Winery Notes

The Rosina sisters were outsiders. Paola, Anna, and Francesca bought land in Gavi two decades ago. They were enthusiasts without oenological experience. The family bought a couple hectares, then quickly a dozen more, essentially on a whim. After a couple years of making wine in a semi-commercial manner, the trio purchased a cellar in the hillside hamlet of Tassarolo: population 600. With the help of oenologist Davide Ferrarese, La Mesma went from passion project to rising star in Gavi.

La Mesma has a great location for farming Cortese. Their vineyards are a mix of clay (closer to Tassarolo) and calcareous (nearer to Monterotondo.) The latter is a village and a cru in the heart of the Gavi zone. The fields are 300+ meters above sea level, elevation essential to contend with recent torrid summers. Monterotondo’s limestone vineyards are particularly dry. Winter snows are essential to the quality of La Mesma’s wine from that terroir. The character and concentration of the wines we tasted at our initial meeting made sense in this geologic context.