Cortona Doc: a wine from afar

Cortona, from its 585m a.s.l., is still overlooking today, as it has always done, the vast and harmonious panorama of Valdichiana, dotted with villas and farmhouses amidst rows of orderly vineyards bearing testimony to the ancient excellence of its wines. And as Plinio Junior spoke of an esteemed white wine known by the name of Etasiaca, the food loving and connoisseur Rennaissance Pope Paul III loved to stock up on the products of these vineyards, whereas Giosuè Carducci often found inspiration for his poetry in front of a barrel of the “splendid wine” of Cortona.

The geological origin of this territory is essentially referable to the inferior Miocenic, superior Pliocenic and Miocenic periods; its lithology is distinguished by sandstones, marl and schist, with presence of fluvial deposits, clay and detritus of stratum.

A DOC that contains the oenological richness of the territory. The production area of the grapes used in the production of Doc wines “Cortona” falls in the province of Arezzo and includes the land – part of the administrative area of the City Council of Cortona – dedicated to quality.

Three hundred hectares are employed in the production of the Doc today, but the area has more potential and it’s bound to be expanded. About one million bottles a year bearing the label “Cortona Doc” are produced every year, a broad controlled denomination of origin, dominated by Syrah, Merlot and Sangiovese.

Cortona’s Syrah

A taste which is fresh, decisive, elegant and powerful: this is the result when summing up the main features of the Syrah wines of “Cortona Doc”. A variety of grapes that found the ideal environment and climate on the hills surrounding Cortona. The legend that ties these grapes of supposedly middle – eastern origin (from the Persian city of Syrah) or Mediterranean (from Siracusa) or French (in more modern times) tells us of some vine shoots that had been left following the French occupation under Napoleon. The microclimate, the quality of the soil, the harmonious  effects of wind and sunshine, in this eastern part of Tuscany, have allowed their perfect marriage to this territory achieving today’s expressiveness.

 The Consortium Vini Cortona

It was set up in the spring of year 2000. Its function is to act as the organisation that exercises control and protection of the “Cortona Doc” wines, as well as promoting its brand through effective cultural activities. It protects the image and the prestige of the denomination through continuous quality checks and it promotes initiatives aimed at advertising Cortona, its territory and wines, throughout the world. There are 60 businesses currently associated to the consortium. Among them some known brands, born and rooted in the territory, others of more recent origin and a few of international resonance. It is flattering that these last few years have so given credit to the territory of Cortona that has seen important investments as a result. The environment, the natural suitability of the location and the soil, as well as the tradition and culture of wine making have brought about grape and wine production of a very high standard, hence wines of very high quality.

It is possible to download the Cortona DOC procedural guideline here:

Consorzio di tutela dei Vini a Denominazione di Origine Controllata Cortona
Piazza Signorelli, 14 – 52044 Cortona (Ar)
Ph. (+39) 0575 603793
cortonavini@cortonavini.it
http://www.cortonavini.it