Set high in the Liguarian Appennines, an hour north of Genova in Piedmont, lies Italian wine estate Tenuta La Giustiniana. A reputed history dating back over 1,000 years (rumour has it that there was a Benedictine wine-producing settlement on the land in 900 AD), this little Italian winery might be small but it will soon be packing a big punch.

Founded by the Giustiniana family in 1625, La Giustiniana is clearly one of the oldest wineries in the area of Gavi. Records show that as the estate was functioning as a winery as far back as the 15th century, but little attention was paid to its superb viticultural potential and sadly, the product laboured behind its peers. Fast forward to 2015 when Magda Pedrini and Stefano Massone bought the land and began a massive renovation process planned to bring Tenuta La Giustiniana back to the spotlight. The couple made huge investments first in the renewal of the vineyards (Tenuta La Giustiniana boasts two Grand Crus: Montessora and Lugarara and a further cuvée called Ancient Lands of Giustiniana) followed by the ongoing restoration of the beautiful 17th-century palazzo that was once home to the Giustina family. In parallel the cellars are also being restored: fusing modern technology with traditionality Pedrinini and Massone may be investing a fortune but it looks like it will be worth it.

110-hectares of 100% Cortese white grapes are sustainably farmed using no chemical products or herbicides. The grapes are given southern exposure at an altitude ranging between 300 and 500 meters and at a latitude of 44 ° 41 ', which interestingly are the exact same latitudes Graves in France. The product itself still has a little way to go before it reaches its previous giddy heights on the Italian wine leader board, but Pedrinini and Massone are playing a long game with Tenuta La Giustiniana. The 2015 vintage of Montessora and the 2016 Lugarara were both awarded bronze medal by Decanter magazine, and scores reached the high eighties with the first post-2015 vintage, almost unheard of for such young vines. Very, very reasonably priced, we suspect that by 2025 Tenuta La Giustiniana will be one of the most talked about Italian wines on the market.