2006 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999
Principessa Perlante Gavi 2006
Recommended
From the Cortese grape, it has tiny, delicate bubbles, tart peach flavors and light body.
Fred Tasker - The Miami Herald - February, 2009
Principessa Perlante Gavi 2004
"The wine: Light, softly fizzy, with tropical fruit flavors and a slightly sweet finish. The story: From the Cortese grape, its delicate natural effervescence puts it in Italy's frizzante category, gentler than the country's fully sparkling wines, which are called Spumante. The word Perlante comes from its tiny, pearl-like bubbles." HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Fred Tasker - Miami Herald - November, 2005
"Here's an interesting Italian alternative to Chardonnay. Using Cortese grapes, it is a simple wine with elegant tropical fruit aromas and ends on a slightly sweet note. Good texture and nice sipping wine."
Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr - The Capital - November, 2005
"Light bodied with clean, bright aromas of apple, white pear, and mineral; crisp finish. Goat cheese; whitefish; light pasta dishes in a white sauce." Buy and serve youngest vintage available.
Santé - November, 2005
"Tissues of delicacies. A pale straw color; a foam of tiny bubbles, light and deft (second fermentation in tank, not bottle); very dry, crisp, lacy, green apple, lemon curd and lemon rind, a touch of almond and almond blossom, lots of limestone and a bracing finish. This attractive product, a tasty aperitif, offers more substance and character than many Proseccos. Charming."
Fredric Koeppel - Koeppel On Wine - October, 2005
Principessa Perlante Gavi 2003
"Anyone looking for a crisp, refreshing summer white with a slightly frizzante texture might venture in the direction of this delicious example from the Piedmont region of northern Italy. This beautifully crafted and well balanced wine is perfect as an aperitif or with Mediterranean tapas." 88
Robert Whitley - Whitley On Wine - May, 2005
"A great wine for fish and seafood, and because of its light and festive bubbles – 'Perlante' - a lovely aperitif, too."
Steven Kolpan - WAMC Radio (NY) - February, 2005
Principessa Perlante Gavi 2002
"Light, spritzy and lively with peach, citrus, vanilla and mineral flavors; clean finish. Aperitif. Buy and serve youngest vintage available."
Sante - November, 2003
"Slightly sparkling, with a green lime scent, this Gavi is light in body. The fresh acidity dominates, needing grilled calamari or prawns to round out its sharp, grassy edges." 86
Wine & Spirits - October, 2003
". . . a 100% Cortese Gavi made in a lightly sparkling style. Aromas of pineapple and lime lead to lively, mouthfilling flavors of creamy pineapple and lime with nice spritz. Light, fresh and balanced, this would make an Excellent Aperitif and a wonderful alternative to Chardonnay. Tasty."
The Colorado Wine News - December, 2003
"A semi-sparkling wine that has the melon/pear flavor of Gavi that's rarely seen here, and a load of spritz, sort of like a light bubbly, perfect for festive occasions or serving with light seafood." EXCEPTIONAL
Dan Berger - Vintage Experience - September, 2003
"One of the wines chosen as the season's best was Principessa Perlante. The estate bottled wine, made of 100 percent Cortese grapes, features a fresh, fruity bouquet and elegant structure that is balanced with a natural effervescence. An elegant aperitif, Principessa Perlante is also an ideal accompaniment to all shellfish, and marries well with fish, veal and grilled chicken. Its combination of delicacy and flavor make it perfectly suited to the nuances of flavorful late summer cuisine."
Chris Gasbarro - Pawtucket Times - September, 2003
"This nearly clear, barely golden wine had a soft stream of bubbles. Tasters found aromas of pineapple, apple and pear. The wine had flavors of tart apple and pear with a hint of vanilla. Light bodied, this wine had a quick, sharp finish."
The Wine Report - August, 2003
Principessa Perlante Gavi 2001
"Highly Recommended" 86
Beverage Testing Institute Of Chicago - August, 2003
"Once again we've chosen a wine from Castello Banfi as our wine of the month. Principessa Perlante is a Gavi wine from their sister winery, Vigne Regali, in Piedmont – the northwest region of Italy famous for its red wines, Barolo and Barbaresco. Gavi is a dry white made 100 percent from the native Cortese grape. Although that variety is extremely ancient, documentary evidence of its existence goes back only several centuries. The variety has been widely praised for its purity. Gavi is one of the best dry white wines of Italy. Principessa Perlante combines the fresh, fruity bouquet and elegant structure of Gavi with a delicate, natural effervescence. It’s an ideal accompaniment to all shellfish, which makes it the perfect choice for our Seafood Risotto this month. As well, it makes an elegant apéritif, is delicious with chicken dishes, and excellent partner for Japanese food."
WWW.FEASTIVALS.COM - March, 2003
"Pale straw in color, this slightly sparkling white wine has fresh aromas of citrus and apple and a good finish."
WINE.COM - January, 2003
"A wine style seldom seen on these shores -- a very lightly sparkling Gavi, light and clean, with a delicate mousse and a flavor of vaguely smoky fruit."
Saveur - November, 2002
"Pale straw in color, this Perlante, or effervescent, Gavi has small bubbles and an alluring fresh nose of citrus and apple. On the palate, it has a pleasant mouthfeel and delivers off-dry lemon-citrus flavors. It has a good finish with citrus notes."
TableWine.com - July, 2002
Principessa Perlante Gavi 2000
"... fresh & fruity with a delicate natural effervescence. A fine accompaniment to the nuances of Asian cuisine in general and Japanese dishes in particular."
J. Walman's Travel, Restaurante, Entertainment & Wine Report - February, 2002
"... a lovely white that has just a little fizz and is fruity, creamy, and sure to please anyone." ***+
AlcoholReviews.com - December, 2001
"An unusual approach to a Gavi, slightly carbonated and opens with a big ebullient nose of apple and sweet honeysuckle before flavors of spice, apple, pear, banana, and lemon-lime and a medium-broad, medium-long finish. Very nice with plenty of verve."
Harold J. Baer - Colorado Wine News - December, 2001
"The presence at the table of a bottle of the elegant Banfi Principessa Gavia Perlante 2000 would turn a meal featuring seafood or shellfish into a celebration. A slight effervescence increases the already ample charms of this white wine's fruit flavors, and this Gavi finishes in a notably refreshing way."
Robert Neralich - Arkansas Democrat Gazette - September, 2001
"...a stellar wine bottled with just enough carbon dioxide to imitate sparkling wine. A superb wine worth trying."
Dan Berger's Vintage Experience - September, 2001
"...a pale yellow color, captures the fresh, fruity bouquet and elegant structure of Gavi with an added vivacity of a refreshing light sparkle. It makes an ideal aperitif, but also has rich flavors to pair with a wide range of dishes, especially oysters, lobster and other shellfish."
Lynn Krielow Chamberlain - Sun Journal - August, 2001
"Pale straw in color, this effervescent version of the classic Piedmontese Gavi, a dry white, is loaded with tiny bubbles and has an attractive, straightforward nose of peach. On the palate, it delivers off-dry, or semi-sweet, flavors of peach and nectarine. This is a light, refreshing sparkling wine with good acidity and should make a wonderful aperitif to serve with hors d'oeuvres."
TableWine.com - August, 2001
"A well-balanced fruity wine also with a light effervescence, not a full champagne-like fizz."
Bill Van Ollefen - Greenwich (CT) Time - August, 2001
Principessa Perlante Gavi 1999
"Bright and fresh with delicate dry flavor... magically refreshing in summer."
American Way Magazine - July, 2001
"...worth the price of admission. The beautiful, clear, fluted bottle yields a dry wine with peach and pink grapefruit character, and just a hint of spritz to give it a crisp, palate cleansing snap."
Wine Spectator - May, 2001
"...made from a select cru of grapes in a single vineyard and it is quite different from the regular Principessa... noses of apples and pear. Drink it in and you get apples, a twist of grapefruit, and an almost salty-toast-crème close. Superb." ***+
AlcoholReviews.com - April, 2001
"As the name would imply, this has a tiny bead of bubbles, the sparkle lifting its green, young fruit as well as a light mineral aroma. It's lighter than most Gavi, clean and dry, a white to chill for a garlicky fish soup." 88
Wine & Spirits - April, 2001
"This 100% Cortese wine has a slight fizz and an almost imperceptibly faint touch of sweetness. Hay and herb aromas open to grapy flavors accented by smoky notes. A crisp mouthfeel and classic Gavi almond, lime and smoke notes close this pleaser." 87
Wine Enthusiast - February, 2001
"Fruity, fresh and floral in the aroma. Crisp and light in the mouth, this Italian white makes a good party wine."
Frank & Kate Sutherland - Tennessean - January, 2007
"There's good acidity, plus floral qualities, in the 2004 Vigne Regali Principessa Gavia Gavi, a stylish, pale-straw bargain. Gavis are made with the delicate Cortese grape, a mainstay of Piedmont and grown in Lombardy, too. The Banfi Vintners import is versatile, especially good with seafood."
Peter Gianotti - Newsday - April, 2006
Principessa Perlante Gavi Vintage Not Specified
"Should be the benchmark for other Gavis to emulate."
Phillip Silverstone - Main Line Times - May, 2005