he province of Padova, in Veneto, especially the territory around the rivers Brenta and Adige, owes the excellence of its produce to the rational way in which the Benedictine friars planned the work of land reclamation from the twelfth century onward. It certainly wasn’t an easy task as wars and floods often interrupted their work and malnutrition, malaria and other diseases plagued the local population.
Nevertheless, the friars succeeded to create several "Cortes." The Corte was the core of their reclamation effort. It contained the quarters where the friars lived, as well as houses for the farm laborers, and the constructions, called casone, where the produce was stored along with the farmers' tools. The casone also served as shelter for farm animals and as working space.
The system was so well organized that it is still in use in many farms for the production of Corti Benedettine del Padovano wines, which take their name from the old Corte. In fact, Corti Benedettine del Padovano wines are produced in the territory between the rivers Brenta and Adige and the Adriatic highway or, in other words, in the same area where the ancient Cortes were located.
The Corti wines can be red or white and include various single-grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Raboso, and Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso for the reds, and Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, and Tocai for the whites. There is also a sparkling Moscato and a Passito variety that are the ideal match for biscuits, cakes and desserts.
