Around his home town of Monleale in southwest Piedmont’s Colli Tortonesi subzone, Walter Massa is referred to, often in hushed tones, as ‘the prophet.’ The underlying resonance here has nothing to do with any mystical theological tidings, nor connections to a higher power, but more so a reference to the man’s singular perseverance that saw him all but single-handedly retrieve the now celebrated Timorasso grape from the brink of obscurity and thrust it back into the realms of Italian grapes worthing giving a darn about. A genuine contadino (farmer) at heart, with deep familial roots in his native Colli Tortonesi, Massa can usually be found plowing his vineyards or buzzing around his cellar when someone arrives for a visit. He’ll then stop to spend hours showing you around, pouring wines for anyone with a glass in hand, and talking with the continual waves of journalists, sommeliers, importers, buyers, and just plain fans who make their way to his village to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the ‘Maestro of Timorasso.’
Today, Massa’s beloved white variety is finding broader traction in the international wine trade, at least among savvy wine professionals, not only for its distinction, complexity and ability to age, but most importantly for its ability to accurately transmit a sense of place. Massa’s single-site ‘Montecitorio’ bottling (along with its two siblings in Sterpi and Costa del Vento) offers drinkers a window to the true zenith of this grape’s potential. Drawn from a cooler, east facing site of marl and chalk, the Montecitorio captures an Ali-esque paradoxy: floating like a butterfly (baroque yellow fruits, pollen-forward aromatics, and honeyed minerality) and stinging like a bee (with spades of well-integrated, high-tensile acidity.) A perfect side-step for lovers of white Burgundy, or more textured Chenin Blanc or dry Riesling, the Montecitorio offers ripe apricot, beeswax, and Tupelo honey, pocked with dried rosemary, white balsamic, and honeysuckle. A wine that will easily go the distance over the next decade should you have the patience to discover the joys of Timorasso with some age, though feel free to decant vigorously and enjoy at cellar temp in its youth. Drink now through 2033.