The city of Liverpool must have known there were special Italian guests in town as it was at its stunning best when The Buyer came to town to host its latest Gavi Restaurant Tour. A chance for the some of the most influential wine figures in and around the city to come together and jump on The Buyer’s very own Magical Mystery Tour to discover and explore the wines of Gavi from one of Italy’s most famous white wine regions.
For the latest Restaurant Tour to show how well Gavi DOCG wines can work with different cuisines The Buyer traveled to Liverpool and invited local wine merchants, suppliers, importers, educators and restaurateurs to take part
As with our previous Restaurant Tours the concept was to test and probe just how well Gavi DOCG wines performed against different cuisines without a bowl of pasta in sight. All with the intention of demonstrating to a panel, made up of local wine merchants, importers, distributors, restaurateurs and wine educators, just how versatile Gavi wines are and why they have become such an ubiquitous part of so many wine lists across the UK.
Their task was simple enough. To taste a selection of different Gavi DOCG wines, paired against dishes served in three different restaurants, whilst sharing their views and insights on what Gavi and its wines means for their respective businesses.
What makes the day stand out from a standard wine industry tasting is that you are not tasting wines on your own, but as part of a group and you are actively encouraged to speak out, join in and play your full part in the tour. It is also a day when there are a lot less spittoons around and those taking part can relax in each other’s company and enjoy the backdrop of such a magnificent, famous city.
It also helps if so many of the panel already know each other, often attending local events and tastings together and are more than ready for a fun, and educational, afternoon out.
Our thanks go to all our panelists for very much getting into the swing of things but also to the teams behind our restaurant hosts, one of whom (Sasha Brownlow owner of Chamber Thirty Six) even opened their doors just for us and took part in the full tour.
The Restaurants
The Art School
1 Sugnall St, Liverpool L7 7EB
@theartschoolrestaurant
The Art School by Paul Askew is arguably Liverpool's finest of fine restaurants
Long respected as arguably Liverpool’s best fine dining restaurant led by the highly influential and charismatic Paul Askew. It also places a huge significance on its wine offer, with an award-winning list and downstairs cellar events space and dedicated tasting room. It runs a number of wine events, winemaker dinners and offers WSET courses to customers and guests.
Chamber Thirty Six
45-49 Berry St, Liverpool L1 9DF
@chamber36Liverpool
Chamber Thirty Six has built a great reputation as one of leading lights of Liverpool's famous Chinatown
“At Chamber Thirty Six, we believe food is a powerful way to connect. Inspired by the spirit of sharing and rooted in the heritage of Chinese dining, we offer more than just a meal. We create moments.” It has been at the heart of Liverpool’s famous Chinatown since it opened in 2016. Here the focus is on small sharing plates that celebrate the best of modern Chinese cuisine. It also runs a number of focused wine events and wine tastings.
Maray Dockside
Britannia Pavilion, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool L3 4AD.
@marayrestaurants
Situated in the heart of Albert Dock Maray could not have a better location for its Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine
The final stop on our tour took us to one of Liverpool’s leading Middle Eastern and Meditteranean-inspired restaurants where the focus again is on shared plates. This is one of two venues in Liverpool with further restaurants in Manchester (which hosted a separate The Buyer Restaurant Tour for Luberon wines) and in Chester.
The Tour-ists
The Buyer was able to work closely with local wine writer and educator Jane Clare to pull together a panel of leading wine figures across the north west wine trade representing wine merchants, distributors, educators and restaurateurs. They included:
Jordan Brooks, co-owner, City Wine Bar & Kitchen
Jordan Brooks is co-owner of One of Liverpool’s business district’s most popular venues - situated in a grade II listed 'City Buildings' on Old Hall Street - serving a regular crowd of lawyers, solicitors and council staff with a wide range of ever changing wines.
Sasha Brownlow, general operations manager, Chamber Thirty Six
Sasha Brownlow is the welcoming host and face behind Chamber Thirty Six and both joined us on the full restaurant tour and also opened the restaurant just for us. She has been running Chamber Thirty Six for nearly eight years and previously held senior managements oles at Stonegate Pub Company.
James Gulliver-Cameron, head of wine, Hammonds of Knutsford
James Gulliver-Cameron first forged a career as a successful sommelier, including head sommelier role at the prestigious Northcote Hotel and the Wood Restaurant Group before switching to the supplier side of the fence first at Propeller and now heading up the wine arm of Hammonds of Knutsford.
Johnny Ludon, account manager, Hammonds of Knutsford
Johnny Ludon was very much on his home patch being account manager for Hammonds of Knutsford’s Liverpool customers. Ludon was also a familiar face at Maray where he was general manager, helping to open its pub venue, The One O’Clock Gun. He also held senior management roles at Red and Blue Restaurants and Lerpwl.
Jeremy Cowan, account manager, Gerrard Seel Wine Merchants
A key wine sales figure in Liverpool Jeremy Cowan spent over 12 years in an account manager’s role at Liberty Wines, before moving over into a retail with Honest Grapes and then returning to Liverpool in an account manger’s role for the respected Gerrard Seel Wine Merchants that is one of the north west’s leading suppliers.
Kevin Rooney, area sales manager, Enotria
Kevin Rooney learnt the ropes of the wine industry at the graduate school of Oddbins before forging his career at Enotria where he has become a key figure in the north west as area sales manager for the last 15 years.
Isabella Lewis, account manager, Boutinot Wines
Isabella Lewis is really making her mark as one of the account managers making a difference for Boutinot in Liverpool and across the north west. Previously she cut her teeth in wine at Liverpool’s ThinK Wine Group having joined from an events background, marketing and social
John Budd, account manager, Boutinot Wines
John Budd is a well known and well respected local sales account manager for Boutinot Wines where he has built a strong network of on-trade and retail customers in Liverpool and across the north west over the last 10 years.
Laura Griffiths, founder, Lingo Vino
One of Merseyside’s brightest wine talents, Laura Griffiths has built a successful wine training and education business, Lingo Vino, that runs wine tastings on the Wirral and in Liverpool, which also takes her to Spain where she trains yacht crews in premium wine service - a role that has seen her work for Conviviality’s Global Wine Solutions. She also does regular shifts at Majestic’s West Kirby outlet on the Wirral.
Johnathan Barry, founder, Bacchus School of Wine
Jonathan Barry runs the vibrant Bacchus School of Wine that hosts a wide selection of relaxed, fun wine tasting and educational events for enthusiastic wine lovers. He also runs his own wine school offering different level WSET courses. Barry is also behind the Northern Wine Festival that he ran in Liverpool across two days in March and is looking to return with a bigger event in 2027.
Christopher Dace, owner, Dace Tearoom
Christopher Dace runs a popular and successful food and wine shop in Crosby in Liverpool famous for its relaxed, innovative wine tastings and educational events that he also runs with Jane Clare across Liverpool and the north west.
Jane Clare, One Foot in the Grapes
Liverpool’s most prolific wine writer with a syndicated wine column that appears in local and regional newspapers across the UK. She also runs her own WSET wine school and fun, but focused wine tastings and events in the north west through One Foot in the Grapes. She is also a regular contributor to The Buyer.
Sara Repetto, Consorzio Tutela del Gavi
Sara Repetto is Gavi ambassador for the Consorzio and has been the co-host and guide to the region for each of The Buyer Restaurant Tours.
Understanding Gavi
The Restaurant Tour is an opportunity for the Consorzio Tutela del Gavi to showcase its wines to key buyers in different cities in the UK
There is so much for other regions to take from how hard the Consorzio Tutela del Gavi has worked, with its 190 producer members, to protect its DOCG status and the quality and consistency of its wines. The fact the Consorzio was only formally established in 1993 might help in that it had the time and experience to be able to learn from other areas of Italy, and the world, what it takes to promote a relatively small region and so that it has such a footprint around the world.
The DOCG can be broken down into 11 municipalities, covering 1,600 hectares, situated across the south-eastern part of Piedmont only 30km from the sea.
It is that maritime influence that plays such an important role in helping to produce the bright, fresh, high acid wines that Gavi is internationally famous for. Wines that have enough complexity to get you coming back for more, but are as easy to drink as they are to put on a wine list. The combination of long, hard winters and hot, sunny summers - with fresh nights - is the key to producing ripe grapes and fresh, delicately flavoured wine.
The red and white soils of the Gavi wine region have a crucial part to play in the styles of wine being made
Sara Repetto says the key characteristic that determines the flavour and profile of its wines are its soils - which can be split into three distinct areas:
- the red clays and red soils to be found in the warmer northern part of the region that are rich in iron and give body, power, expression and structure to the wines. This region includes municipalities including Tassarolo, Novi Ligure, Pasturana, Francavilla Bisio, San Cristoforo and Capriata d’Orba.
- the white clays and white soils that stretch across the centre of the region that are full of clay, marl, sandstone and pebbles and offer more balance between structure and flavour.This includes the main Gavi municipality along with Carrosio, Parodi Ligure and Serravalle Scrivia.
- the ageing soils across the south of the region that are more sparsely planted at altitudes up to 1,000m that have endured years of heat and pressure. This is where the Bosio municipality is situated.
The Cortese grape varietal is the only grape allowed in Gavi wines
Then there is the fact Gavi can only use one grape variety - Cortese - in all its wines. No blends with any other varieties are allowed. It’s what gives Gavi its consistency across the board. A white grape variety that is ideal for both enjoying on its own, but also with food. That’s what has helped it gain such traction around the world, says Repetto,
“The identity of Gavi is crystal clear,” she adds. “We have 1,600 hectares of Cortese and we protect it.”
If you had to pick out a key characteristic that really distinguishes Gavi over other wine styles then it would be its white flower and citrus notes, claims Repetto. “That’s the clear character of Gavi.”
Gavi can also claim a long-standing export tradition dating back to the 1700s, thanks to its proximity to the port of Genoa and its international trading routes. The wines of Gavi first established themselves in markets such as the UK and Germany before gaining recognition worldwide.
Gavi - the key facts
The stunning landscape of the Gavi wine region
- Gavi is situated in the south-east region of Piemonte in north west Italy.
- There are around 240 producers making Gavi wines of which 190 producers are part of the Consorzio Tutela del Gavi.
- All wines are made from 100% from the Cortese grape variety.
- Annual production sits around 14 million bottles and is controlled to ensure quality, consistency is maintained vintage to vintage.
- The UK is the number one export market with a 49% share, out of the 100 plus countries that Gavi sells its wines to.
- 90% of its production is exported.
- Gavi wines have an annual revenue of €65 million.
Panel insights
The Buyer's Richard Siddle introducing the day's events at The Art School with Sara Repetto
Enotria’s Kevin Rooney kicked off the panel discussion by saying Gavi is such a must for so many on-trade outlets in particular because it is “such a well know, quality producing wine region, who’s wines are now a mainstay on many UK on-trade wine lists”.
“If you ask people to name a European white wine they run out of names quite quickly. But Gavi is Italy’s answer to Chablis, and now Chablis has doubled in price so many customers have been moved over to Gavi. It’s singular, high acid, fresh style works so well.”
The group of buyers get down to the debate at The Art School
It is the consistency of Gavi that keeps people coming back for more says Laura Griffiths. Which is particularly the case with her customers at Majestic.
“People just love the fact it is such a crisp, lean clean style of wine. They really get into it and it always goes down well at the events and tastings I do,” she says.
John Budd at Boutinot agrees: “Gavi has done such a good job at being consistent. There is very little negativity about it. We just do not see the bad examples in the market that we have seen with other regions like Soave.”
“Gavi is so good for any list. It just does not fail,” adds Boutinot’s Isabella Lewis. “It is both recognisable and traditional.”
That’s why it does so well in the on-trade, says Johnny Ludon at Hammonds of Knutsford. “Gavi is an easy option for staff to sell. There is less table talk needed as customers tend to know what they are getting with Gavi. It is an iconic region that people recognise.”
It’s also earned its place on wine lists as one of the few must stock white wine styles, says James Gulliver-Cameron at Hammonds of Knutsford, alongside the likes of Pinot Grigio and Picpoul de Pinet. “It’s the default wine style for many operators. The biggest question we have to ask is whether people want it under cork or screw cap.”
Jonathan Barry and Boutinot's Isabella Lewis
Jordan Brooks at Liverpool’s City Wine Bar & Kitchen says Gavi goes down a treat with his customers in the business district of the city where he is selling Gavi at around £35 a bottle.
“It is so well known you don’t event need to sell it. For my customers I go for the crisp, fresh, easy to drink styles. We sell a lot of Gavi by the bottle,” he says.
Gulliver-Cameron says he also used to work in Liverpool’s business district and he “used to sell Gavi like it was going out of fashion”. If it is listed correctly then it can work as a “feeder” wine moving people up the list.
That’s why it is not just Chablis that is under threat from Gavi, says Boutinot’s Lewis, but Sancerre too - particularly at less than £50 a bottle on a list.
“It has that wining combination of prestige and accessibility,” she adds. “It is trendy.”
That consistency is why the Consorzio and the region works so hard to protect and manage its production and keep its bottles at around 14m a year, says Repetto. “We have to protect the size of production and the quality.”
Jonathan Barry at Bacchus says positioning Gavi as an alternative to Chablis is a good way to introduce it to people, as it has the premium credentials to stand out, but has the commercial push and demand behind it.
“It’s also in the trendy part of Italy,” he adds.
The good affordable every-day price of mainstream Gavis also helps, she stresses. It’s a wine that people can rely on time and time again, she adds.
Christopher Dace, Kevin Rooney and Jane Clare
Boutinot's John Budd
Jeremy Cowan at Gerrard Seel says it is successfully selling more premium Gavi wines - at around £25 a bottle - to its private clients who see it very much as an affordable but quality treat.
Ageability opportunity
The ageability of Gavi is definitely an area with great potential, says Repetto, with more producers looking to hold back wines and build up reserves to show how the wine can develop over a few years - particularly from single vineyard sites.
“We want to develop this side of the appellation. Italy makes white wine with ageing potential. We need to get this message across more,” she says.
It will take time for these aged Gavis to be widespread in the market, but it is a key focus for the Consorzio and its producer members, adds Repetto. “It will take time but it is the right time to do it.”
It’s a move the panel welcomed. Cowan at Gerrard Seel says anything that helps “differentiate”and “experiment with” what the Cortese grape can offer is good news for the trade.
The Restaurant Tour started at The Art School near Liverpool's Philarmonic Hall before moving down to Chinatown and Chamber Thirty Six
Jane Clare agrees and feels adding extra layers of knowledge and complexity to Gavi will help bring more gravitas to the region.
“It is great to be able to know more about the different types of red and white soil and what impact they have on the wine. If you look at the WSET training and there is not a lot of detail at level 3 about Gavi. So this all helps,” she says.
Barry says he would also welcome more layers of complexity to Gavi, but also stresses the need to not “over complicate” the region and what it does.
Which brings us to promoting the different commune and municipality areas of Gavi - like Gavi del Comune di Gavi which is clearly the stand out.
Boutinot’s Budd says it has does have a wine from the municipality of Tassarolo but it is selling it more for the fact it is an organic wine than the area of Gavi where it is from as that is not going to have the tradition with customers.
The strength of Gavi del Comune di Gavi as a recognised wine area is also a major plus for the overall region, says Barry.
Cowan suggests if might make more sense to split the region into north, middle and south and promote the different soil types.
Restaurants Food and Wine
The Art School
The Wines tasted
Tenuta Santa Seraffa, Gav DOCG del Commne di Gavi 2025, white soil.
Importer: Boutinot Wines.
La Raia Azienda Agricola Biodinamica, Pleo Gavi DOCG 2025, white soil.
Importer: Pandemonio ltd, Vintage Roots, Majestic private label), Vinexus (private label).
Il Poggio Azienda Agricola, Black Label, Gavi DOCG del Comune di Gavi Rovereto 2024, red soil.
Importer: Amathus Drinks, Divine Importers.
La Cedraia, Back Label, Gavi DOCG del Comune di Novi Ligure 2024, red soil
Importer: Looking for an importer.
Morgassi Superiore, Volo Gavi DOCG del Comune di Gavi 2024, white soil.
Importer: Matthew Clark Bibendum.
Marchese Luca, Gavi DOCG del Comune di Gavi 2024, mixed soil.
Importer: Armit Wines.
Villa Giada s.s.a. Gavi DOCG 2024, white soil.
Importer: Batwing ltd.
Tenuta San Lorenzo, -Cazzulo Luigi & Giambattista, Gavi DOCG del Comune di Gavi 2024, mixed soil.
Importer: Champagnes & Châteaux.
The Dishes
Award winning charcuterie and Gordal olives.
Art School breads and dulse & Cheshire cultured raw milk butters.
Stuffed breast of cornfed Guinea fowl with tarragon mousse, ratté potatoes, parsnip puree, chanterelles, baby leeks served with a green grape & verju velouté.
Loin of Peterhead hake with garlic crumb, pommes mousseline and Southport potted shrimp with a Chardonnay & butter dressing.
Chamber Thirty Six
The Wines tasted:
Banfi Principessa Gavia, Gavia DOCG 2025, mixed soil.
Importer: Inverarity Morton, Scozia.
Ghio Roberto Azienda Agricola Vigneti Piemontemare, Vigna Pian Lazzarino, Gavi Docg Del Comune di Bosio 2025, white soil.
Importer: Wanderlust Wine.
La Bollina, Gavi Docg 2025, mixed soil.
Importer: Shawbury Wine.
La Ghibellina Mainìn, Gavi DOCG del Comune di Gavi 2025, mixed soil.
Importer: Wineify.
Pio Cesare, Gavi DOCG 2025, red soil.
Importer: Maisons Marques et Domaines Ltd.
La Black Label, Gavi DOCG del Comune di Gavi Monterotondo 2024, white soil.
Importer: Raeburn Fine Wines
Coppo La Rocca Gavi DOCG 2024, white soil.
Importer: Mondial Wines.
The Dishes
Har Gow prawn dumplings.
Steamed Sea Bass Fillet.
Steamed spring onion and ginger scallops.
King Prawn vermicelli wraps.
Emerald pea and potato gyoza.
Stay chicken skewers.
Vegetable spring rolls.
Vegan broccoli toast.
Kimchi cauliflower.
Crispy squid.
Siu Mai.
Pan‑Fried salmon teryaki
Super Green vegetable fried rice.
Singapore prawn vermicelli.
Maray
The Wines tasted
Aresc, Gavi DOCG 2025, mixed soil.
Importer: Fine Wine Direct UK.
Castello di Tassarolo, Marchesi Spinola, Gavi DOCG del Comune di Tassarolo 2025, mixed soil.
Importer: Woodwinters Wines and Whiskies.
Guido Natalino s.a.s. Di N. Guido & C,La Caplana, Gavi DOCG del Commune di Gavi 2025, white soil. Importer: Continental & Overseas Wines Ltd.
Salvano, Gavi DOCG del Comune di Gavi 2025, red soil.
Importer: Richard Solomon Fine Wines.
Picollo Ernesto, Gavi DOCG del Comune di Gavi Rovereto 2025, mixed soil.
Importer: Passione Vino Ltd.
Broglia Soletta Semplice, La Meirana, Gavi DOCG del Comune di Gavi 2024, white soil.
Importer: Berkmann.
Molinetto, Gavi DOG 2024,
Importer: Tilley’s Wines.
The panel arriving at Maray
The Dishes
Boquerones – sumac, lemon.
Crispy sea bass – remoulade, capers.
Pan-fried coley – bouillabaisse sauce, roasted peppers.
Fattoush – tomato, cucumber, parsley, feta, crispy flatbread.
Whipped goat’s cheese – beetroot, amba, dukkah.
Hummus – pomegranate, chermoula.
Disco cauliflower – chermoula, harissa, yoghurt, tahini.
Braised carrots – black garlic tahini, sour grapes.
Falafel – hummus, tabouleh, harissa.
Sweet potato – tahini, date balsamic, spring onion, chilli.
Oyster mushroom shawarma – Maray chilli crunch, tzatziki.
Halloumi – Greek honey, walnuts.
Warm pitta and olives.
* In part two of the Gavi Liverpool Restaurant Tour we talk to each of the buyers and panelists to get more of their detailed thoughts on Gavi and what they can do for their businesses.
* You can find out more about Gavi and its wines at theConsorzio Tutela del Gavi.
