We Got Timorasso..

SamBilbro just posted on the Idlewild FaceBook page:
IdlewildFaceBook
that he has the first Timorasso growing in Calif. Presumably in his WildRuth Vnyd in the YorkvilleHighlands.
This morning, I just founded TEB (Timorasso Enthusiasts & Believers) and we already have 728 members signed up.
But this is pretty exciting that he has Timorasso growing. The bad news is that it’ll be 3 yrs before we see any Timorasso wine.
If you havent tried any Piemonte Timorasso, you should. The LaColombera is a good one to start with, especially the IlMontino. The WalterMassa is also a great one.
Tom

One big Timorasso fan here as well.

Claudio Mariotto’s higher-tier bottlings, Pomodolce wines and Marina Coppi are definitely worth checking out too.

Yup, Otto…I’ve had the Coppi Timo & it’s quite good as well. As is the Favorita.
Not had the other two, though.
Tom

I am doing a dinner tonight with Elisa Semino from La Colombera. She is the Queen of Timorasso. The lineup:

2017 Cortese Bricco Bartolomeo
2016 Timorasso Derthona
2015 Timorasso Il Montino
2017 Barbera Vegia Rampana

Looks like a good lineup, Gary. The IlMontino is one of my very favorites.
I get mine from Oliver McCrum Imports in Oakland/Berkeley. Don’t know who
your importer back there is.
Tom

Free Run Wine Merchants. Tasted with her in Verona two weeks ago and really liked the wines, so I was happy to do a dinner on the “other” side of Piedmont.

Timorasso, one of the most fragrant and tasty grape variety that most people have never heard of :slight_smile:. The planting of Timorasso at Wild Ruth Ranch is another goal accomplished by Sam for the Idlewild brand. I have little doubt that it will be an outstanding wine in 3-4 years. The 2018 Arneis from Wild Ruth Ranch, the first wine from there, is aromatic and delicious!

Gary, how was that dinner. Nice line up of wines!

Tom

Got some of Gary’s sloppy seconds this morning. Fascinating wines (the Cortese and Barbera were no slouches either). Apparently Elisa and Sam are Timorasso BFFs, and it’s nice at least for VA that Colombera and Idlewilde have the same distribution. I’m sensing a Timorassa taste-off in Richmond some time around 2023…

I just found out from Nicole that RandallGrahm also got a few cuttings of the Timorasso.
Tom

Nice dinner. I will get some notes/photos up in a day or two.

After all the issues with the Nervi photos wanted to make sure that these are lined up.
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The dinner came off very nicely. And Elisa was great. Nice to have her in Richmond and at the Enoteca.

2017 Bricco Bartolomeo Cortese - light clear white shades of yellow/green - flint and citrus nose - crisp acidity and minerals - like a good Gavi without the weight, good match for the antipasti $14 retail

2016 Derthona Timorasso - sourced form several vineyards (5) - slightly more yellow color - aromas that vaguely suggest
Riesling or Vouvrey - bigger mouthfeel than many Italian whites- good crisp white fruit and minerals very and a counter to the knock on Italian wines that are too light -$23 retail

2015 Il Montino Timorasso - Cru fruit - much more Riesling and Chennin character aromas- bigger mouthfeel and moving away from dry, deep rich expressive fruit, minerals, white peach $33 retail

2017 Vegia Rampana Barbera - deep purple color, aromas of warm berry fruit, black fruit flavors with unsweetened rootbeer/cola, herbs, really nice and compelling - $18

Overall a great showing for the wines. And I feel lucky to have contact and connection to such a passionate and dedicated person. Always something new and interesting to discover in Italy. Looking forward to a visit at the estate next year.

I tried to post other photos and it is just not working. So if I can’t solve this I am just not going to post photos.

Thanks Gary, nice notes and looks like it was a fun night. Your notes sum up why I so enjoy Timorasso, it is not a shy grape, most I have had are aromatic, full bodied and rich but with a spine of acidity and minerality that puts everything in balance. Look forward to the continued renaissance of this grape and the resulting wines.

Tom

You are welcome. It is good to have more options for whites from Piedmont. La Colmombera certainly does that with both of these Timorasso wines being excellent. And in different styles and prices. Several producers are moving forward with sparkling wines under the Alta Langhe DOC. And others working on Riesling. Still the one that seems to be on producers minds quite often is Nascetta. Certainly potential in this wine. Profile is a bit quirky, but not sure how much of it they can grow. Going to be interesting and fun to follow.

I was at the dinner and really enjoyed the Timarrassos. They had a salinity I found very appealing. Gary served them with a cold shellfish salad. It was a perfect match.

Gary, thought you might be interested in this. Attended two cool functions at Idlewild this past weekend (Spring Lamb Dinner and Valtellina Sunday School, hopefully notes and photos follow soon). Spoke with Sam and mentioned that Nascetta might be an up and coming grape in the Piedmont Region. Well I learned that Sam has cuttings of Nascetta (and several other lesser known Italian varieties) that his long range plans include planting and producing wine from these initial cuttings!.

His take on finished Nascetta wine was similar to yours. Quirky, with a distinct “smoky” note (NOT SMOKE TAINT) that can be quite enjoyable. He also mentioned that Timorasso remains the one Piedmont white grape variety that has real serious aging potential, 20+ years of development. That is in and fingers crossed will be producing wine in a few years.
Speaking with Sam is always interesting, usually educational that I always appreciate.

Tom

Sam is s nice guy and does good things with a variety of grapes. He might be the most successful producer in Cali to cover a range of Italian grapes and get it right. I have had two dinners with him. And always enjoy
seeing/talking to him when he is in town. Not sure where Timorasso and Nascetta end up in Piedmont much less California. But people seem to be looking for other/new grapes. More well made wines at good prices are a great thing. It is good to have options. And I guess it is possible that I will grow tired of drinking Arneis, just not anytime soon.

Agree, growing tired of drinking Arneis ain’t gonna happen here either [cheers.gif]

Tom

Wish I had a white to start with tonight. We have Christoph Kunzli from Le Piane for a dinner, only reds. We will have to make do.

From the Region, maybe Erbaluce if you have or can get a bottle. Recently had a 2013 Cieck di Caluso “Tradizzone” that was quite good. Would make a good starter for the reds.

Tom