A case for Colli Tortonesi Timorasso as "the next big thing" (out of Piemonte)

Colli Tortonesi Timorasso wine is "the next big thing," a conclusion at which I have arrived while conducting an ongoing deep dive into the variety, its history, and the players. In my view, Colli Tortonesi producers have, with their Timorasso efforts, developed the critical components, the raw material, necessary for the wine to gain consideration but it is the entrance of the "non-local" producers, and the potential that they unleash, that elevates the region and the wine from "great potential" to "the next best thing." My arguments are summarized in the chart below and detailed in the text following.

The Critical Components

A Heralded White Wine 

What is a Timorasso wine? According to Elisa Semino of La Colombera, the Timorasso variety yields a great, long-lived, mineral wine. She loves the minerality that comes with Timorasso wine, a minerality which, in her view, comes from the grape (the sapidity, conversely, comes from the soil). According to Marco Volpi of Cantine Volpi, Timorasso produces a structured, mineral, aged wine which evolves further in the bottle, demonstrating increasing levels of a honeyed character. If picked optimally, the variety will produce alcohol levels ranging between 13% and 16%. 

Wines made from Timorasso grapes are highly acclaimed. Kerin O' Keefe (one of today's leading Italian wine experts) refers to Timorasso as "one of the most exciting wines coming out of Italy right now" boasting "more depth, body and complexity than many Italian whites." Berry Bros and Rudd, a historical UK wine retailer, tags the wine as "one of the most exciting autochthonous grape varieties to surface in recent years." Pietro Oddero, of the joint venture Monilià, thinks that "Timorasso is the most interesting variety in Italy." These, and many other such laudatory comments, have been directed at wine made from the Timorasso variety.

Key to the current standard of Timorasso wine quality are: (i) a dynamite cultivar; (ii) a cooperative growing environment; (iii) the effects of a warming climate

The Timorasso Variety
"Timorasso is a native grape variety of the province of Alessandria, with a quality white-berried grape, grown essentially in the Curone, Grue, Ossona, and Val Borbera valleys, in an area where the vine finds a valid 'habitat' thanks to the soil, sunshine and the position sheltered from the winds" (Consorzio).

According to stradacollitortonesi.com, the Timorasso variety is a part of the ampelographic heritage of Liguria, Piemonte, Lombardia, and Emilia Romagna and is assumed to have originated somewhere between Liguria and Piemonte. The characteristics of the variety are shown in the chart below.

D'Agata identifies a "first degree parentage relationship between Lambruschetto and Timorasso while the Lambruscos from Emilia-Romagna were genetically distant."

Versatility

One of the key strengths of Timorasso is its versatility; it delivers consistently high fruit quality, regardless of geography, and wine, regardless of style. As regards geography, the north of Colli Tortonesi is flat, coming in at about 100-m elevation. The hills begin in Vho and Monleale (100 - 200 m) and there is a cluster of wineries around Costa Vescovata (300 m). Beginning at Costa Vescovato, the climate differs from that of the lower altitudes. Val Bobera is a sight to behold, with high mountains and deep valleys. Ezio Poggio's vineyard sits at 500 m.

In terms of style, the variety allows for the production of still (will vary based on fermentation/aging vessels, maceration time, and whether they have been fermented on the skins), sparkling (metodo clasico and charmat method), and sweet wines. 

Phenolic Richness

Writing in openingabottle.com, Kevin Day characterizes the Timorasso variety thusly: "Timorasso has a rich phenolic character, meaning the natural phenols and polyphenols in the grape yield a lot of aromas, flavors, textures, and characters." In other words, these factors, when coupled with the variety's thick skin, renders Timorasso an ideal candidate for skin-contact winemaking.

Growing Environment

The Timorasso vine prefers poor and marginal soils with especially limited water reserves. The current Timorasso growing environment is illustrated in the chart below.

With elevations ranging between 400 and 600 m, Val Borbera has the highest-altitude vineyards in Colli Tortonesi. It also has a markedly different temperature profile. According to Maurizio Carucci of Cascina Barbàn, the Tortona hills, with its hot, humid summers, are more reflective of a Po Valley influence. Val Borbera, on the other hand, is colder in the winter, has more significant diurnal temperature variation, and much more rainfall over the course of the growing season. The diurnal temperature variation supports the production of highly aromatic grapes while the cool temperatures extends the growing season. Maurizio sees at least a 20-day difference in harvest dates between the two zones.

According to Gian Paolo Repetto (Vigneti Repetto), Colli Tortonesi lies between Serravalle Scriva and Tortona and this translates to Tortonian soils in the north, Serravalian soils in the south, and Sant'Agata fossil marls in the middle (see here for my graphical illustration of this concept). The northern part of the zone has more clay, partially calcareous, partially less. This composition lends itself to wines with great structure. The Sant'Agata Fossili soils are rich in limestone and tend to produce mineral, sapid wines. The south has the highest elevations and young, rocky soils. The Timorasso wines from this zone are fine and elegant.

Global-Warming Benefits

According to Elisa, the Timorasso cultivar has benefited from a warming environment. Thirty years ago, the farmers harvested partially ripe Barbera in the middle of October. Ripening was a problem for Timorasso in this environment. It was not warm enough; plus there was rain in the middle of October. In today's world, fully ripe Barbera is harvested in the middle of September and Timorasso is fully ripe in that same timeframe.

Gian Paolo concurs with Elisa’s assessment that global warming has been beneficial to Timorasso. Historically it had been difficult to grow the variety because of botrytis and rot prior to harvest. With global warming, the variety is able to attain full ripeness earlier and harvest occurs in the warmer mid-September period.

In Elisa’s view, the combination of soils and early ripening makes Colli Tortonesi the best Piemontese terroir for exploitation of the variety.

A Stable of Dedicated, Quality Producers

After producing his initial Timorasso vintage, and conducting further research to tighten up the production process, Walter Massa began to proselytize about the variety to anyone that would listen. Daniele Ricci worked as his understudy and acolyte and learned everything that he could from Massa before going off and founding his own winery in Casca Vescovato. This 1.5-ha vineyard, named Vigna di Carlo, was planted in 1995. Andrea Mutti and Luigi Boveri also planted their Timorassos in 1995.

Elisa Semino, now of La Colombera, did her thesis on the Timorasso variety and, according to Walter, worked at his estate in 2000 while collecting data for her study. After graduation, Elisa and her dad were among the first five Colli Tortonesi wineries to heed Walter's Timorasso call.

Walter went on to mentor a large number of the small farmers in the region who saw his success and wanted to replicate it in their environments. They formed an association organized around Massa's production principles and met regularly to compare notes and taste each other's wines. 

Grape-growing, as practiced by Colli Tortonesi Timorasso producers, is artisanal:

• Most vineyards are farmed by the owners who are also, in many cases, the winemaker
• The vineyards are mainly a part of a wider farm
• Vineyards are part of a polyculture rather than being a monoculture (as is mostly the case in the Langhe)
• Growers pursue sustainable farming with many either practicing or certified organic
• There is a general thrust to minimize the use of chemicals in the vineyards
• Individual holdings range between 1 and 3 ha with a handful of producers between 5 and 10 ha, and two or three of the 60 farming in excess of 10 ha.

A Captivating Origin Story

The current incarnation of the Timorasso variety has a captivating origin story. The variety is native to the hills and valleys of southeast Piemonte but, given its (i) unpredictable results and (ii) farming difficulties, most of the region's farmers were replacing it with Cortese in the late 1970s (Cortese had higher yields and Gavi was all the rage). Thirty years ago Timorasso plantings ranged between 3 and 5 ha for the entire region. The variety had experienced a steady decline over the preceding century due to (i) the amount of work required in the vineyard, (ii) its susceptibility to illness, and (iii) its relatively low yield.

Cortese was the dominant white variety planted on the Massa estate but Walter was dissatisfied with its performance. The microclimate was not ripening the grapes adequately, leading to low-quality wines. He wanted to produce a high-quality white wine and embarked on a journey to establish whether Timorasso could fill that role. Prior to Walter's endeavor, Timarosso had only contributed as a component in blended wines.

The journey began in 1987 when Walter filled 580 bottles of his first vintage with grapes sourced from 400 vines scattered around the family vineyard. The results were good enough to encourage further exploration. In 1990 he planted Timorasso vines in a 1.4-ha plot called Costa del Vento. This vineyard had steep, south-facing slopes sitting at elevations ranging between 250 and 300 meters. Some of the vines that he had secured for planting were over 100 years old and ungrafted.

Walter vinified small batches for a number of years, testing different techniques, and was eventually convinced as to the viability and ageability of the wine. Over the course of the testing he discovered that the wine became better the longer it rested in the bottle. His first commercial vintage was in 1995.

Walter went on to mentor a large number of the small farmers in the region who saw his success and wanted to replicate it in their environments. They formed an association organized around Massa's production principles and met regularly to compare notes and taste each other's wines. 

Unique Market Niche

Piemonte is best known for its red wines -- primarily in the southern part of the region but also with  strong representation in the north -- based on Nebbiolo but it is also the source of vibrant indigenous white wines; wines that I have captured in the chart below and written about in a comprehensive study. 

Erbaluce-based wines dominate in the morainic soils of the north while Cortese-based wines hold sway in the limestone soils of the south. 

Even back at this time, after having only drunk one bottle of Timorasso, I was referring to it as the wine to watch. It is unique in comparison to the other white wines from Piemonte. While high-acid and mineral like some of the other white Piemontese varieties, it adds: an aromatic nose; salinity and sapidity on a phenol-rich palate; and long life, with improvement (a honeyed petrol note) over its residence in the bottle.

While some of the studied white Piemontese cultivars have smaller footprints than does Timorasso, this does not apply to Arneis and Erbaluce.

Customer Appreciation

For the region, the outlook is bright, according to Gian Paolo Repetto. Their is huge interest in the region and its wines. Even with all the recent dislocation in the world, they were able to sell all the Derthona they produced.

Protect the Patrimony

A key part of patrimony-protection is establishing Derthona as Timorasso from a specific place, the original home of the variety. Anyone can plant Timorasso vines but only Colli Tortonesi producers can make Derthona wines. Key to this is the approval of the Derthona appellation. According to Elise, this will probably occur with the 2021 vintage.

The Consorzio has submitted an application to the appropriate authorities for the designation of a Derthona sub-appellation within the Colli Tortonesi DOC covering the production of Timorasso vines within its borders. While Derthona is currently used on the labels of some producers, it is not an official designation. Further, it is a registered trademark of Walter Massa, who has encouraged its widespread adoption and use. The submittal covers a Riserva (released a minimm of 2.5 years after harvest), a Derthona, and a Piccolo Derthona (both requiring a minimum of 1 year aging). The difference between a Derthona and a Piccolo Derthona will be based on quality parameters as well as tasting panel assessments. Some of the key quality elements of the upcoming appellation will be the designation of minimum altitudes in each commune as well as minimum alcohol levels for each wine type.

A second patrimony-protection action has been the limiting of vineyard growth to maintain the artisanal nature of the wine and region. The members of the Consorzio have agreed to limit the total hectares under production to 300, and to attain this number through slow growth. In addition to ensuring that the region does not flood the market with its wine (with the resultant impact on pricing potential), this step will ensure the retention of the current agricultural profile.

"Foreign" Producers -- The Catalysts in the Woodshed

There is no doubt in my mind that, left to its own devices, Colli Tortonesi Derthona Timorasso would have eventually become "a big thing." But I do not believe that it would have aggregated its potential in such a manner -- and in such a timeframe -- that it would gain consideration as a candidate for "the next big thing." I feel that the interest and involvement of the "foreign" producers have been instrumental in this regard. First, lets look at these new entrants.

According to Elisa Semino of La Colombera, "Famous producers are now arriving in the region ... a sign of respect for the region; they believe in the variety and are planting it in its home region."

As shown in the table below, outsider interest began with Cascina La Ghersa in 2007, with a gap until the early part of the 2010s, with a rush of entrants in the last two years of the decade.

Table 1. "Non-Local" market entrants by year of initial vintage.

Initial Vintage	Producer	Producer Origins	Timorasso Holdings	Source(s) of Purchased Fruit
2007	Cascina La Ghersa	Moasca	Casasco and Sarezzano; 1.8 ha
2013	Fontanassa	Gavi	?	?
2014	Roagna	Barbaresco	Montemarzino; 1 ha
2015	Borgogno	Barolo	Monleale; 3 ha
	Cascina Gentile	Capriata d’Orba	?	?
2018	Broglia	Gavi		Costa Vescovata
	Sassai	Capriata d’Orba	Profigate and Ca’ del Borgo; 5 ha	Castellania and Monleale
	Vietti	Barolo	Monleale; 4.1 ha
2019	La Spinetta	Asti	Montegioco, Monleale, and Montemarzino; 5 ha
	Monilia	Barolo	Monleale; 1.5 ha	Monleale
	Reis	Langhe and Monferrato		Sarezzano
N/A	Alvio Pestarino	Capriata d’Orba	Stazzano; ?
	Pio Cesare	Alba	?; 2.5 ha	Vho
	Voerzio Martini	La Morra	?

Why did the identified producers launch these out-of-region initiatives? According to Franco Ziliani (Italian blogger and wine critic) the factors driving these producers towards Timorasso wines are as follows:

• They are impressed by the work of Massa and his disciples
• They understand the greatness of Timorasso
• They want to expand the the range of their reds with an important white
• Vineyards are a bargain in Colli Tortonesi when compared to the sky-high costs in Barolo and its surrounds.

From the perspective of selected "foreign" entrants:

• Vietti was impressed with the characteristics and future outlook of Timorasso
• Pietro Oddero thinks that Timorasso "is the most interesting indigenous white variety in Italy."
• The Reis team decided to do a project as a group and wanted it to be something challenging. Given cost and availability constraints, it most likely could not be in Barolo. Their Timorasso venture was both a testament to the friendship and a bow to the potential of the variety.

What advantages did the locals see accruing to the region as a result of this new presence?

• Walter Massa saw these entrants as advantageous because of their perceived ability to market Timorasso in foreign markets
• Gian Paolo Repetto, head of the Consorzio,  and Proprietor of Vigneti Repetto, feels that these entrants have been a "blessing" in that they have raised the profile of the region.

In my view, the Langhe producers saw an in-built marketing message:

Colli Tortonesi Timorasso is an aromatic, medium-bodied, structured, mineral, aged wine made by artisanal producers from the recently rescued Timorasso cultivar. This cultivar, which had been given up for dead, was wrangled back into existence by the tenacity and foresight of the caped-crusader Walter Massa, a winemaking practitioner who has to be seen to be believed. And oh, by the way, Colli Tortonesi is the original home of the variety, with a terroir, inclusive of Langhe-like soils, that maximizes the grape's potential.

It did not hurt that this wine aligned with their need for a counter-balancing white wine as well as with the characteristics of their red wines. These foreign producers have:

• Provided a stamp of approval for the region
• Brought about the potential for Timorasso to be considered as the white wine to complement Piemonte's reds
• Have expanded the potential audience for Timorasso wines by bringing their own customers into the mix
• Potentially increased the international spread (and acceptance) of the wine by running it through their distribution channels
• Added to the wherewithal of the region by bringing into the deliberations a sophistication that can only be attained after generations of working in the international market
• Elevated the value proposition for the region and the wine
• Expanded Timorasso production beyond the traditional stainless-steel fermentation/aging vessels to include materials such as oak (barrique and cask), ceramics, concrete, etc. 
• Aided in the efforts to protect the patrimony.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme