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(Synonyms:Derthona, Dolce Verde, Morasso, Timuassa, Timoraccio, Timorazza, and Timorosso.)
Background
Timorasso is a white-wine grape originating and still chiefly grown in the Piedmont region of Italy (see map at left).
Timorasso is yet another in that seemingly endless parade of fine Italian varieties that nearly went extinct but was rescued in modern times by the dedicated work of one winery or, often, one man—in this case, Walter Massa of Vigneti Massa. So a grape that nearly went extinct owing to the greedy lust for cash that growing the so-called “international varieties” is now a grape frequently called by experts Italy’s finest white-wine grape.
Timorasso styles are still developing as more and more winemakers jump on the bandwagon, but typically Timorasso is a big, full-bodied white with an exotic fruit/floral nose and a matching palate with good fruit and acid balance. With age—and they age very, very well—they acquire even more depth, often with an emerging mineral quality. As you will see from the numerous and lengthy quotations below, Timorasso seems on its way to being a really big player on the world’s wine stage.
To clarify terminology: Timorasso is the grape variety; DOC Colli Tortonesi Timorasso is the legally approved regional designation for the wines made from the grape in that region (and we don’t believe it is made anywhere else); Derthona is a so-far unofficial but widely used designation for the wines (it is the local rendition of the name of the town Tortona)—a regional identity much like Chianti or Barolo; and Tortona Timorasso is a proposed and likely new official designation.
Also noteworthy is that there is now a Timorasso collective of a couple of hundred or so winemakers (of whom so far perhaps five dozen actually bottle Timorasso) working together to help one another learn techniques and to promote the wines. And their intention is to limit production to perhaps 200 to 250 hectares of vineyards circa 500 to 600 acres—less than a square mile). That is to avoid an influx of poorer, cheaper Timorasso as its popularity continues to grow; the collective wants it to remain a niche wine (akin, some have said, the Hermitage blanc).
Factoid: Timorasso is an ancient grape, known since at least the 15th century. Leonardo da Vinci liked it, as did Pope Paul III; and it was served at the wedding (well, at least one of the weddings) of Isabella of Aragon.
“Wines made from the Timorasso grape variety tend to be full-bodied with good acidity. It is an aromatic variety and can show tropical fruit in some examples and more floral notes in others. It responds well to oak maturation, which gives the wines a certain complexity, allowing them to age for several years…Colli Tortonesi wines are often labeled as ‘Derthona’, which is the traditional name (in the local dialect) for the town of Tortona, after which the Colli Tortonesi DOC is named. Derthona is also a proposed DOC for Timorasso which would further suggest that this interesting grape variety is gaining attention for its wines.”
“Timorasso boasts more depth, body and complexity than many Italian whites. It’s definitely not your classic light-bodied white to sip as an aperitivo or to knock back with pizza…When young…Timorasso wines boast alluring floral scents, creamy apricot and apple flavors and bright acidity. As they age, they gain in mineral complexity and boast dried fruit, almond and honeyed notes seamlessly balanced with fresh acidity. I’ve tasted numerous vintages over the years, and the wines evolve beautifully for at least fifteen years. As the vines get older, these superb whites may increase their aging potential.”
“Timorasso wine is a wonderful combination of stringent acidity and depth. The acidity is indeed quite high and refreshing. It has sometimes been compared to chenin blanc and riesling with its citrusy freshness. But Timorasso also has a mouth-filling character. It can give you the impression of having been fermented on the skins – skin-contact maceration for whites often give a certain mouth-feel – or even having been barrel-aged. But the body comes mainly from the grape itself, sometimes together with yellow fruit aromas and nuts. But some producers are experimenting with skin maceration, with exciting results, or just slow pressing for extra extraction. With a few years of extra ageing in the cellar, the wines can develop characteristics similar to the ‘petroleum’ in some aged Rieslings or the ‘dry honey’ and almonds that you can find in older Chenin Blancs.”
“In Piedmont, there is a growing awareness that Timorasso may possess a greater ability to age and achieve complexity more than almost any other Italian white variety, but American sommeliers are embracing these wines now for their value. ”
“The style of Timorasso white wines resemble a mix of Chablis & Savennieres on account of high acidity, rich extract and propensity to develop noble rot, all grounded by calcareous soil. Timorasso doesn’t benefit from oak ageing, as its purity, freshness and power emerge perfectly without it. Apricots, peaches, lime, and with age a touch of honey and a whisper of nuttiness all contribute to its aromatic profile, while its natural acidity and extract allow it to be drunk young or cellared for up to a decade.”
“The wines made from this grape have a great intensity with fruity and floral scents of peach and acacia and a nice minerality. With aging, the mineral and hydrocarbon notes, which are similar to those of a Riesling, become more distinct and defined. The mouthfeel has body and structure and a good balance between soft and hard sensations. Some of the best wines in circulation are the Colli Tortonesi Derthona Timorasso, a name that a group of producers, belonging to the association to protect and promote Colli Tortonesi, gave their varietal Timorasso wine and which is the old name of the city of Tortona.”
“These wines are not oaked but are allowed to ferment slowly on yeast lees for about a year to give them their nutty and oaky flavour…Timorasso produces full bodied wine with the aroma of tropical fruits with a little floral undertone. They have the essence of apricots, spices and slight whispers of honey which blend together perfectly to leave a rich taste on the palate.”
“Even if many have not noticed it, we are experiencing the Renaissance of this noble wine, thanks to the stubborn diligence of the Tortonese winemakers, where Timorasso is giving commendable results. The wines are complex, multifaceted, endowed with saline thickness, depth, but also measure and subtle finesse. Over the years they develop incredible tertiary aromas, dried fruit as if it were raining, an absurd floral charm and great herbaceous elegance. [The Bouquet] starts with a juicy fruit based on plums and citrus fruits, with cedar and peels. It is not a fat nose, on the contrary, it is very thin and penetrating. There is no shortage of beeswax, honey, aromatic herbs, abundant flowers and mineral hints of stones and rocks. On the palate, it has good alcohol content, but it is never too full-bodied, thanks to the mineral thickness and good acidity that plays down and makes the wine drinkable and sharp. The sip is liquid joy, limestone and rocks distilled in pure nectar which is supported by a pulpy yellow fruit. Persistence and texture are outstanding, few are the wines so elegant and engaging while maintaining a taut and juicy palate.”
“[Timorasso] can offer astonishing aromatic potentials and is rich in norisoprenoids or fragrances that are already formed in grapes but are expressed in their completeness in white-aged wines. The remarkable structure and acidic stress contributes to enhancing unusual mineral tones in Italian whites.”
“Timorasso is big and commanding, a wine that inclines you to let it linger in your mouth as you discover its character…Timorasso is what I would call an earthy white…”
“imorasso has not only been resurrected; it’s reached star status, having rocketed to the firmament of Piedmont’s age-worthy wines. But unlike the regal reds Barolo and Barbaresco, timorasso is a white. As such, it joins a rare league of white wines that get better with age, an elite club that includes white Burgundy, white Hermitage, Riesling, and Champagne…Bottles labeled Derthona follow a style developed by Walter Massa: cold maceration with stems in concrete tanks, fermentation in stainless steel with native yeasts and no added sulfites, then an extended period on the fine lees with battonage, or stirring of the dead yeast. Massa’s extra year in the cellar before release has also been officially adopted. In short, there’s no oak that gets in the way, there’s a creamy richness from the battonage, and there’s an emphasis on bringing out distinctions in terroir…I recommend that if you do find Derthona in your shop, buy several bottles, uncork one immediately, then put the others away for at least two years.”
“This Italian white wine typically shows medium to deep intensity yellow in the glass with subtle green reflections. Timorasso has an intense and distinctively complex bouquet of aromas. Within the first few years in bottle, Timorasso offers stone fruit aromas of peach and nectarine, along with pear, acacia, and honeysuckle, and an expressive honey note. Beyond four years in bottle, mineral notes become more pronounced. On the palate, Timorasso is known for an exceptional balance of mouthwatering acidity and characteristically high alcohol. Classically, it’s a wine with no rough edges. One that coats the mouth with concentrated flavors through to a memorable finish.”
“Timorasso goes excellently with many types of food. Its citrusy acidity refreshes the palate and the weight it has in the mouth makes it stand up well even with more flavourful foods.”
“In recent years, a group of sensible winemakers has carried on the rediscovery of this vine and brought to light its oenological characteristics, which allow production of wines of great structure and freshness, as a betoken to an interesting tendency to aging and to aging in barrels, often yielding the results of all great quality…The Timorasso grape gives a straw yellow colored wine with golden highlights. The scent is intense and complex, floral and fruity with notes of acacia and hawthorn, peach, honey and tropical fruits. The taste is full-bodied, dry, fresh because of its acidity, with good alcohol content, fine and harmonious.”
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Some Descriptions of Timorasso Wines
“[I]t is used to make aromatic wine with some aging potential…”
“Wines made from the Timorasso grape variety tend to be full-bodied with good acidity. It is an aromatic variety and can show tropical fruit in some examples and more floral notes in others. It responds well to oak maturation, which gives the wines a certain complexity, allowing them to age for several years…Colli Tortonesi wines are often labeled as ‘Derthona’, which is the traditional name (in the local dialect) for the town of Tortona, after which the Colli Tortonesi DOC is named. Derthona is also a proposed DOC for Timorasso which would further suggest that this interesting grape variety is gaining attention for its wines.”
“Timorasso boasts more depth, body and complexity than many Italian whites. It’s definitely not your classic light-bodied white to sip as an aperitivo or to knock back with pizza…When young…Timorasso wines boast alluring floral scents, creamy apricot and apple flavors and bright acidity. As they age, they gain in mineral complexity and boast dried fruit, almond and honeyed notes seamlessly balanced with fresh acidity. I’ve tasted numerous vintages over the years, and the wines evolve beautifully for at least fifteen years. As the vines get older, these superb whites may increase their aging potential.”
“Timorasso wine is a wonderful combination of stringent acidity and depth. The acidity is indeed quite high and refreshing. It has sometimes been compared to chenin blanc and riesling with its citrusy freshness. But Timorasso also has a mouth-filling character. It can give you the impression of having been fermented on the skins – skin-contact maceration for whites often give a certain mouth-feel – or even having been barrel-aged. But the body comes mainly from the grape itself, sometimes together with yellow fruit aromas and nuts. But some producers are experimenting with skin maceration, with exciting results, or just slow pressing for extra extraction. With a few years of extra ageing in the cellar, the wines can develop characteristics similar to the ‘petroleum’ in some aged Rieslings or the ‘dry honey’ and almonds that you can find in older Chenin Blancs.”
“In Piedmont, there is a growing awareness that Timorasso may possess a greater ability to age and achieve complexity more than almost any other Italian white variety, but American sommeliers are embracing these wines now for their value. ”
“The style of Timorasso white wines resemble a mix of Chablis & Savennieres on account of high acidity, rich extract and propensity to develop noble rot, all grounded by calcareous soil. Timorasso doesn’t benefit from oak ageing, as its purity, freshness and power emerge perfectly without it. Apricots, peaches, lime, and with age a touch of honey and a whisper of nuttiness all contribute to its aromatic profile, while its natural acidity and extract allow it to be drunk young or cellared for up to a decade.”
“The wines made from this grape have a great intensity with fruity and floral scents of peach and acacia and a nice minerality. With aging, the mineral and hydrocarbon notes, which are similar to those of a Riesling, become more distinct and defined. The mouthfeel has body and structure and a good balance between soft and hard sensations. Some of the best wines in circulation are the Colli Tortonesi Derthona Timorasso, a name that a group of producers, belonging to the association to protect and promote Colli Tortonesi, gave their varietal Timorasso wine and which is the old name of the city of Tortona.”
“Timorasso wines have great complexity and aging potential, which is extraordinary for white wines (especially when made without oak).”
“These wines are not oaked but are allowed to ferment slowly on yeast lees for about a year to give them their nutty and oaky flavour…Timorasso produces full bodied wine with the aroma of tropical fruits with a little floral undertone. They have the essence of apricots, spices and slight whispers of honey which blend together perfectly to leave a rich taste on the palate.”
“Even if many have not noticed it, we are experiencing the Renaissance of this noble wine, thanks to the stubborn diligence of the Tortonese winemakers, where Timorasso is giving commendable results. The wines are complex, multifaceted, endowed with saline thickness, depth, but also measure and subtle finesse. Over the years they develop incredible tertiary aromas, dried fruit as if it were raining, an absurd floral charm and great herbaceous elegance. [The Bouquet] starts with a juicy fruit based on plums and citrus fruits, with cedar and peels. It is not a fat nose, on the contrary, it is very thin and penetrating. There is no shortage of beeswax, honey, aromatic herbs, abundant flowers and mineral hints of stones and rocks. On the palate, it has good alcohol content, but it is never too full-bodied, thanks to the mineral thickness and good acidity that plays down and makes the wine drinkable and sharp. The sip is liquid joy, limestone and rocks distilled in pure nectar which is supported by a pulpy yellow fruit. Persistence and texture are outstanding, few are the wines so elegant and engaging while maintaining a taut and juicy palate.”
“[Timorasso] can offer astonishing aromatic potentials and is rich in norisoprenoids or fragrances that are already formed in grapes but are expressed in their completeness in white-aged wines. The remarkable structure and acidic stress contributes to enhancing unusual mineral tones in Italian whites.”
“Timorasso is big and commanding, a wine that inclines you to let it linger in your mouth as you discover its character…Timorasso is what I would call an earthy white…”
“imorasso has not only been resurrected; it’s reached star status, having rocketed to the firmament of Piedmont’s age-worthy wines. But unlike the regal reds Barolo and Barbaresco, timorasso is a white. As such, it joins a rare league of white wines that get better with age, an elite club that includes white Burgundy, white Hermitage, Riesling, and Champagne…Bottles labeled Derthona follow a style developed by Walter Massa: cold maceration with stems in concrete tanks, fermentation in stainless steel with native yeasts and no added sulfites, then an extended period on the fine lees with battonage, or stirring of the dead yeast. Massa’s extra year in the cellar before release has also been officially adopted. In short, there’s no oak that gets in the way, there’s a creamy richness from the battonage, and there’s an emphasis on bringing out distinctions in terroir…I recommend that if you do find Derthona in your shop, buy several bottles, uncork one immediately, then put the others away for at least two years.”
“This Italian white wine typically shows medium to deep intensity yellow in the glass with subtle green reflections. Timorasso has an intense and distinctively complex bouquet of aromas. Within the first few years in bottle, Timorasso offers stone fruit aromas of peach and nectarine, along with pear, acacia, and honeysuckle, and an expressive honey note. Beyond four years in bottle, mineral notes become more pronounced. On the palate, Timorasso is known for an exceptional balance of mouthwatering acidity and characteristically high alcohol. Classically, it’s a wine with no rough edges. One that coats the mouth with concentrated flavors through to a memorable finish.”
“Timorasso goes excellently with many types of food. Its citrusy acidity refreshes the palate and the weight it has in the mouth makes it stand up well even with more flavourful foods.”
“In recent years, a group of sensible winemakers has carried on the rediscovery of this vine and brought to light its oenological characteristics, which allow production of wines of great structure and freshness, as a betoken to an interesting tendency to aging and to aging in barrels, often yielding the results of all great quality…The Timorasso grape gives a straw yellow colored wine with golden highlights. The scent is intense and complex, floral and fruity with notes of acacia and hawthorn, peach, honey and tropical fruits. The taste is full-bodied, dry, fresh because of its acidity, with good alcohol content, fine and harmonious.”