Walter Massa Timorasso 'Derthona' 2024

Timorasso? No, we had never heard of it before either. Walter Massa is the man responsible for bringing this ancient white grape variety back to life and he deserves a medal for his efforts. It is a creamy, lightly spiced, honeyed, intoxicating glass of wine, which is packed with citrus, floral and apricot fruit flavours. Derthona is the ancient name for the town of Tortona, where the grapes come from. Decant and drink over an hour or so to let it develop.

Walter Massa is slightly eccentric, a little mad, but a genius and the undisputed (And unofficial) King of Barbera. He farms some rather unfashionable grape varieties in the very fashion conscious northern Italian region of Piedmont. This is the home of the great Nebbiolo grape and although Walter farms a little Nebbiolo, his focus is on the hugely underrated red Barbera and white Timorasso grapes. He has worked tirelessly for 40 years to show the potential of the Timorasso grape, of which there are only a few hectares left. He has also been the greatest champion of aged Barbera, refusing to release his wines until he believes they are ready to be drunk.