Italian white grape variety most closely associated with south east piemonte, in the province of Alessandria where it was first recorded in the early 17th century. No relatives have so far been identified. Total plantings had reached almost 3,000 ha/7,000 acres by 2010 and it is the basis of no fewer than nine docs. Its most highly regarded wine is gavi, produced initially to serve the fish restaurants of Genoa and the Ligurian coast not far to the south. The Cortese dell’Alto Monferrato a few miles west, like the Cortese grown on the Colli Tortonese, rarely achieves the ripeness, or winemaking proficiency, of Gavi. At its best, the wine is clean and fresh. The use of oak is usually misguided.
