Cortese dell'Alto Monferrato
Styles
Principal grape varieties
Terroir
Natural factors
- Hilly terrain ranging from 200 to 400 m above sea level, with a warm-temperate climate and good ventilation in spring and late summer.
- Predominantly calcareous-clay and calcareous-marly soils, typical of the Alto Monferrato.
- A viticultural zone straddling the provinces of Alessandria and Asti, with cultivation concentrated on the right bank of the Tanaro.
Human factors
- The first written mention of the Cortese variety: a 1659 letter from the steward of the castle of Montaldeo to the Marchese Doria.
- As early as 1869, Demaria and Leardi described it as 'an indigenous variety of rustic and vigorous character, long known and cultivated in the area.'
Product characteristics
- A dry, fresh, and traditionally light white wine, sometimes of greater structure; also produced in frizzante and spumante versions.
Terroir / wine link
- The calcareous-clay and calcareous-marly soils of the Alto Monferrato shape the fresh, light profile of Cortese.
Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.
Sources
- eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-IT-A1111
- Official trade body site — Consorzio Barbera d'Asti e Vini del Monferrato