Alteni di Brassica
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 3 to 10 years from the vintage release, as it gains complexity, honeyed depth, and integration with age.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Herb-roasted poultry, grilled white fish such as sea bass, and fresh goat cheese or vegetable risottos.
✨ Technical Specifications
Gaja's Alteni di Brassica is a landmark white wine from Piedmont, first released in 1986 under the visionary guidance of Angelo Gaja. Crafted from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grown in the premium clay-limestone soils of Barbaresco and Serralunga d'Alba, this wine represents a daring departure from regional tradition. The name pays homage to the local heritage: 'Alteni' refers to the historic dry stone walls that once bordered the local orchards, while 'Brassica' is the yellow wildflower of the mustard family that blankets the vineyards in spring. Unlike many crisp, stainless-steel Sauvignon Blancs, Alteni di Brassica undergoes fermentation and aging in oak barriques for six to eight months. This meticulous process imparts a rich, textured complexity, balancing vibrant citrus and tropical fruit notes with elegant herbal undertones, structured minerality, and a subtle, creamy finish.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1859 by Giovanni Gaja in the village of Barbaresco, Piedmont, Gaja has evolved into one of the world's most celebrated and visionary wine estates. The house was catapulted to international acclaim under the transformative stewardship of Angelo Gaja, who revolutionized Italian viticulture by pioneering green harvesting, temperature-controlled fermentations, French barrique aging, and single-vineyard bottlings. Today, alongside legendary Nebbiolo expressions such as Barbaresco, Sorì San Lorenzo, and Sperss, the family crafts benchmark whites like Gaia & Rey, fine grappas, and acclaimed wines from their Tuscan estates in Bolgheri and Montalcino. Uncompromising in quality and innovation while deeply rooted in their heritage, the Gaja family produces intensely expressive, structured, and age-worthy masterpieces that define modern Italian fine wine.