2023 Timorasso Derthona, Cascina Penna-Currado

This is a “serious” white wine albeit with the lightness of touch and sheer drinkability that characterise Penna-Currado’s output. Luca and Elena show it after the reds à la bourguigon, and its combination of texture and saline freshness make it a wonderful way to conclude any tasting. Timorasso in an ancient varietal, indigenous to the Colli Tortonesi (100k east of Barolo), that’s really having a moment now. Some examples we’ve tasted have been flabby and overworked in the bid for complexity, with high alcohol, but the inaugural 2023 from Penna-Currado weighs in at a modest 12.5%. The nose is already complex, with camomile, white fruit, lime and almond notes – aromatically, Timorasso is sometimes likened to Riesling. The palate is medium-bodied, with alpine acidity and an appetising touch of phenolic grip from a spell on the grape skins beneath a submerged cap. This is a wine with impeccable balance, and can therefore be enjoyed immediately, but it will be fascinating to chart its development over the next five years and beyond.

Drink 2025-2030