Good Pair Days - Giuseppe Cortese Barbera 2019

A native of Barbaresco (a small, prestigious region of Piedmont in north-western Italy), Giuseppe Cortese began a lifelong passion for wine by working with his father Giacomo in the family business. Before running his own winery, Giuseppe served as cellar master and vineyard manager for some of Piedmont’s most prestigious wineries. During this time, he gained invaluable knowledge of the local grape varieties and the individual vineyard plots that are scattered around the area.

Today, Cortese is the typical small, family owned winery, which is run by Giuseppe’s children: Pier Carlo and Tiziana. Giuseppe’s son-in-law Gabriele has also joined them in the family business. Attentive, rigorous care of the estate’s vineyards, strict selection of the best grape bunches, a traditional approach to winemaking and a gentle hand with modern techniques are the ingredients that define the unmistakable personality and unique identity of Cortese’s wines. Their wines are brilliant and elegant, the perfect result of a unique love for this land.

Barbera is such an under-rated, under-appreciated variety, and has such character! We love it. This wine is crammed to the brim with fleshy dark plums, blueberries, violet and subtle herbs. A touch of tar and pepper on the finish combine with some refreshing acidity to keep things perky.