While always loathe to use gender stereotyping in wine descriptions, SommSelect Editorial Director David Lynch finds it impossible not to extol the ‘feminine’ charms of this Langhe Nebbiolo—a “baby Barbaresco” designed to be more delicately structured than its big-name sibling.
The word I kept coming back to when I first tasted this wine was “pretty.” This is the kind of wine I’m happy to sit with and just smell for a while, which of course happens a lot with the Nebbiolo grape; it is one of the world’s most beguilingly aromatic varieties, but oftentimes those aromas skew decidedly more toward the earthy, woody, and yes, ‘masculine’ end of the spectrum. Sometimes, in fact, Nebbiolo wines—particularly Barbaresco and Barolo, which are not only tannic wines by nature but must meet minimum wood-aging requirements before release—can be what the Italians would call impegnativo (‘challenging’). Today’s wine from Giuseppe Cortese is a gentler, fruitier take on Nebbiolo, designed for near-term consumption and making good on the (often-debatable, in my opinion) comparison of Nebbiolo with Burgundy Pinot Noir. Labeled as ‘Langhe Rosso,’ this is the Piedmontese analog to ‘Bourgogne Rouge’—a wine sourced from an iconic terroir but presented with less adornment and at an entry-level price. This is Nebbiolo from Barbaresco that is exceedingly pretty, varietally true, but also easy to drink. For me, that’s an unbeatable combination, and this price—even in this humbler category—is exceptional. Jump on it!
Namesake Giuseppe Cortese, with the help of his father, Giacomo, founded his small estate in 1971, working with heirloom family vines in the famed “Rabajà” vineyard and its neighbor, “Trifolera.” The dimensions of the property haven’t changed much over the years—there are about eight hectares of vines in total, including not just Nebbiolo for Barbaresco but Barbera, Dolcetto, and Chardonnay. These days it’s Giuseppe Cortese’s son, Pier Carlo, who runs the cellar, along with Pier Carlo’s sister, Tiziana, and her husband, Gabriele. Although they are not certified organic, their farming methods are widely recognized as sustainable—there are no chemical fertilizers or pesticides employed here, nor any weed killers (weeds are controlled by tilling only).
As is the case with many Langhe Nebbiolo-designated wines, Cortese’s 2015 is sourced from the younger vines among their holdings in Rabajà—vines which otherwise might have been destined for Barbaresco. Easily one of the most recognized cru vineyards in the village of Barbaresco proper, Rabajà is a large site with some of the highest elevations in the zone, with expositions ranging from full south to southwest. This Langhe Nebbiolo comes from a one-hectare parcel within Rabajà, facing south/southwest, and only about 500 cases are produced in any given vintage; it is aged 12 months in used Slavonian oak vats ranging in size from 17 to 25 hectoliters (whereas the Barbaresco, by comparison, is aged in the same vessels for nearly twice as long).
This 2015 is an elegant, perfumed evocation of Nebbiolo, with an emphasis on fruits and florals. It is a bright, translucent garnet red extending to the rim, with aromas of raspberry, red currant, blood orange peel, cherry, rose petals, underbrush, and a hint of baking spice. Medium-bodied and fine, its tannins are quite soft (by Nebbiolo standards) and its mouth-watering acidity keeps everything buoyant and fresh through a long, floral finish. It is, effectively, a less-intense take on Barbaresco—a pure and straightforward expression of the Nebbiolo grape—and sometimes, quite frankly, that’s just what the doctor ordered. Hard as I try, I can’t drink the
impegnativo stuff every night! Typical of 2015s from all over Europe, this wine is ripe and ready to go, though it could conceivably be laid down for 2-5 years if you were so inclined. Decant it about an hour before serving in Burgundy stems at 60 degrees. There are a lot of braise-y preparations that this wine was born to pair with, but it has the finesse to complement something lighter, be it a pork roast or even salmon. With fall upon us in earnest, I am itching to stir up some
risotto; the attached recipe is the perfect—and authentic—mix of flavors for this seriously over-achieving wine.
Salute! — D.L.
