This white grape variety has been cultivated in southern Piedmont since the 15th century. This autochthonous grape variety is native to the hills near the town of Tortona. It has an eventful history and fell victim to the phylloxera epidemic in the 19th century. It was almost completely extinct because the winegrowers had stopped growing it after the plague in favor of higher-yielding grape varieties.
This only changed when an initiative by local winegrowers revived this grape variety. The vine has been cultivated again in the Tortonese hills for only 30 years with growing success. Although the production volume is relatively small, Timorasso is at the top of Piedmontese white wines. This is due to the high quality of the wines.
The typical Timorasso is a dry, full-bodied wine with great balance and fruity, floral and mineral notes. The wines have a high alcohol content and a great aging potential, which is rather unusual for a Piedmontese white wine. Even after 15 years of storage, the Timorasso shows its high quality and impresses with its complexity and structure. It is an excellent accompaniment to antipasto, cheese, fish, seafood, chicken and veal. Older Timorasso vintages also harmonize very well with roast goose.
IIn the vineyard, the grape variety is characterized by strong growth but low yields and requires a lot of attention and care from the winemaker. The berries are medium-sized, very compact and resistant to parasites. Compared to other white wine varieties, they need more time for their optimal maturity because the berries can often have different sizes and degrees of ripeness. That's why the grape harvest usually doesn't take place until early autumn.
In order to emphasize the origin of Timorasso and to obtain its own DOC status, the name Derthona has also been used on the label for several years. Derthona is the ancient name of the town of Tortona, which lies on the edge of the Timorasso region.
