# Minaia (Franco M. Martinetti)

> White, Gavi DOCG by [Franco M. Martinetti](https://ilvinobello.com/wineries/franco-m-martinetti.md), Monferrato, Piemonte, Italy. From Il Vino Bello (https://ilvinobello.com/wines/franco-m-martinetti-minaia).

- **Producer:** Franco M. Martinetti
- **Style:** White
- **Denomination:** Gavi DOCG
- **Grape:** Cortese
- **Cru / vineyard:** Rovereto
- **Production area:** Comune di Gavi (AL), località Rovereto
- **Soil:** Clayey marl with high iron content
- **Exposure:** South
- **Vineyard planting:** About 320 m altitude, hillside vineyard, rootstock S04, spurred cordon trained with Guyot pruning, vines over 25 years old, about 1.3 hectares.
- **Vinification:** Grapes hand-harvested (yield about 55-60 quintals/ha grape, 38-42 hl/ha wine); destemmed, cold-macerated on the skins for 36 hours, soft-pressed in a horizontal press, fermented in fine-grain French oak barriques, aged in fine-grain French oak barriques for about 10-12 months.
- **Last updated:** 2026-09-29


## Summary

Minaia takes its name from an outstanding site considered one of the great crus of Gavi.

## Tasting notes

Golden colour with delicate green highlights; the aroma, made more complex by careful ageing in barrique, is matched by a savoury, full palate.

## Food pairings

A full-bodied white that can age for several years: it does not disdain cured meats, white meats, fresh cheeses or seafood, pairs well with oven-baked fish, and is superb with shellfish and warm oysters.