Claudio Mariotto Derthona Timorasso 2023

Claudio Mariotto Derthona Timorasso 2023

Claudio Mariotto
$29.00

Grape: Timorasso
Vintage: 2023
Type: White

This dry white wine highlights a low-intervention revival of the rare native timorasso grape within the Colli Tortonesi region of Piedmont. Winemaker Claudio Mariotto utilizes sustainable viticulture on calcareous clay slopes to foster natural structural density. The hand-harvested fruit undergoes a soft, slow pressing followed by a spontaneous, temperature-controlled fermentation driven by native wild yeasts. It ages for one full year on its noble lees in stainless steel tanks, avoiding oak to protect site clarity.

It pours a bright straw-yellow color, opening with intense aromatics of ripe yellow orchard fruit, dried chamomile, and a distinct flinty undercurrent. On the palate, the full-bodied frame is savory and physical, balancing structural volume with a clean line of acidity. Complex flavors of green apple and citrus rind wrap around a textured mouthfeel. The extended lees contact coordinates smoothly with an emerging mineral baseline. It finishes long, dry, and clean, leaving a persistent impression.

Claudio Mariotto is a highly respected, multi-generational family winery located in the Colli Tortonesi area of southeastern Piedmont, Italy, in the hills surrounding the town of Tortona. Founded in the 1920s, the estate is primarily dedicated to the renaissance and mastery of the native white grape **Timorasso**, which was nearly extinct but is now recognized for its capacity to produce rich, complex, and age-worthy white wines.

Claudio Mariotto is considered a benchmark producer of Timorasso, with a winemaking philosophy rooted in deep respect for the territory and its indigenous varieties, including local reds like Barbera, Freisa, and Croatina. The vineyards, situated on clay and limestone marl soils, are managed with a "common sense" or sustainable approach. The flagship Timorasso wines, such as *Derthona*, *Cavallina*, and *Pitasso*, are typically fermented spontaneously and aged on the lees in stainless steel to showcase the grape's unique mineral, herbal, and powerfully structured character. The winery is credited with bringing significant fame and quality recognition to the white wines of this corner of Piedmont.