Collection: LA RAIA

Piedmont

www.la-raia.it

A place that is balanced and harmonic in all of its elements

La Raia is a Demeter certified byodinamic farm. It is located in the heart of Gavi hills, in an area with an ancient wine tradition thanks to a unique microclimate that promotes the maturation of the grape and the production of red and white biodynamic wines.

The estate extends over 180 hectars, including 48 of vineyards, 60 of fields and the remaining are pastures, chestnut, elderflower and acacia woodlands protecting numerous species of wild animals.
The Rossi Cairo family bought La Raia in 2003, with the aim of recovering and enhancing the original ecosystem through a broad intervention project, inspired by the biodynamic principles.

The first change was the conversion of the vine cultivations: green manure among the rows, dynamized horn manure to fertilize the marly soil deeply, intense aeration, absence of pesticides, moderate quantities of cave sulphur and copper sprayed during specific periods of the year. Pruning happens during a descending moon.

Crop rotation was reintroduced with the recovery of ancient cultivations such as monococcum einkorn and rye. Finally, livestock pasture farming was reintroduced as well with cows of fassone race. The variety and richness of the vegetation within the estate make La Raia a true biodiversity oasis for bees and other pollinator insects: hence a copious production of acacia, multi-flower and woodland honey.

Today, La Raia produces three kinds of multi-awarded Gavi D.O.C.G. – Gavi, Gavi Riserva Vigna della Madonnina and Gavi Pisé and two kinds of Piemonte D.O.C. Barbera. The cellar has been thought and built with an ancient environmentally friendly construction technique called pisé. This technique harmonises with Piedmont’s gentle hills that surround La Raia. For the realisation of the cellar we called the Austrian architect Martin Rauch, one of the most experts of this technique on an international scale.