Cortese

Cortese is a dry, crisp white grape from Piedmont in northern Italy and the grape behind Gavi. Expect lemon, green apple and pear with white flowers, almonds and a fresh mineral edge. Light, clean and seriously refreshing, it’s brilliant with prawns, grilled fish, seafood pasta, salads, roast chicken and fresh Italian dishes.

Taste:

Crisp, clean and very good at making you want seafood.

Cortese is typically dry and light to medium-bodied, with bright acidity and flavours of lemon, green apple and pear. You may also find white peach, delicate floral aromas, fresh herbs and a subtle mineral character.

A gentle almond note can appear on the finish, adding a slightly savoury edge to all that fresh citrus and green fruit.

Most Cortese is made to showcase freshness rather than heavy oak or richness, although better examples can develop more texture and complexity.

It's the sort of white that feels uncomplicated without actually being boring. A surprisingly difficult trick to pull off.

Food Pairings:

Cortese’s fresh acidity makes seafood an excellent place to start.

Try it with prawns, mussels, crab, calamari, grilled fish, sea bass, cod or sea bream. Seafood pasta, prawn linguine, spaghetti alle vongole and garlic prawns are particularly good matches.

It also works beautifully with roast chicken, grilled chicken and lighter chicken dishes with lemon or fresh herbs.

For Italian food, try pesto pasta, bruschetta, grilled vegetables, tomato and mozzarella salad, antipasti or a light vegetable risotto.

Fresh salads work well too, particularly goat’s cheese salad or dishes with citrus-based dressings.

For cheese, try mozzarella, ricotta, goat’s cheese or Parmesan.

Similar Wines:

If you enjoy Cortese, Gavi is essential exploring – Cortese is the grape responsible for Gavi’s signature citrus, green fruit and mineral character.

Pinot Grigio offers another light, crisp Italian style, while Vermentino brings more Mediterranean herbs and salty character.

Albariño is also worth exploring if fresh acidity, citrus and seafood-friendly whites are becoming your thing.

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More About Cortese:

Cortese is most closely associated with Piedmont in northwestern Italy, particularly the area around the town of Gavi.

There, it’s responsible for Gavi DOCG, sometimes labelled Cortese di Gavi, one of Italy’s best-known dry white wines.

The grape naturally retains good acidity, which helps it stay fresh even in relatively warm growing conditions and gives the finished wines their clean, citrus-driven character.

Although Cortese is grown elsewhere in northern Italy, Gavi is unquestionably the name that made it famous.

Cortese did all the work. Gavi got the headline.

Classic.