Piedmont's Remarkable White Renaissance
Timorasso represents one of Italy's most compelling stories of viticultural resurrection and rediscovery. Native to Piedmont's southeastern corner in the Colli Tortonesi, this ancient white variety nearly vanished in the mid-20th century as growers favored more productive varieties. Its remarkable revival began in the 1980s when pioneering winemaker Walter Massa recognized its extraordinary potential and devoted himself to its preservation.
Today, Timorasso stands as Piedmont's most prestigious and distinctive white grape, creating wines of remarkable complexity and longevity that have captured the attention of sommeliers and collectors worldwide. Our collection showcases the finest expressions of this once-forgotten variety from the handful of dedicated producers working with meticulous care in its historic homeland.
A Distinctive Character of Mineral Complexity
What distinguishes Timorasso is its extraordinary combination of structural elements and aromatic complexity that creates whites of remarkable depth and aging potential. In youth, these wines typically display a brilliant straw-yellow color with greenish reflections, offering an intriguing bouquet that balances floral notes of acacia and chamomile with fruit expressions of green apple, pear and citrus, all underscored by distinctive mineral notes reminiscent of flint and hydrocarbons.
On the palate, Timorasso reveals its true character—powerful yet elegant, with remarkable acidity and distinctive saline minerality balanced by rich texture and substantial body. With bottle age, these wines develop fascinating tertiary notes of honey, nuts, and petrol that have earned Timorasso the reputation as "the white Barolo of Piedmont" for its structure and aging trajectory.
The Perfect Companion for Sophisticated Dining
Timorasso's complex personality makes it an exceptional partner for refined cuisine, particularly dishes with richness and depth that can match the wine's structural intensity. It pairs beautifully with substantial seafood preparations like roasted sea bass with herbs, lobster with butter sauce, or scallops with truffle. The wine's mineral backbone and vibrant acidity provide a perfect counterpoint to creamy risottos, particularly with wild mushrooms or saffron.
Traditional Piedmontese cuisine offers many natural pairings, from vitello tonnato to more substantial white meat dishes. Aged examples develop a complexity that can complement even richer fare like sweetbreads or aged cheeses. Beyond specific pairings, Timorasso offers a sophisticated alternative to other prestigious white wines for special occasions, rewarding both immediate enjoyment and patient cellaring.
From the Colli Tortonesi to Modern Recognition
Our thoughtfully curated selection spans the full range of Timorasso expressions from its traditional home in the Colli Tortonesi, where the calcareous-clay soils and particular microclimate of valleys like Val Borbera and Val Curone impart the grape's distinctive mineral character. We feature wines from pioneering estates like Walter Massa, who spearheaded the variety's revival, alongside exciting interpretations from both established Piedmont producers and newer specialists dedicated exclusively to this variety.
Styles range from pure, unoaked expressions that emphasize crystalline minerality to more structured versions with judicious barrel aging that builds additional complexity. Each bottle represents not just a distinctive terroir expression but also a chapter in the remarkable story of a historic variety reclaiming its rightful place among Italy's white wine aristocracy.
