The wines of Giuseppe Cortese are every Piedmont aficionado’s dream. Located in the heart of the famous Rabajà zone, this small, family-owned winery, known for producing exquisitely balanced wines from the Barbaresco zone, is run by those who possess an intimate knowledge of the Nebbiolo grape. With profound respect and knowledge of the Barbaresco terroir, and long-held family traditions, Giuseppe Cortese is able to craft some of Piedmont’s most exceptional wines.
A native of Barbaresco, Giuseppe Cortese began a lifelong passion for winemaking by working with his father Giacomo in the family business. After several years of experience, he realized the future of high-quality Barbaresco wines was in developing the potential of the terroir. With this in mind, Giuseppe began re-orienting the family’s wine business and remodeling the winery, improving vinification techniques, and purchasing new land among the famous Rabajà vineyards. Giuseppe’s son Piercarlo joined him in the 1990s, after graduating from the highly regarded Enological School of Alba. Today, Cortese is the typical small, family-run winery, with Giuseppe’s wife Rosella and daughter Tiziana playing active roles in commercial aspects and public relations.
The Cortese winery is located in the hamlet of Rabajà, within the prestigious commune of Barbaresco. Just a mile from the ancient town of Barbaresco, along the Via Rabajà, the Cortese winery and family home sit atop the bowl that cradles the Rabajà cru vineyard, one of Barbaresco’s finest single vineyards. On the other side of Cortese’s 20 acres of vines, in the adjacent village of Trifolera, sits its beautiful, newly finished bed & breakfast, with idyllic views of row after row of Nebbiolo stretching below.
Attentive, rigorous care of the estate’s vineyards, strict selection of the best clusters, a traditional approach to vinification, and a gentle hand with modern techniques are the ingredients that define the unmistakable personality and unique flavors of Cortese’s wines. Before running his own winery, Giuseppe Cortese served as cellar master and vineyard manager for some of Piedmont’s most prestigious wineries. During this time, he gained invaluable knowledge of the Nebbiolo grape and how to maximize its potential in and around the Barbaresco zone.
The winery is located in an underground cellar nestled in the upper hillside of the Rabajà vineyard and houses various sizes of the larger traditional botti (large barrels) used for the vinification of Nebbiolo. Cortese believes that each lot needs to be treated individually and thus requires several different sizes of aging vessels. All this attention to detail yields wines of incredible depth and balance, with a finesse that rewards the patient consumer.
Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.
BSA pretty red, this boasts strawberry, cherry, raspberry and rose aromas and flavors aligned to an elegant profile. Firm and intense, with a long, detailed aftertaste of fruit, rosemary and mineral accents. Best from 2025 through 2042. 850 cases made, 500 cases imported.
—Wine Spectator 94 Points Number 39 in Top 100
Reverdy Jean Sancerre Rose is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Color: Pale salmon pink color
Nose: delicate aromas of roses and orange blossom that will transform into gooseberry and peach blossoms as the temperature in the glass rises.
Mouth: The palate is crisp, lean and elegant, but the flavors are quite persistent with cherry, blackcurrant,apricot and red currant aromas.
According to the Sancerre AOC regulation, maximum yield authorized for the rosé is 55 hl/ha.
Pairs well with poultry and spicy food.
Review:
"Vivid orange-pink. Fresh strawberry, tangerine and floral scents are sharpened by a frisson of chalky minerality. Clean and racy on the palate, showing fine clarity to the red berry and citrus fruit flavors. Finishes minerally and dry, showing energetic lift and strong, mineral- and floral-driven persistence. - Josh Raynolds"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (June 2021), 91 pts
The color is a brilliant straw yellow with a fresh fruit perfumes, especially apple and pear, and floral notes such as elder and bloom. The taste is very fresh and light, with a very interesting acidity. There is an important presence of mineral salts due to the volcanic origin of the soil.
Open pergola Vinification: Destemming, maceration of the grapes in the must for 12 hours, racking and long fermentation at 18 °C
Ideal as aperitif, light main courses such as pasta and risotto, shell fish and fish, soups and vegetables.
Review:
Brilliant emerald straw color. Aromas and flavors of brazil nuts, creme fraiche, and kiwi and starfruit with a silky, lively, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and an effortless, engaging, medium-length watermelon, yellow apple, and clementine finish. A delicious, artfully balanced soave with a great range of fruit flavors. 91 Point Beverage Tasting Institue