Colli Tortonesi DOC's Terre di Libarna subzone

Much as Walter Massa's efforts were responsible for the resuscitation of the Timorasso variety in the Tortona hills, Ezio Poggio launched an -- ultimately successful -- effort to reclaim the variety's rightful place in Val Borbera. I discuss the Terre di Libarna growing zone in this post.

The Terre di Libarna subzone was championed by Ezio Poggio because of the history of the Timorasso grape in the region and the difference in orographic and climatic conditions vis a vis the Monleale area. The zone covers Val Borbera and Val Spinti and is so named because they did not want to name it after one of the valleys over the other. The decision was this made to give it the name of the ancient Roman city that had stood between the two valleys.

The Val Borbera is the valley formed by the Borbera River. It is surrounded by high mountains which serve to isolate it from surrounding valleys and the ravages of industrialization. As shown in the map below, the Alta Val Borbera runs in a northeasterly direction while the lower valley runs almost directly east.

According to Cascina Barbàn, wine has been made in Val Borbera for centuries, with documents from Napoleanic times illustrating the breadth of grapegrowing across the region. As late as the 1960s, 275 ha of vineyards were planted between Vignole Borbera and Carrega Ligure with 60 of those located in Alta Val Vorbera. Most of the plantings were dedicated to Timorasso.

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.

Val Borbera soils are primarily marly clay and silty marl originating in the Lower Oligocene.

The subzone Terre di Libarna is illustrated in the figure below.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Early Modern history of Colli Tortonesi's (Piemonte, Italy) Timorasso variety

The broad outlines of the rebirth of the Timorasso variety -- and Walter Masa's role in that saga -- are known and accepted. 

But is that all there is? Not that it is not enough, but:

• What was the state of affairs prior to Massa's "intervention"?
• Were other individuals involved in the nurture and/or pursuit, either directly or indirectly, of the variety during the Massa phase?

I will attempt to address these questions in two separate posts, beginning here.

According to Gigi Brozzoni (Piedmont: Golden Wines/3, Veronelli Guide, Vini d'Oro, 11/19/20), up until 1985, the Timorasso variety was "completely unknown to most' even though it was "well described in the large ampelographic collection published in the 1960s by the then Ministry of Agriculture ..." The ministry recommended that Timorasso be used to add flavor and structure to some "anemic" varieties growing in the region.

Both Kerin O'Keefe (Why You Should be Drinking Timorasso, winemag.com, 2/8/16) and Brozzoni point to the use of Timorasso as a table grape. The variety had a good reputation in the peasant world because "it provided thick-skinned grapes that could be eaten fresh" or it could be dried until Christmas "when the sugary berries cheered up the holidays" (Brozzoni).

In its role as a wine grape, Timorasso was not as well regarded. From the winemaker's perspective, it was a difficult variety to farm, with returns incommensurate to the effort expended.

From the consumer's perspective, the variety was unknown. In Massa's conversation with O'Keefe, he mentioned that his family added Timorasso to Cortese to make a white wine which was sold in demi-johns to wine merchants in other parts of Piemonte and Oltrepo Pavese. In an interview with Oscar Farinetti (Stories of Courage, Mondadori, Milan, 2013), Massa stipulates that Timorasso from Colli Tortonesi was vinified with other white grapes to produce a generic white wine which was sold in bulk to merchants and producers in Asti, Stradella, and Milan, among others. Thus, Timorasso was consumed within the context of other varieties, in denominations outside of its native home, and without the ken of the end consumer (Gianfranco Quiligotti, Il Timorasso e La Luna, tortonaggi.it, 7/21/16).

Vineyard cultivation in Colli Tortonesi declined continually during the 20th century, going from 8000 ha at its beginning to 2000 ha at its conclusion. Vinegrowing in the 80s and 90s suffered due to a general abandonment of: (i) the countryside, (ii) agriculture, and (iii) the vineyard (Quiligotti). Timorasso suffered within the context of the foregoing but, as mentioned previously, this was compounded by problems unique to the variety.

Enio Ferretti planted his first Timorasso vines (at what is now La Morella) in 1985 with cuttings from the vineyard of a friend in Sarezzano. The cuttings were grafted in Aqui Terme by the Ponte brothers. This was the first organically farmed property in the region and it has retained that farming practice for its vineyards up to this date.

Brozzoni pegs the first meaningful commercial mention of the variety as a standalone occurring in 1985; and in the context of a grappa. Antonello Bocchino, a Canelli-based grappa producer, in response to the single-grape grappas of the Friulian Giannola Nonino, invented a number of Piemonte single-grape grappas. Included among this lot was one called Timuasa, obtained from Timorasso pomace from the Tortona area.

This pomace had apparently been secured for Bocchino by Franco Martinetti (more about him in a later post) and she, in turn, gave the finished product to him. He, after further refinement, sold it under a generic name.

The first vintage of a Massa Timorasso would come to fruition two years after this grappa event, signaling the initiation of a period which I will refer to as the Late Modern history of the Timorasso variety. The Early Modern history of the variety is summarized in the following chart.

I will treat the Late Modern history in a subsequent post.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Prevalence and effects of skin contact in Timorasso wine production

As shown in the table below, a significant number of Timorasso producers macerate the must on the skins prior to alcoholic fermentation. Why are they doing so? and why is the Timorasso cultivar a prime candidate for participation in such an activity?

Table 1. Instances of Maceration on skins: Selected Timorasso producers

Producer	Wine	Maceration Period (Hours)
Massa	Piccolo Derthona’ Timorasso	N/A
	Timorasso ‘Derthona’	48 - 60
	Timorasso Cru ‘Costa del Vento’	60
	Timorasso Cru ‘Montecitorio’	60
	Timorasso Cru ‘Sterpi’	60
La Colombera	Derthona	3
	Il Montino	3
Franco M. Martinetti	Martin	36
Ricci	Derthona	72
	San Leto	72
Teralba	Derthona	48 - 72
	Stato	72
Morgassi Superior di Gavi	Timograsso	12
Cascina Gentile	Derthona	24
i Carpini	Ruggiada del Mattino	48
	Brezza d’Estate	48
Massimo Pastura	Timian	16 - 18
Cantina Botazzi	Italo	N/A
	Monterosso	N/A

Based on the figures above, Timorasso producers macerate their grapes for an average of 44 hours prior to alcoholic fermentation. In the case of Massa, the cold maceration is carried out in cement containers, after which the must is transferred to stainless steel tanks for fermentation. Massa is the only producer whom I could identify as also including stems in the maceration.

Skin-Contact Whites

Skin-contact white wines are recognized by their residence on the early part of the orange color spectrum, their earthy flavors, and enhanced mouthfeel. These characteristics are the result of macerating the skin of crushed and de-stemmed white grapes in their own juice (i) prior to pressing and (ii) under controlled time and temperature conditions (The procedure is generally carried out under cool conditions in order to limit the growth of spoilage organisms.). Skin-contact white wines are macerated for hours while skin-fermented whites are macerated for weeks to months. Further, skin contact is a pre-fermentation process while its compatriot extends beyond that to fermentation and, in many cases, maturation.

The berry skin consists of an outer layer with a wax-like coating (cuticle) and 6 to 10 layers of thick-walled cells (hypodermis) which accumulate phenolic compounds in fairly high concentrations as the berry matures (Dharmadhikari, McGlynn). The main components of the skin are phenols, aromatic substances, potassium, and other minerals.

Maceration refers to the release of constituents from the pomace following crushing and is facilitated by "the liberation and activation of hydrolytic enzymes from crushed cells." Substances extracted include: aromatic compounds, aromatic precursors, phenols and polyphenols, unsaturated lipids, nitrogen, and potassium. At high enough levels, these extractives will produce earthy flavors and enhanced mouthfeel in the wines and will contribute positively to the fermentation processes. The best results have historically been obtained from fully ripe, aromatic grape varieties such as Gewurtztraminer, Riesling, Muscat, Viognier, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Phenols
Skin contact increases the amount of hydroxycinnamates, gallic acids, and flavonoids in the wine. Flavonoids increase slightly with contact time but strongly with temperature. These compounds are of concern because they contribute to bitterness and astringency and also serve as substrates for oxidation in white wines. While there are elevated levels of astringency in skin-contact white wines, they are nowhere near as high as in red wines. First, even though tannin is extracted from the skin of the white grape, the lack of anthocyanins means that only tannin-tannin bonds are formed, a combination that is less soluble in alcohol. Second, during fermentation, most of the tannin will precipitate out, thus limiting its ability to negatively impact the wine's sensory characteristics.

Aromatic Substances
Aromatic substances are located in the skin and layers of cells immediately below it. Examples of these compounds include (Dharmadhikari):

• 2-methoxy-3-isobutyl pyrazine -- imparts bell pepper odors to Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc
• 4-vinylguaiacol and 4-vinylphenol -- spicy, clove-like, and medicinal odors in some Gewurtztraminers
• Terpenes -- can be found in Muscats and Rieslings.

Fermentation Benefits
While winemakers do not pursue skin-contact because of the benefits that it provides to the fermentation process, they gladly accept what is offered. Maceration (Jackson):

• Improves juice fermentability and enhances yeast viability through its release of particulate matter, lipids, and soluble nitrogen compounds into the juice
• Particulate matter provides surfaces for yeast and bacterial growth, adsorption of nutrients, the binding of toxic C10 and C12 carboxylic fatty acids, and the escape of CO₂
• Improves the production of extra-cellular mannoproteins formed during alcoholic fermentation
• When combined with reduced concentrations of carboxylic acid, facilitates malolactic fermentation by Oenococcus oeni.

The Timorasso Case
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.

Of the wines I have tasted to date, the one with the most evidence of skin contact was the Cascina Gentile, with its color, tangerine aromas, tannins, spice, and texture attesting to its residence. There is a little bit of a curve ball in this case as the producer ages 1/3 of the production in untoasted French oak barriques of unknown age.

The La Colombera is only exposed to its skins for 3 hours but the color, phenolics, and spice are indicators of this experience. 

I will continue to update this post as I tatse additional skin-contact Timorasso wines.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Non-Langhe Timorasso believers: Scarpa, Cascina Degli Ulivi, Broglia

A number of Langhe producers have procured vineyard land in Colli Tortonesi DOC in order to pursue the possibilities associated with Timorasso wine. But they are not the only "non-native" Piemontese producers seeking to leverage the potential of the Timorasso grape. To date my research has turned up two Gavi (Cascina Degli Ulivi and Broglia) and one Monferrato (Scarpa) producers thus engaged. But while the Langhe producers are taking somewhat similar paths on the journey, the non-Langhians are not similarly uniform in their approaches.

Scarpa

Scarpa, located in Nizza Monferrato, was founded back in the mid-1850s and is best known for quality red wines based on sustainable agriculture, traditional winemaking, and long bottle-aging. As is the case for the Langhe producers, Scarpa makes a 100% Timorasso wine but, unlike the Langhe producers, the grapes are grown in Acqui Terme (Monferrato), outside of the designated Colli Tortonesi DOC growing zone. As a result, the wine (I Bricci) is designated Monferrato Bianco DOC Timorasso.

The Scarpa Timorasso is the manifestation of an abiding fear of the Colli Tortonesi Timorasso producers: If they remain tied to the variety, wines can be made wherever the vine can be grown, resulting in non-characteristic wines and a dilution of the brand value. The producers are protecting against this by moving to designate Timorasso wines from Colli Tortonesi grapes as "Derthona", the ancient Roman name for the region. The name Derthona is trademarked by Massa but he has encouraged its free use for wines made from locally grown grapes. The name is now under consideration by the Ministry of Agriculture as an official designation.

Cascina Degli Ulivi

Cascina Degli Ulivi is a biodynamic farm operating in the Novi Ligure area of Gavi. Its noted late owner Steffano Bellotti was largely responsible for the "legitimization of biodynamic viticulture ... since the early 1980s." His polyculture approach to farming led to most of his wines being declassified to Vinos de Tavola.

The estate's Vino Bianco A Demûa is made from a field blend (Filagnotti Vineyard) of Timorasso, Verdea, Bosco, Riesling, and Chasselas. The grapes are macerated on their skins in botti for 9 months and, after racking, the wine is aged on its lees for another two months. The percentage of Timorasso grapes in the blend is unknown but, in any case, this is non-Derthona Timorasso.

Broglia

Broglia is the Gavi producer whose Timorasso strategy is most closely aligned with the Langhe-producer approach. The company farms 65 ha of vineyards on the 100-acre La Meirana estate.

Broglia purchases its grapes in the commune of Costa Vescovata. They are grown in calcareous soils at elevations ranging between 300 and 350 m on south-facing slopes. The vines are pruned Guyot. The wines are aged for 18 months on their lees in small steel tanks.

The 2018 version of their Derthona is the most balanced, and the most approachable, Timorasso that I have tasted to date.

On the nose, herbs, spice, sweet fruit, waxiness, stony minerality, lees, mint, and salinity.

I did not get the initial rush of acidity on the palate as has been the case with the other young Timorasso's that I have tasted to date. Rather, the acidity was well integrated into the overall schema of the wine. Medium weight, rich, lime, umami, green herbs, and salinity. Enervating of the salivary glands. Robust. Great end-to-end consistency. Persistent. Long, saline finish.

The wine did not fall-off on the second day. It works equally well as a cocktail wine or a food wine. On the second day  paired it with a plant-based burger; and it gave no quarter. Buy this wine.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

In pursuit of that white wine to complement my red: Roagna Derthona Montemarzino Timorasso 2017

Franco Ziliani (Italian blogger and wine critic) has proposed a number of factors that are driving named Langhe producers towards Timorasso wines:

• 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.

In the case of Roagna, we can add another factor: according to the literature, Luca came upon an inheritance of one ha of Timorasso vines. 

The chart below shows the sources of grapes for the Langhe producers alongside their more "indigenous" compatriots.

I will cover the Roagna Timorasso offering in this post.

According to Benchmark Wine Group:

When the Barbaresco region was officially classified in 1890, there were only a handful of families making wine ... and the Roagna family was one of them. The family-owned Piemontese producer is known for its Barbaresco Crichët Pajé cuvee, ... The estate also releases a Barbaresco Riserva, numerous single-vineyard Barbaresco bottlings, a Barolo from the Pira Vineyard, a Dolcetto d'Alba, and a Barbera d'Alba. Throughout their long history in the region, the estate has gradually acquired around 30 acres of vines in Barbaresco cru vineyards as well as 17 acres in Barolo. They are also known for their partnership bottlings with owners of other prestigious vineyards throughout Italy. The wines are made with little intervention to stay true to how wines were made when the winery first began operating.

Roagna farms 1 ha of Timorasso vines at 400 m in Montemarzino where the soils are mainly limestone-clay and rocks with a high level of active limestone. The 35-year-old vines are farmed according to organic principles. The grapes are hand-harvested and fermented with natural yeasts in large French oak casks. The wine is subsequently aged for 2 years in a large French oak cask. The initial vintage of this wine was 2014.

The 2017 edition of this wine is a powerhouse.

Pale yellow in color with a slight cloudiness. Initially, herbs and pink rose water on the nose with black pepper and sweet fruit lurking in the shadows. Complex and layered, pulling your nose deeper into the glass as you seek more extensive aroma interaction. Gum arabic and green mango close out the initial observations.

A wall of acid at the first go round on the palate, giving way to lingering green mango flavor and a mineral sensation. Great weight. Almost austere. Juicier with residence. Acidity retreats to reveal a savoriness and salinity with a bitter finish. 

This wine will continue to reward the patient drinker.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme