D* Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco 2021

NOTE: As part of our Explorer Series some labels may be slightly stained/damaged, but wines are first quality.

This Barbaresco stands out for its harmonious, well-balanced expression, with a luscious floral scented bouquet, magisterial structure, and lingering taste. At once crisp and elegant, with a succulent mouthfeel this superb classic lends itself to immediate enjoyment or to medium/long term cellaring.

Professional Ratings

Wine Spectator 93 Points
A fresh, juicy red highlighted by cherry, plum, tar, grass and eucalyptus flavors. Gains support from vibrant acidity and pliable tannins as this cruises to a long aftertaste of fruit, vegetal and mineral notes.

Vinous 92 Points
The 2020 Barbaresco is redolent of crushed flowers, sweet red berry fruit, cedar, spice, orange peel, new leather and white pepper. Aromatic, lifted and quite brilliant, the 2020 is super-expressive in the early going. All the elements are so well balanced. This is so pleasurable today.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 92 Points
The Giuseppe Cortese 2020 Barbaresco delivers aromas of crushed rose, redcurrant, licorice and camphor ash. The mouthfeel is lean and polished, and this classic Barbaresco offers a solid near to medium-term drinking window thanks to its open, fruit-forward style.

James Suckling 92 Points
Subtle aromas of red berries, ground spices and dried red flowers with hints of nutmeg and citrus peel. Medium-bodied and juicy with velvety, nicely integrated tannins and a polished finish.

About the producer
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.

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.

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.