The Cortese grape variety, known as “Corteis” in Piedmontese, is a native white grape variety cultivated in Piedmont since the 18th century. It is primarily found south of Alessandria, from Ovada to the Colli Tortonesi. Very well known in Piedmont since the 18th century, it was among the most cultivated in the area at that time. The phylloxera epidemic that struck almost all European vineyards nearly caused the disappearance of Cortese, which was rediscovered and promoted by Mario Soldati in the early 1950s. However, it is around Gavi that Cortese boasts a great tradition and reaches the highest quality levels. The Cortese di Gavi was the second DOCG designation in Italy. In Lombardy, it is found in the Oltrepo Pavese Cortese DOC, vinified as still, sparkling, or spumante. In Veneto, Cortese is found in the Garda Cortese DOC and Bianco di Custoza DOC under the synonym Bianca Fernanda.

The Cortese grape variety has medium-large, pyramidal, and very winged clusters. The berries are medium-large, oval, with thin golden skins on the sun-exposed side and yellow on the shaded side, with little bloom. Cortese is a very vigorous grape variety, with excellent and consistent yields but significant problems with powdery mildew and botrytis. It requires hilly areas and excellent exposures to dry the climate. Various training systems can be used, but it prefers short pruning where it reaches excellent quality. Cortese gives wines high sugar concentrations, high acidity with low alcohol content, soft and delicately aromatic, varying depending on the cultivation area. Prolonged bottle aging enhances the wine with great character and complexity. The wines that have made Cortese famous come from the Gavi area, thanks also to the use of cryomaceration and barrique, although in recent years there seems to be a return to traditional vinification, which allows the identity and natural aromas of the wine to be rediscovered. In Gavi and Alto Monferrato, pure Cortese is used to produce both still and sparkling wines, while in the Piemonte Cortese DOC, the regulations require only a minimum of 85 percent of the grape variety.