Winemaker Notes
Pale straw yellow color with greenish reflections, clear and bright. The nose is fresh and floral, with good intensity and persistence. On the palate, it is dry and pleasantly cool. The final sensation reminiscent of almonds is typical of the appellation.
Pair with appetizers, pasta and risotto, delicate fish dishes and white meat. Delightful recipes based on vegetables. Excellent as an aperitif.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A finely spiced nose with green apples, limes, nutmeg and herbs. Steely and very minerally on the palate, especially considering the vintage. Medium body, bright acidity and a clear-cut finish.
First recorded in the early 17th century in the province of Alessandria in SE Piedmont, Cortese today is most highly regarded from Gavi where soils are limestone-rich. It also grows well in the surrounding zones, namely Monferrato and Colli Tortonesi. Somm Secret—Because of its freshness and chalky minerality, this white wine commonly populates the fish restaurants’ wine lists of the Ligurian coast so practically owes more allegiance to this neighboring region than its home.
Among Piedmont’s most historical and respected white wine producing zones, Gavi—also known as Gavi di Gavi and Cortese di Gavi—comes from Piedmont's southeast, in the province of Alessandria. Gavi is the main town of the area; Cortese is the grape. Cortese for Gavi is grown in any of 11 communes in the area where the soils are abundant in chalky, white, limestone-rich clay. The best Gavi from these locations are delicately floral, with stone fruit and citrus characters and a crisp, mineral-laden finish.
While typically made in a fresh and unoaked style, by law Gavi can come in many forms: frizzante, spumante, metodo classico and méthode ancestrale. But most producers maintain a conventional winemaking practice of temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel and make fresh, still whites. However, there are several barrique-aged examples, which can be interesting. The biodynamic wines of Gavi, fermented with ambient yeasts can be the most expressive.