The Super Natural Wines of Walter Massa
The Super Natural Wines of Walter Massa
Walter Massa has been a favorite winemaker of mine for years. I had the pleasure of meeting him a few months ago while he was visiting New York. We tasted through a few Timorasso, Barbera, and one Croatina. Walter is synonymous with his native Colli Tortonesi, a series of hills around the city of Tortona in Eastern Piemonte near the borders of Lombardia and Liguria. His estate sits in the hilltop town of Monleale, which is also the name he gives to his aged Barbera bottling. Walter says Barbera is specifically native to Monleale, and he takes seriously his responsibility to represent the ageability of the grape. Today we are offering his 2013 and 2015 Colli Tortonesi Barbera Monleale, as well as his younger vine 2024 Barbera Terra Rosso. Barbera is one of my favorite grapes because when young, they’re crunchy with purple fruit and scented with violets and leaves. When they’re older, balsamic and woodsy notes with deeper concentrated fruit expresses.
Walter is widely credited with reviving Timorasso. He told me that Timorasso, also native to Monleale, was nearly extinguished by phylloxera. Two world wars later and replanting of more lucrative grapes like Cortese (for Gavi), we find the grape at the brink of extinction. Thankfully, Walter doesn’t like Cortese, so in the early 2000’s he vinified 1.5 hectares of Timorasso and fell in love with the grape. Now there are about 400 hectares of Timorasso and more plantings every year as winemakers follow in his footsteps. Now, as the grape is becoming more fashionable, we see big name Barolo producers making a Timorasso bottling. I am excited to see this once niche grape in the hands of Barolo masters, with respect to Walter for investing in it long before it was popular!
I love Timorasso for its typical notes of gooseberry, pollen, yellow flowers, beeswax, straw, hazelnut, quince, petrol, lanolin and smoke. Walter coaxes the best out of the grape with lees aging, periodic battongage and no oak in any part of the winemaking. He is also very committed to stelvin closure for his whites, citing more consistent and predictable aging. (The aged reds are under cork) Today I have his 2022 Colli Tortonesi Timorasso Derthona and the very special single vineyard 2022 Colli Tortonesi Timorasso Derthona Montecitorio. Montecitorio is from a cooler, northeast-facing site and produces wines that are leaner, more mineral, and more taut.
Walter tells me there are only about 15 producers making a 100% Croatina. On offer today is his 2013 Colli Tortonesi Croatina Pertichetta. His most muscular wine on release smoothed out by 13 years of age, showing black cherry, tobacco, balsam, plum skins, and autumn leaves and is drinking fantastically!
His formula for producing incredible wine is "Ripe Grapes + Good Sense x Time". He speaks with an emotional connection to his wines, its second nature to him now after working consistently on his land for decades. He says his wines are not natural, rather Super Natural, and I couldn't agree more!
For those of us living in joyfully tiny New York City apartments, we don’t always have space to age wine. Luckily, Massa is aging our wine for us and releasing them when ready to drink. If you do have the space, I recommend cellaring a few bottles of Timorasso which will continue to express deeper aromatics for the next 10-15 years! As the wine world moves towards globalization, I continue to look to Italy to satisfy my craving for niche stories, rare grapes, funky personalities, and delicious wines.
Cheers!
-Marisa Licandro
Now through the weekend, 10% off 6 or more bottles applies automatically at checkout. Please allow until Wednesday 3/25 for pick up or delivery.
Vigneti Massa 2022 Colli Tortonesi Timorasso Derthona
Walter Massa's flagship Timorasso. One year on the lees in stainless steel tank with periodic batonnage. Quince, warm spice, almond, petrol, honied minerality, and medium bodied.
$43.99
Vigneti Massa 2022 Colli Tortonesi Timorasso Derthona Montecitorio
Walter says the vinification is the same as the Timorasso Derthona and "the only difference is the sun and the soil". Montecitorio is a single vineyard which is cooler, northeast-facing and produces wines that are leaner, more mineral, and more taut....
$112.99
Vigneti Massa 2024 Colli Tortonesi Terra Rosso
A fresh and friendly young vine Barbera from Walter Massa. Crunchy strawberry, blueberry, and spice! Would be fun to taste next to one of his aged 'Monleale' Barbera to see how expansive the grape can be.
$24.99
Vigneti Massa 2013 Colli Tortonesi Croatina Pertichetta
From several Croatina plots around the village of Monleale and clay and some calcerous soils. Native yeasts fermentation with aging in inert containers and then large casks for about two years. No filtration. Walter Massa'a most muscular wine on release smoothed...
$52.99
Vigneti Massa 2013 Colli Tortonesi Barbera Monleale
From several old-vine Barbera plots around the village of Monleale with calcerous and clay soils. Native yeasts fermentation and aging in used barriques for about two years and at least an additional year in bottle. No filtration. A structured and contemplative...
$54.99
Vigneti Massa 2015 Colli Tortonesi Barbera Monleale
From several old-vine Barbera plots around the village of Monleale with calcerous and clay soils. Native yeasts fermentation and aging in used barriques for about two years and at least an additional year in bottle. No filtration. A structured and contemplative...
$52.99
