Cortese

The Cortese grape, known locally in the Piedmont dialect as “corteis” and meaning “polite” in Italian, is a historic native white grape variety that has been cultivated in Piedmont since the 18th century. This noble varietal thrives particularly well in the southern part of the Alessandria province, stretching from Ovada to the Tortona hills, but it reaches its highest expression in the area surrounding Gavi, a charming village located southeast of Alessandria. It is here that Cortese is used to produce the region’s most celebrated white wine: Gavi DOCG.

Renowned for its refined character and natural balance, the Cortese grape consistently delivers high-quality white wines that are fresh, crisp, and vibrant. These wines are appreciated for their elegance, floral and citrus aromas, and clean mineral finish, making them a perfect match for seafood and delicate dishes. While Cortese wines are often enjoyed young for their lively freshness, the grape has also proven its ability to age gracefully, developing more complex and layered flavours over time when matured in the bottle.

In recent years, winemakers have explored the versatility of the Cortese grape, experimenting with both oak ageing and sparkling wine production. Particularly through the Charmat method, Cortese has shown promising results in creating fresh and aromatic sparkling wines that maintain the grape’s signature finesse and purity.

The increasing interest in the ageing potential and adaptability of Cortese confirms its importance not only as the backbone of Gavi but also as one of Italy’s finest white grape varieties.