Gancia was founded in 1850 in Canelli by Carlo Gancia who created the very first Italian Sparkling Wine and paved the way to the Italian sparkling wine industry. Carlo Gancia was a pioneer of new wine producing techniques and chose Canelli, an ancient hamlet in the Belbo Valley, as the seat of its newly- established Company because of its ideal background for the cultivation and vinification of high-quality moscato grapes. The choice of the location triggered off in what was a small rural village and neighbourhood, an era of growth and improvement never before known and a process of evolution which, in more than 150 years, has radically transformed the agricultural – oenological and industrial economy of the area, now among the most widely known in Europe. The Gancia Castle now become a well known landmark emphasising the strong wine making tradition and culture of the area. The history of the House of Gancia goes back a long way: Carlo Gancia was in fact born in 1829. Constantly alongside his father in the day to day management of the cellar and, at the same time, drawn and fascinated by the ability with which his father and teacher transformed the bunches and berries into wine, as the years went by this activity grew to become an authentic passion. Carlo formulated a new recipe for refining the taste and fragrance of a then fashionable liqueur wine: vermouth. He then moved on to Reims in France, where he was able to observe and to learn the working techniques for the production of champagne. Carlo Gancia The Founder THE HISTORY Having directly assimilated the processes for the preparation of the product, Carlo fully mastered the formulas and techniques of the "classic method", denominated by the French as the "champenoise " method of producing champagne. In 1859 he returned to Italy to begin experimenting an intuition perceived in France: that of adapting the French vinification methods to the "moscato" (muscat) grapes that presented similar characteristics to those of pinot grapes. With the collaboration of his brother, Edoardo, Carlo rented an old cellar in Chivasso, strategically located along the railway network, which became the official seat of the "Fratelli Gancia" production Company in 1850. Important dates 1829 Birth of Carlo Gancia 1850 Foundation of "Fratelli Gancia" 1865 Birth of Italian Sparkling wine 1920 Birth of first White Vermouth 2000 Gancia celebrates its first 150 years 2003 The Fifth Generation F.LLI GANCIA & c. SPA C.so Libertà, 66 14053 Canelli (AT) – Italia Tel.: +39 0141 830.253 Fax.: +39 0141 823081 [email protected]
Transcript
Gancia was founded in 1850 in Canelli by Carlo Gancia who created the very first Italian Sparkling Wine and paved the way to the Italian sparkling wine industry. Carlo Gancia was a pioneer of new wine producing techniques and chose Canelli, an ancient hamlet in the Belbo Valley, as the seat of its newly-established Company because of its ideal background for the cultivation and vinification of high-quality moscato grapes. The choice of the location triggered off in what was a small rural village and neighbourhood, an era of growth and improvement never before known and a process of evolution which, in more than 150 years, has radically transformed the agricultural – oenological and industrial economy of the area, now among the most widely known in Europe.
The Gancia Castle now become a well known landmark emphasising the strong wine making tradition and culture of the area.
The history of the House of Gancia goes back a long way: Carlo Gancia was in fact born in 1829. Constantly alongside his father in the day to day management of the cellar and, at the same time, drawn and fascinated by the ability with which his father and teacher transformed the bunches and berries into wine, as the years went by this activity grew to become an authentic passion.Carlo formulated a new recipe for refining the taste and fragrance of a then fashionable liqueur wine: vermouth.He then moved on to Reims in France, where he was able to observe and to learn the working techniques for the production of champagne.
Carlo Gancia The Founder
THE HISTORY
Having directly assimilated the processes for the preparation of the product, Carlo fully mastered the formulas and techniques of the "classic method", denominated by the French as the "champenoise " method of producing champagne. In 1859 he returned to Italy to begin experimenting an intuition perceived in France: that of adapting the French vinification methods to the "moscato" (muscat) grapes that presented similar characteristics to those of pinot grapes.With the collaboration of his brother, Edoardo, Carlo rented an old cellar in Chivasso, strategically located along the railway network, which became the official seat of the "Fratelli Gancia" production Company in 1850.
Important dates
1829 Birth of Carlo Gancia1850 Foundation of "Fratelli Gancia"1865 Birth of Italian Sparkling wine1920 Birth of first White Vermouth2000 Gancia celebrates its first 150 years 2003 The Fifth Generation
In 1865 Carlo was finally able to obtain a type of champagne with a moscato base. It proved sufficient to eliminate the syrup usually added by the French champagne producers at the end of the working cycle. The first Italian sparkling wine was thus created in 1865. The moscato, treated with the above criteria, produced a wine which was similar to that produced by the French, but, thanks to its "superior" fragrance and lower production cost was also original. The Gancia brothers decided to transfer their cellars directly to the area of production of the raw material. The choice fell upon Canelli, a small hamlet located in the heart of the geographical zone comprising the "Langhe" and "Monferrato hills, where those grapes, essential for the production of champagne using the Gancia method, were cultivated. 1880 saw the birth of the "Fratelli Gancia e C." Company.Since then the Gancia Family has not only significantly motivated the development of the town of Canelli but has also deeply influenced the drinking culture in Italy and all over the world.
Below the green grape heavy vines, excavated deeply down in the depth of the Canelli hills, are arrays of red brick arches under which numerous bottles are laid for ageing. This ageing process is certainly undisturbed in the silence of the Gancia Historical cellars. Up until recently, master wine makers, in love with those lingering fragrances, would spend their lives in the cellars checking the remouage, a technique used to give the golden wine its crystal clear aspect. This special personal touch was interwoven with tradition and experience that certainly bring to mind the numerous experiments performed by Carlo Gancia before creating, in 1865, the first Italian sparkling wine with the Champenoise Method, today denominated the Classic Traditional Method.
THE COMPANY TODAY – 5TH GENERATION OF
THE GANCIA FAMILYF.lli Gancia still successfully controls the operation started in 1850 by Carlo Gancia, the inventor of Italian sparkling wine and in the year 2000 celebrated its 150 years of activity with the firm belief that its success will continue in the future thanks to a good balance of innovation and tradition. Three members of the fifth generation of the Gancia Family have brought new lymph to this historical sparkling wine producer: Edoardo, Lamberto and Massimiliano Vallarino Gancia. Having recently taken over the helm of the company, they have brought an innovative new style of Company management with them and are preparing to relaunch of the family company with style.
Sweet Sparkling Wines:
Gancia Asti D.O.C.G. Gancia Asti Satinised D.O.C.G. Gancia Asti Modonovo D.O.C.G. Gancia Brachetto d’Acqui D.O.C.G. Gancia Grand Reale Dessert Gancia Rosso
Dry Sparkling Wines:
Carlo Gancia – classic method Pinot di Pinot Blanc de Blancs Pinot della Rocca Pinot di Pinot Gancia Brut Gancia Chardonnay Gancia Prosecco
Today the House of Gancia has become a sparkling wine producer of worldwide fame covering all categories from sweet to dry. We are one of the market leaders in Italy and are considered not only a “guarantee” for quality, but at the avangarde in the evolution and launching of new sparkling wines produced with a combination of long standing tradition and experience and the very latest technologies.
Maybe it is in the smoothness of these hills, maybe in the earth, so delicate that if held tightly, it crumbles to pieces or maybe in the ever shining sun or maybe in the people who live in the area or maybe it is in a combination of all these aspects that lies the secret which makes the vines of Canelli unique. Vines of moscato grapes or "Apiana", as they were known by the Romans because they attracted bees, vines which are pruned short with only 8-10 buds all guarantee a limited but exceptionally good quality production. Rows of vigorous vines, with green leaves, small, compact bunches of grapes and with a penetrating musky fragrance
