From: Piedmont, Italy
Varietals: 80% Cortese, 15% Chardonnay, 5% Sauvignon Blanc
Taste: Fresh aromas of Asian and Bartlett pear meet lime citrus, white flowers and green apple, alongside a flinty minerality over white nectarine and herbs. The palate is as refreshing as its nose suggests, and mirrors notes of citrus, pear, and apple, finishing high on a wave of minerality.
Pairing: An excellent wine to pair with foods inspired by Northern Italian coastal cuisine including fragrant pesto pastas and seafood dishes with basil and lemon. With that in mind, we’re sharing a recipe by Martha Rose Shulman today for “Orecchiette with Basil and Pistachio Pesto and Green and Yellow Beans.” It’ll only take about 30 minutes and will yield approximately 6 servings.
About. Ercole (pronounced air-koh-lay) is a project aimed at honoring the work of the unsung heroes of Italy — the grape growers themselves.
Ercole, whose English translation is Hercules, is only made possible by a generations-old cooperative of local growers in the Monferrato area. Every fall, these men and women cultivate bright and balanced fruit, allowing us to make real wines that are transmitters of time and place.
Weston Hoard and his British Labrador, Ercole, spent years working together in the vineyards and cellars of Piedmont. Fate would have it that they would one day be separated. This wine is a tribute to Weston's dependable four-legged companion in Italy. It also represents a rare opportunity to experience several traditional grapes of Piedmont at one incredible price. Both Ercole Bianco and Barbera were borne out of Weston's desire to bring everyday value wines from Piedmont to America. Uniquely packaged in one-liter bottles, this wine is made from grapes found in the historic region of Monferrato.
Fun fact: Cortese was first documented in 1614, when the Castle of Casale Monferrato documented the grape in its ledger.
