Timorasso is a very old grape that is very much the "hot new thing" in Piemonte, especially in the vineyards around Tortona. One of the first to lean in to Timorasso after it was revived by Walter Massa in the 1980s, Elisa Semino has been making "Derthona" (the dialect name for Tortona) for 20+ years.
At its best, Timorasso is kind of a cross between dry Riesling and Chablis, high in acidity, green in fruit, showing white flowers and lots of minerality. This is a great example, serving up honeysuckle, jasmine, orange peel, green peach, lime and stone aromas and flavors. It's almost chewy in texture, with a vivid, wildly complex, finish and excellent sustain.
The dreamy 2020 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo seduces with a classic bouquet of crushed rocks, violets, lavender, hints of blood orange and nuanced strawberry fruits. It envelopes the palate with textural, ripe wild berries that give way to a caking of miner...