- Brandlioco
- CountryUSA
- TypeWhite Wine
- Size750ml
- SKU 210000045148
Lioco Cortese 2023
LIOCO traces its origins to an alley behind Spago Beverly Hills, where Matt Licklider, a wine salesman, and his colleague pondered the possibility of crafting wines that favored nuance over sheer power. In 2005, driven by a passion for European finesse and the more restrained California wines of the 1980s, Matt, along with his wife Sara, embarked on a winemaking journey. Today, the Licklider family, together with their dedicated team, operates the winery from a state-of-the-art facility in Santa Rosa.
The heart of LIOCO’s winemaking philosophy lies in sourcing fruit from exceptional vineyards spanning 400 miles across five counties. Their focus on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Carignan leads them to vineyards with older vines, distinctive soils, and heritage clones. Occasionally, their pursuit of Pinot Noir uncovers unexpected treasures like coastal Syrah or rare mid-century plantings of Valdiguie. The team’s commitment to minimal intervention during fermentation and bottling reflects their belief in honoring the inherent quality of well-grown fruit.
Cortese is a white grape variety most famously associated with the crisp, lime-scented wines of Gavi. The variety is known for its bracing acidity and its ability to retain freshness even when grown in warm environments.
The variety has been grown in the southeastern part of Piedmont for hundreds of years with documents on Cortese dating back to the beginning of the 17th Century. It has long been considered Piedmont's finest white variety and is often credited as introducing the world to Italian white wine. Nowadays, however, it has been challenged for top billing by Arneis and Moscato d'Asti.
