La Miraja Grignolino 2023

Grape: Grignolino

Region: Piedmont, Italy

Farming: Organic

Nestled within the original castle of Castagnole Monferrato, La Miraja was constructed as an armory in the 11th century, only to be retrofitted as a cellar in the 1400s. In this armory-turned- cellar, Eugenio Gatti, a seventh-generation viticulturist, turns out Barbera, Grignolino, Freisa, and his fabled Ruché. La Miraja (pronounced “me-rye-uh”) is tiny by any measure, comprising less than 4 hectares under vine. It is here that Eugenio devotes his life’s work to producing roughly 2,500 transcendent cases of wine each year. Harnessing his years of experience working in wineries and distilleries across Italy, he imbues his wines with a

haunting purity and a simple elegance. Beyond Ruché, Eugenio focuses a great deal of his time and energy on Grignolino, an ancient red variety native to the Monferrato Hills of Piedmont. Grignolino was the favored red wine of the Savoy aristocracy in the thirteenth century, prized for its light color and elegant mouthfeel. In the latter half of the 1800s, these wines often matched or exceeded the price of Barolo bottlings. Although Grignolino is particularly suited to hot summer days, locals drink these wines through the winter. Typically chilled before serving, this wine makes for a great “winter rosé”.

Food Pairing: This light-bodied and high-acid red wine pairs best with antipasti, cured meats, light pasta dishes like Piemontese tajarin, and even grilled fish like salmon.