We find the first written historical trace about the Cortese vine thanks to the farmer of the Montaldeo Castle, who in 1659, in a letter to the Doria Marquis, wrote of “….planting all over Cortese vines….”
In 1856 the Cambiaso Marquis, owner of the estates Toledana and Centuriona, created the first large plantations specialized in Cortese grapes, intended for producing a dry white wine.
His example was soon followed by other estates in the area. The first scientific descriptions are those by Messrs De Maria and Leardi who, in 1870, defined Cortese as “the vine with white grapes most extensively cultivated in the Province of Alessandria “In addition to its sturdiness and fertility, it is the tastiness and deliciousness of its product that makes it valuable, which is such as to recommend it to the diligence and the attention of the vinegrowers…”
Since then the Gavi Cortese has increased its prestige with the growth of its production.
In 1974 the Gavi wine adorns itself of the D.O.C. denomination (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) and since 1998 of D.O.C.G. one (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita).
In 2002 a decision of the Consortium for the Protection of Gavi wine excludes the utilization of genetically modified vines for the production of Gavi docg wine. From an agronomic scientific work of CNR – National Research Center – (Mannini, 2003) it results that today Cortese is a vine rich in natural biodiversity: 75 different biotypes from which the most qualitative ones are being selected for the future renewal of the vineyards.
In 2004 the Roll of Gavi Vineyards was completed, which is the first complete certification of the
plantings for a Denomination of Italian wine.