The Italians have a tradition of making great wine, like this one, and labeling it with a lowly or, in this case, no appellation, simply “Vino Bianco.” Well, what a white wine this is! Massa is credited with reviving Piedmont’s nearly extinct Timorasso grape, whose home is the Tortona Hills. A group of Timorasso producers trademarked the name Derthona, which was the Roman name for Tortona, to indicate high-quality wine made from Timorasso. Other top producers opt to include the grape name on the label or the DOC Colli Tortonesi on the label, but not Massa. Massa’s striking 2022 combines depth with energy, all accented with a hint of white pepper-like spice. Waves of nuances emerge as it sits in the glass, but nothing ever dominates or overpowers the other elements to take over the wine’s complex appeal. For all its intensity, it doesn’t seem heavy because enlivening acidity keeps it fresh. It has the requisite structure and balance to evolve and develop, but the challenge will be to keep your corkscrew away from it in the near term.
95 Michael Apstein – February 18, 2026