Giuseppe Cortese

Brand Description

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.

Location of Vineyard

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.

Winemaking Philosophy

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.

No relevant data were found.

“A taut red laced with cherry and raspberry flavors. Shows vivid acidity, with a light dusting of tannins leaving a crisp finish.” – (Top Value) — acclaim for 2022 Giuseppe Cortese Langhe Dolcetto from Wine Spectator, Apr 2024

“The 2020 Barbaresco Rabajà is a total knock-out. Dark, layered and mysterious, the 2020 is pure seduction. All the elements are so well put together for a young Barbaresco. In 2020 Cortese did not bottle a Riserva, and the addition of that fruit clearly benefits this bottling. Black cherry, kirsch, lavender, spice and dried herbs all build in a super-classic Rabajà that delivers the goods. Don't miss it.” — acclaim for 2020 Giuseppe Cortese Rabajà Barbaresco from Vinous, Oct 2023

“With earthy notes and some rusty tones, the 2020 Barbaresco Rabajà shows generous fruit flavors from a warm growing season. The wine is open and immediate, requiring not much in terms of waiting time. In fact, it is showing very nicely at this young age with cherry, earth and rose-like aromas to close.”
— acclaim for 2020 Giuseppe Cortese Rabajà Barbaresco from Wine Advocate, Aug 2023

View more acclaim

Find a Distributor