While I expect that most of you will not be familiar with the grape variety Cortese, I am sure that you will have heard of Gavi. Like many European wines, Gavi is named for its origin, rather than its grape variety (just to keep things confusing for the public, and to ensure continuous need for we wine experts). Well, Gavi is the name of a town in northern Italy’s Piemonte region, and to make things even more confusing, wines may be labelled just ‘Gavi’, or the more illustrious ‘Gavi di Gavi’, referring to wines produced in the town itself.

So, what does this wine taste like? Fortunately this is the easy part. Crisp, lightly floral and with bright citrus flavours, Gavi is reliably delicious and versatile. Prices usually sit comfortably in the teens, and I would avoid spending much more than that, as this is a wine that shows its best when unoaked and light-bodied.

Recommendation: Cascina delle Monache Gavi del Comune di Gavi