Manera Cortese 2016

Manera reveals the Cortese grape’s citrus and almond tang in all its refreshing glory. The wine comes from Castel Boglione, the only town in the region on the valley floor. Once covered in thick woodland, and often thick fog, the area had an unsavoury reputation for bandits and thieves. Today its reputation is based solely on quality wines. This is the closest thing to a steal here these days – a well priced ‘little Gavi’ that winemaker Claudio Manera is proud to put his name to. It has a freshly sliced green apple aroma with hints of almond. And, like great Gavi, it has what the experts call ‘energy’ in the glass – meaning it’s pure, tangy and uplifting. A lovely aperitivo that’s also great with tuna carpaccio or pea and fennel risotto.