2021 Frecciarossa - Pinot Nero Sillery Bianco

This is the new Romorantin, decidedly not what was generally found a generation ago (which tended to be an acid, austere wine often with oxidative notes). This cuvée has a remarkable nose, akin to high-toned Riesling for some and Loire Chenin for others—a dense wine with layers of flavors reminiscent of apricots and baked apples and other autumn fruits. Bracing, lifted, long, and altogether distinctive. Vines average 35 years of age; the wine is raised in tank on its fine lees and bottled in the spring following harvest, usually before malolactic has a chance to take place.

Timorasso is a very old grape that is very much the "hot new thing" in Piemonte, especially in the vineyards around Tortona. One of the first to lean in to Timorasso after it was revived by Walter Massa in the 1980s, Elisa Semino has been making "Derthona" (the dialect name for Tortona) for 20+ years.

At its best, Timorasso is kind of a cross between dry Riesling and Chablis, high in acidity, green in fruit, showing white flowers and lots of minerality. This is a great example, serving up honeysuckle, jasmine, orange peel, green peach, lime and stone aromas and flavors. It's almost chewy in texture, with a vivid, wildly complex, finish and excellent sustain.