Timorasso – The White Wine of Piedmont

When we think of Piedmont, our minds turn to the great reds: Barolo and Barbaresco. And then to their squires: Barbera and Dolcetto. Increasingly often, however, whites are also making their appearance: Timorasso, Arneis and Cortese. Thanks to events like Barolo & Friends I have formed a fairly clear idea of this category and, in my opinion, the best Piedmontese white is Timorasso.

History and geography of Timorasso

Timorasso is a grape that tells the story of Piedmont from the perspective of the Colli Tortonesi, in the far southeast of the region, almost touching Lombardy and Liguria. Here, among gentle rolling hills and limestone marls, the vine has always found an ideal habitat.

Its history is ancient: the first mentions date back to the 19th century, when Timorasso was considered one of the most prized varieties for producing structured white wines. It was appreciated both for its ability to ripen well and for its aptitude to produce long-lived wines, a rare characteristic at the time for a white grape variety.

However, the 20th century was not kind to Timorasso. After phylloxera, this variety was progressively replaced by others that were more productive and easier to cultivate, such as Cortese, better suited to market demands and high-yield viticulture. World War II and the abandonment of the countryside did the rest: in the 1970s Timorasso was on the brink of extinction.

The renaissance came in the 1980s, when Walter Massa, a winegrower from Monleale, decided to recover this almost forgotten variety. This was not a nostalgic operation, but a clear vision: to bring back to life a grape capable of competing with the great international whites, focusing on quality and longevity.

Massa’s work was not immediate: it took years of massal selection, vinification trials and constant work to persuade other producers. Little by little, other winemakers in the area joined the enterprise, transforming what had been an experiment into a collective renaissance.

Today, Timorasso is protected by the DOC Colli Tortonesi Timorasso and by the more recent Derthona denomination, the historic name of the area. The regulations provide for controlled yields and minimum aging times, to guarantee a wine that expresses the best of the territory.

From a geographical point of view, its homeland remains the Tortona area, with a mosaic of soils that alternate limestone marls, clays and marine sands, legacy of ancient seabeds. It is precisely this geological variety, combined with a ventilated climate that is not excessively hot, that gives Timorasso its unmistakable deep profile and the ability to evolve for over a decade.

Wineries, producers and styles of Timorasso

The name of Walter Massa remains the starting point of any discussion about Timorasso, but today the scene is much richer. Companies like La Colombera, Claudio Mariotto, Luigi Boveri and Oltretorrente have given personal interpretations, while maintaining absolute respect for the varietal identity.

Regarding styles, traditional Timorasso involves vinification in steel, sometimes with long aging on fine lees to enhance structure and complexity. Some producers, however, choose aging in large wood, obtaining rounder and softer wines, with notes of vanilla and honey that blend with the typical minerality.

Finally, there is no shortage of bolder experiments: skin macerations for almost “orange” versions, spontaneous fermentations and low-intervention interpretations, designed for those who love the wilder component of the variety. Generally speaking, Timorasso is a structured white wine, deeply territorial.

Timorasso Derthona by Borgogno

I recently purchased from Borgogno. Damn Farinetti, who in this case as in that of Le Vigne di Zamò, doesn’t do like all the big producers (see Gerard Bertrand) who are methodical in selling wines perfectly in line with their price range. No, this property has the bad habit of proposing products in different price ranges that should be found in one or even two lower ranges (inadequate Barbera Bompè, I’m talking to you). However, at least in the case of Derthona, the cost and the bottle were congruent and it is indeed a very, very good wine.

Derthona – Borgogno – Vintage 2022 – Drunk on 27/03/2025 – With anchovies – Straw yellow color
It easily recalls a dense sea that glitters under the midday sun. Where the glitter is the titillating acidity.

It is undoubtedly a great wine and with the ambition to be one. Incredible that it doesn’t go into wood, because it is so dense and fascinating, evolved like a Burgundy white: here the elevage in cement really surprised me. The wine is in balance between an ambitious vinification process, the fruit of the grape variety and a strong acidity. The result is a taut and precise wine.

The nose shows notes of white peach, white and yellow flowers, noble petrol and orange peel. The mouth, at the first sip, was oily, almost “Wachau-style”, while subsequent glasses appeared deflated, without showing the same incredible fruit concentration: strange, perhaps oxygen ruined this wine too quickly?

The nuances of white flower petals and a medium acidity folded inside the fruit at mid-sip quickly give way to a powerful, almost extreme acid wave that stings the tongue – like a cheap citrus candy.

The finish is long, with a discreet savouriness and notes of lime and apricot jam: zest and opulence, so much fun! It brought out the marine notes of the fish, in an interesting and winning pairing for the dish.

Cost: 33 euros (at a retailer). Correct.