Linnaea Allora Cortese Dell'Alto Monferrato DOC 2023

Linnaea Allora is a dry Cortese from the Alto Monferrato hills, built around a small skin-fermented portion blended back into a conventionally pressed base.

Cortese is Piedmont's principal white grape, best known from Gavi, and in the Alto Monferrato hills inland from there it gives dry whites of firm acidity and citrus tone. Linnaea draws on 30-year-old vines planted high in the Monferrato. About one barrel's worth of the crop is picked by hand a day ahead of the main harvest and fermented as whole berries on skins for a month in the coldest part of the winery, which draws out a little phenolic grip. The rest is picked and pressed directly to stainless steel for a cool, slow fermentation, then rests three months in tank with regular lees stirring for texture. The two parts are blended before bottling, and in this release the skin-contact fraction accounts for around 5% of the whole, enough to add breadth and a faint savoury edge without shifting the colour.

Ready now and good for another two or three years. Serve at 10–12°C with grilled fish, veal or a plate of salumi.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.