc.

Over time, these varieties and their respective expressions of the terroir of the Monferrato Asti hills have been appreciated for their ability to evolve in the bottle, as for red wines,

Giulio Bava , owner with his family of the winery founded in 1911, says: “ Sauvignon Blanc is part of that elite of grapes grown in different wine-growing regions in the world. Among these, however, Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most demanding: because only in particular soils and exposures does it express the best of itself and of the territory.

To plant our Relais Blanc we chose a plot of land in the Cascina della Pieve on a half hill (300 metres above sea level) that looks towards the sunset, characterised by cooler hilly terrain of white and calcareous soils that produce great red wines and, why not, excellent white wines.

In this vineyard, in special harvests, the wine manages to be more refined and long-lived. Finer aromas of thyme and sage can be detected, which contribute to making the wine more interesting ”.

" In the 2019 harvest in particular - continues Giulio Bava - Sauvignon immediately showed, even on the grapes, very interesting and new characteristics, with an expressive potential different from the usual ready-to-drink style. We therefore decided to opt for a longer refinement in the bottle which led to the birth of Relais Bianc Particulier 2019 , a wine that represents the elevation to an enhanced expression of our classic version: an exclusive evolution that takes Sauvignon to a new level of complexity and maturity ".

VINIFICATION AND REFINING: A cold maceration of the grapes in an atmosphere protected from oxygen, preceded the slow fermentation of the partially clarified must at low temperature. The protection continued during the entire 10 months of refinement “sur lie” that preceded bottling.

This particular vintage has been aged for approximately five years in the bottle .

TASTING: The nose perceives elegant citrus notes of grapefruit and it is characterized by more intense characters of sage and thyme, and a balsamic and mineral note. Even on the palate it confirms itself as elegant, savoury. With good acidity and body, and with great softness and persistence in the finish.

For lovers of red wines, and in particular for lovers of Nebbiolo grapes, the new vintage of Serre di San Pietro Monferrato DOC Nebbiolo Superiore , the 2022 , will be offered for tasting.

The Nebbiolo grapes of Serre di San Pietro are grown in Cocconato, where the Bava family has lived and cultivated the land for 13 generations and come from the most historic family vineyard on the Cadodo hill.

The panoramic sequence of the bricchi delle Serre a Cocconato boasts a long tradition in the cultivation of Nebbiolo, by virtue of this history at the end of the 90s it was decided to replant and cultivate new vines on the historic positions.

The choice was rewarded and confirmed by the subsequent recognition with the birth of the specific denomination Monferrato doc Nebbiolo.

Serre di San Pietro has the character and fragrance of the important reds of this territory, where elegance and structure blend harmoniously, enhancing the fragrance and freshness of the great Nebbiolos.