A new look for Cascina Gilli’s historic wine – just in time for summer
Castelnuovo Don Bosco, June 26th 2025 – Cascina Gilli (Link) announces a fresh update to one of its signature wines: starting with the 2024 vintage, the Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco DOC Gilli will be bottled with a screw cap. This choice reflects the winery’s ongoing commitment to innovation, market trends, and accessibility – all while staying true to its mission of championing Piedmont’s native grape varieties, a focus since its founding in 1985.
“Cascina Gilli has always aimed to give new expressive strength to the indigenous grape varieties of Monferrato making them relevant, approachable, and appealing to new generations of wine lovers,” says Davide Gasperini, Owner & Business Director. “We’ve chosen the screw cap for one of our most iconic wines because we believe it’s convenient, safe, and ideal for a young, aromatic, easy-drinking wine like our Malvasia. Updating the packaging – without changing the substance – is, to us, the best way to keep unique varieties like Malvasia di Schierano alive and thriving.”
The new screw cap makes it even easier to enjoy this same beloved Malvasia – aromatic, gently sparkling, and low in alcohol – in a fresh, smart, and practical format.
FROM VINE TO BOTTLE: MALVASIA DI SCHIERANO
Malvasia di Schierano is a native red grape variety from Piedmont, cultivated especially in the Alto Monferrato area, between Castelnuovo Don Bosco and the small village of Schierano, from which it takes its name. For generations, it was used in sweet, artisanal wines for local and family consumption – often vinified using traditional methods.
Cascina Gilli’s Malvasia draws from this heritage and elevates it through a meticulous production process designed to preserve the aromatic integrity of the grape. The grapes are hand-harvested following a careful selection from the estate’s hillside vineyards in Castelnuovo Don Bosco. After gentle de-stemming and crushing, the must undergoes a brief skin contact to extract color without increasing alcohol content.
The resulting must is filtered and kept at low temperatures to retain its vibrant aromas and freshness. Fermentation then takes place in pressurized tanks using selected yeasts, developing the wine’s characteristic liveliness and low alcohol content. Bottling follows a final microfiltration step – essential to avoid spontaneous fermentation of residual sugars and to ensure perfect stability in the bottle.
THE WINE: FRESH, AROMATIC, AND SUMMER-READY
The Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco DOC Gilli (link) is bright ruby red with purple hues and a fine, delicate mousse. On the nose, it offers an intense and fragrant bouquet of red berries and rose petals. The palate is sweet, lively, light, and refreshing, with a moderate alcohol content (5.5% ABV) and a gentle sparkle – perfect for warm-weather enjoyment.
Delicious with fruit tarts, baked desserts, and dark chocolate, but also surprisingly good with charcuterie, Gilli Malvasia is a versatile partner for aperitivo, dessert, or evening toasts. Thanks to its screw cap, it can easily be resealed, preserving its freshness even after opening.
About Cascina Gilli
Since 1983, Cascina Gilli (link) has been dedicated to showcasing native grape varieties from Monferrato, beginning with Freisa, a versatile and contemporary variety. Located in Castelnuovo Don Bosco, in the Monferrato Astigiano – one of Piedmont’s still undiscovered gems – we cultivate 12 hectares of vineyards planted with Barbera, Malvasia, Freisa, and Bonarda among the clayey hills of the Marne di Sant’Agata.
After 40 years of heritage, the winery is evolving under the leadership of Paolo Vergnano, son of founder Gianni, alongside new partners Davide Gasperini and Federico Mussetto. This dynamic team brings fresh expertise and a shared commitment to elevating the unique territory and its grape varieties, notably through the preservation of a historic 17th-century farmhouse, now serving as a gathering place for cultural development.
Among our iconic wines are Freisa d’Asti DOC, refined, elegant, and aromatic, and Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco DOC, aromatic and timeless. Adhering to a philosophy of authentic production, these wines stand as our testament to the important work of preserving and enhancing the native viticultural heritage of the region.
