Everyday Italian – The Cavit Collection

These wines were a media sample received for review purposes.

Angry Shrimp paired with Cavit Riesling

I thought this would be an easy article to write, after all, we have all at least heard of Cavit and most of us have drunk some.  But information about the “winery” is difficult to find.  Maybe because it is not really a winery, instead, it is a cooperative of several small wineries and sources its fruit from 4,500+ wine growers in the Trentino region of Italy at the foothills of the Dolomites.  Cavit started their cooperative in the mid 20th century.  They were by no means the first wine or agricultural cooperative to pop up, but have been consistently one of the most successful.  The fact that they are still around 60+ years later is testament to that.

The wines being produce by Cavit are varied, much more than what we see here in the US at our local grocery store or wine shop.   http://www.wine-pages.com/features/cavit.htm.  Anselmo Martini, one of Italy’s top enologists, is the lead winemaker for Cavit.  It is under his direction that Cavit has garnered their reputation for good, affordable, everyday Italian wines.

The wines I received in my media kit were:

• Cavit Riesling – 100% Riesling, elegant with floral notes, 2% residual sugar
• Cavit Moscato – 100% Moscato, peach aromas with hints of mild spices, well balanced, 105 grams per liter residual sugar
• Cavit Pinot Grigio – 100% Pinot Grigio, floral and fruit aromas, no residual sugar
• Cavit Chardonnay – 100% Chardonnay, aromas of granny smith apple and tropical fruit, nice finish, no residual sugar
• Cavit Cabernet Sauvignon – 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, herbaceous with hints of bell pepper, smooth with clean finish

Retailing for les than $10 a bottle, these wines are perfect for light Italian meals.  Most are available in the small individual size bottles (187ml) in a four pack for picnics and beach trips.