2023 Coppo Gavi DOCG La Rocca

ABV: 13.5%
SRP: $19
Grapes: Cortese 
Importer: Touton
sample for my review

The white classic Piedmontese grape Cortese “holds a special place in the rich tapestry of our history, and at Tenuta La Rocca, in Monterotondo.” The name Cortese comes from “Corte” for the nobles of the court who enjoyed this wine back in the day.  Their Gavi La Rocca is made from Cortese “sourced from vineyards rooted in marly-calcareous soils, a terroir that imparts a distinctive mineral complexity to the wine. Through meticulous vinification techniques, including gentle pressing, temperature-controlled fermentation, and extended lees contact, we ensure that the unique attributes of the Cortese grape are fully expressed in every bottle of Gavi La Rocca, showcasing its Piedmontese identity at every sip.”

The 100% Cortese grapes come from the Montero hillsides, and are vinified in stainless steel. While made to be enjoyed young and fresh, it has potential for aging.

In the last few years as I’ve come to known Cortese, I’ve definitely fallen in love with it! Read about other Cortese wines. 

Appearance:  Pale lemon, platinum rim, quite clear, 

Aroma: Meadow, chamomile, honeycomb, baking spice, cardamom, intriguing and inviting yet hard to describe what the specific characters are, as the wine is opens so does the nose open. 

Palate: Very light, tart, great acidity, lemon, very enveloping mouthfeel, so good with the Ciabatta bread, this is a wine that can easily be enjoyed on its own, but when paired with food the pleasurability increases, 

Pairing: The ceasar salad is perfect with the wine, this is an inexpensive wine, however with the meal it tastes like a million dollars, Making your own cesar salad dressing is not that hard and so much better than any store bought dressing you can find. This is a great light meal if served alone, or a perfect course to your coursed meal paired with this wine. The minerality in the shrimp and the anchovies bring out the minerality in the wine, the wine becomes much more complex when served with this dish. They suggest pairing it with “Gnocchi alla Bava” — gnocchi made from potato and buckwheat with fontina cheese.

Coppo Nizza Barbera with duck breast and squash gratin

2021 Coppo Nizza DOCG Pomorosso   

ABV: 16.5%
SRP: $69
Grapes: Barbera
Importer: Touton
sample for my review

Coppo makes Barbera a priority, they say, and it “stands as a beautiful example of our team’s experience cultivating grapes in Piemonte.” 

Nizza is the Barbera grown in Nizza, a hilly area south of Asti where Barbera achieves with intense fruit and complexity “due to the appellation’s stricter aging requirements” they say. They make Barbera both from Nizza and Asti. 

Established in 2014, Nizza DOCG wines like this one use the highest quality Barbera from a specific area around Nizza Monferrato. The Pomorosso spends twelve months in barrique and at least six months in the bottle, and has such aging potential that it won’t peak for another five to ten years.

Appearance:  Dark and very dense, plum with a ruby rim that has hints of violet, cloudy or just so dense that it just seems cloudy, saturated.

Aroma: Plums and raspberries and cherries, roses, baking spices, cinnamon very effusive, violet, iris, forest floor and mushroom, very eloquent, 

Palate: Cherry pie, cherry pipe tobacco, effusive fruit,  tart acidity, and more acidity, the brightness of the acidity enhances the fruit, bold tannins, this is one of the best Barberas that Sue and I have had the pleasure of enjoying, 

Pairing: The richness of the duck and the lovely rosemary crust are so satisfying when paired with this wine. The blueberry compote is not too sweet and further elevates the wine there is a sense of cocoa nibs or chocolate covered blueberries, so very good together, With the squash dish it is like rich meets rich, “Rich, here is your friend Rich, and you are going to get along famously.” This wine has enough fruit to go through to the dessert course as long as your dessert does not have too much sugar.  The cookies Sue made fall in this realm they are not too sweet and so many layers of interesting flavors. This is a complex cookie for a complex wine to make a perfect pairing. They suggest pairing wild game and with Agnolotti del Plin, a small pillow of pasta stuffed with meat and sometimes vegetables served with a creamy sauce made with lots of butter and parmesan-reggiano cheese.

2021 Coppo Nizza DOCG Pomorosso with Christmas cookies from Campania

Read more about Coppo Wines and pairings from these wine writers: