“The 2013 Langhe Nebbiolo is bright and simple with moderate but adequate intensity. This wine will get the job done if paired with roasted beef or grilled meats. It has both the freshness and the tannic backbone to pair with those dishes. The bouquet opens to dark berry, licorice and grilled herb. The wine ages in large oak casks for 22 months in order to achieve extra smoothness and silkiness.”

“Work in the vineyard and the winery may be the same as ever, but only a very distracted viewer could ignore the Cortese family’s decisive gear shift in their offerings in recent vintage years. Led by Giuseppe and Rossella, along with their son Piercarlo, the winery has developed its entire range of labels, from Dolcetto to Barbera to their grand versions of Barbaresco. The Cortese’s eight hectares of vineyard are within the Rabajà cru and on the slope contiguous with Trifolera. Their wines are striking for their unexpected feminine, light touch, attained through aging in large and middle-sized barrels of both Slovenian and French oak. The 2013 is an exceptional version of Langhe Nebbiolo, a wine that we hope to find on many wine lists, since tasting it left us wanting more. It displayed luminous color and bouquet in a nervous and electrifying wine that stimulates the taste buds in an enthralling way with its energy and natural expressiveness. Triggers wild salivation but without the hardness on the palate yet the finish is airy and pure.”

"Featured in the November issue’s food and wine pairings:GIUSEPPE CORTESE Nebbiolo Langhe 2013 with Meatballs in Tomato Sauce."