White grape variety
Cortese
The high-acid Piedmontese variety behind Gavi — neutral enough to be dismissed as plain, and precise enough to be one of Italy’s better food whites.
What is Cortese?
Cortese produces Gavi — light, high-acid, delicately citrusy, and a classic seafood white from a region better known for red.
The Vitis International Variety Catalogue, maintained by the Julius Kühn Institute, holds this variety as accession 2856 under the prime name CORTESE, with berry skin colour blanc and country of origin italy. Checked 2026-08-17.
What it tastes like
This is the envelope across every expression of Cortese, not a description of one bottle. Wide ranges are the honest answer.
| Dimension | Typical | Range | Variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low | Consistent | |
| Acidity | high | Some variation | |
| Alcohol | medium | Some variation | |
| Body | low-medium | Some variation | |
| Fruit intensity | medium | Some variation | |
| Aromatic intensity | low-medium | Some variation | |
| Oak influence | low | Consistent | |
| Savoury character | low-medium | Consistent | |
| Floral character | low | Consistent | |
| Herbal / green character | low | Consistent | |
| Spice | low | Consistent | |
| Earthy character | low | Consistent | |
| Perceived freshness | high | Some variation | |
| Texture | medium | Consistent |
Common flavours
Wines made from it
The same grape in different places and different hands. These are where the wide ranges above resolve into something specific.
Where it grows
If you like Cortese, try…
Every suggestion says why it is connected and what will be different.
Closest matches
What is most like this?
Gavi
Both are made from cortese, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more oaky, and more savoury.
Pinot Grigio
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be softer and rounder, and leaner and more cutting.
Trebbiano Spoletino
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be fuller and richer, and more aromatic.
Similar but lighter
Something like this, but lighter?
Jacquère
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more restrained in fruit.
Hondarrabi Zuri
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more sparkling, and more savoury.
Txakoli
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more sparkling, and more savoury.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Something like this, but less alcoholic?
Hunter Valley Semillon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter in alcohol.
Colombard
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more aromatic.
Jacquère
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.
Similar but fuller
Something like this, but richer?
Ribolla Gialla
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more aromatic, and more savoury.
Greco
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be fuller and richer, and more savoury.
Verdicchio
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more oaky, and more savoury.
What to eat with it
Ranked by WineHQ's pairing engine, which reasons from the structure of the dish.
Fillet steak
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Salmon
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
White fish
Works because low tannin avoids the metallic interaction with fish.
Cod
Works because low tannin avoids the metallic interaction with fish.
Fresh cheese
Works because a heavy wine would bury a delicate dish.
Mozzarella
Works because the dish is acidic, and a lower-acid wine would taste flat beside it.
How to serve it
Temperature
9–12°C
48–54°F · Fridge cold
From a 20°C room, roughly two to three hours in the fridge, or about 20 minutes in a bucket of ice and water.
Decanting
No need to decant
Nothing about this wine suggests it needs decanting. Light, aromatic and sparkling wines generally lose more than they gain.
Glass
Universal wine glass
A medium tulip-shaped glass handles almost everything well. If you own one set of glasses, this is the set to own — the difference between a good universal glass and a grape-specific one is far smaller than the difference between a good glass and a bad one.
Ageing
Most wines made from this grape are for drinking now, but certain styles reward keeping.
Gavi is usually drunk young and simple, but its high acidity gives good examples more staying power than their reputation suggests, and Gavi di Gavi from established sites can hold five years and gain a mineral edge.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) — Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof