Tortona: An unforgettable landscape with unforgettable wines

There are few places in Italy that are as intertwined with the art of wine-making as the Tortona Hills in Piedmont. They run from north to south between the town of Tortona and the port city of Genoa, spanning 30 miles of thriving agriculture and vibrant vineyards. As well as their glorious wines, the region is famous for its chestnuts, truffles, honey and fresh cheeses, such as Montebore, making it the ideal destination for foodies.

Among the rolling hills and hidden villages, you’ll find Timorasso, which produces the white grapes of the same name that are used in the local wine. These grapes are particularly unique when it comes to their flavour profile, and although wine-making in the region dates back to around 120 BC, this variety of grape is somewhat hard to grow and so only became popular around 25 years ago thanks to the efforts of Walter Massa, who found the ideal growing conditions for the variety. Nowadays, the wine from Timorasso has been recognised for its superior quality with the Colli Tortonesi DOC classification.

So what makes this wine so good?

When young, Timorasso has a sweet quality with a stone-fruit yet floral flavour that dances on your pallet – it is reminiscent, in fact, of a Spanish Albariño or light French Viognier. However, what makes Timorasso fabulous is that it gets even better as it ages. After just a few years in the bottle it takes on a depth of flavour that brings clove, vanilla and lightly toasted almonds that almost feels like an Amontillado sherry.

If you fancy something more robust then the Tortona Hills also offer other white grape varieties that are used to make popular wines, such as Croatina, which has well-developed tannins, or Barbera, which has been the focus of wine-makers’ efforts in recent years to improve its flavour notes. Whatever your preference, there’s no denying that the Tortona Hills and the Piedmont region are simply stunning and the city of Turin, which is not far away, offers city chic and Italian culture that can be enjoyed on a wine-themed vacation to Italy.