Cori is a DOC of the Lazio wine region in central western Italy. Created in August 1971, the title covers red and white wines made in the hills just outside Rome.
The Cori vineyards begin about 30 miles (50km) south-east of central Rome, and center around the commune of Cori itself. Here in the Monti Lepini hills the climate is slightly cooler and wetter than on the plains below, so the wine style leans towards fresh and fruity rather than rich and earthy. This mesoclimate is the result of moisture-laden clouds blowing in off the Tyrrhenian Sea, dropping their rain over Cori as they rise up towards the peaks. The Monti Lepini are part of the Antiapennines, a western, coastal sub-range of the central Apennines which breaks away from the main spine in southern Lazio and stops just short of the border with Campania.
There are only two wine styles produced under the Cori title, which sets it apart from most other Lazio DOCs. The trend throughout the region seems to be to use the DOCs more like a GI (Geographical Indication) than an appellation in the French sense, meaning that most DOCs have ten or more styles to their name. Cori, however, seems refreshingly focused with its white Cori Bianco and Cori Rosso duo.
Cori Bianco is made from a classic Lazio uvaggio of white Malvasia (Malvasia Bianca and Malvasia di Candia are both specified) and Trebbiano (Toscano, Verde and Giallo). Cori Rosso is made from a base of Montepulciano (40–60%), complemented by the local Nero Buono di Cori and Cesanese.
