Between game and surprise, Derthona women

Among the beautiful things about the world of wine is the chance to discover unusual and ingenious pairings, as in this case where La Colombera wines were paired with delicacies by chef Anna Ghisolfi: same territory, identity and creativity.

The opportunity is tempting, to taste the wines of one of the women of Timorasso, Elisa Semino of La Colombera, paired with the explosive cuisine of a great chef from Tortona, Anna Ghisolfi. We are in Piedmont, or rather no, we are in Milan, on the city's most Chinese street, Via Paolo Sarpi. But Piedmont is on stage. The southeastern one from the province of Alessandria, the white one, where along with Cortese, the prince grape is her majesty Timorasso. A grape now on the crest of the wave but forgotten for a long time and restored to glory thanks to the visionary Walter Massa, who rediscovered and enhanced it with tenacity and intelligence.

Among the best expressions of Timorasso, along with Massa, Mariotto and Boveri, is definitely Elisa Semino's La Colombera. Its story began in 1997 when, precisely under the advice of Walter Massa, she decided to plant Timorasso. The winery is certainly among the first to believe in the appeal of this native grape variety, which in its DNA expresses rieslingheggian traits - the hydrocarbon note with aging is sharp and elegant - along with a more Mediterranean alcoholic fullness that makes it a uniquely fascinating wine.

The tasting includes the tasting of three Timorasso labels to which is flanked, just to open the dances, by a very pleasant and characteristic Malvasia Moscata, Alice, also indigenous to the Piedmont area, with a persuasive and aromatic nose but exuberant just the right amount. A delicate and elegant opening, accompanied by chef Anna Ghisolfi's first mignon creations. Another icon of Tortona, where she has her restaurant, in a unique and special setting, a deconsecrated church in which the kitchen is on view and Anna the priestess of the temple. A woman apparently reserved and distant, as soon as she is questioned about her creations, she changes her face completely, revealing, along with technique and creativity, an exceptional and overwhelming passion. Thus Alice is joined by crackling tastings such as Grapefruit and Campari bon bons, Turnip on Turnip, Pear Bread and Montebore, a Slow Food Presidium cheese from the Tortona area.

And the list of tasting delicacies continues at a drumbeat with the other wines in the tasting as well. Here only a parade of names worth the trip to Tortona: Chestnuts in soup, A game of onion, Savoy cabbage truffle, Breaded egg, celeriac and truffle, Hazelnut pumpkin rice and raisin drops (impossible not to encore), Chickpea, carrot and curry raviolini, Montebore turnip pear and coffee ice cream.

And then there is him, the Timorasso. In three versions, starting with a preview of the newly released Derthona, which reveals a warm vintage but ready to drink right away with its enveloping fatness. And then two versions of the cru from the Montino vineyard, at 250 meters above sea level, which represents the pinnacle of La Colombera's production. A younger vintage and a lesser one to see the progression over time and especially the evolutionary capacity of this captivating Piedmontese varietal.

• La Colombera, Colli Tortonesi Timorasso Derthona 2021
• La Colombera, Colli Tortonesi Timorasso Il Montino 2020  
• La Colombera, Colli Tortonesi Timorasso Il Montino 2015 

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