A borderland and strategic crossroads, the Colli Tortonesi captivate with their extraordinary panorama that alternates between steep slopes, covered with oak and chestnut woods, and gentle, sinuous hills that descend to lap the plains. Four different regions join here: Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia Romagna and Liguria. The reference city is Tortona (called Derthona in ancient Rome), located geographically and administratively in the province of Alessandria in Piedmont, but strongly linked to Milan and Lombardy for historical, economic and communication reasons. Definitely a meeting place with millennia of history, saints, warriors, artists, castles and, last but not least, remarkable wines to discover.
The Denomination
The wine-growing area of the Colli Tortonesi DOC denomination is made up of almost fifty municipalities located in the south-eastern part of Piedmont, all of which have a common denominator, namely the geological and climatic predisposition to host high quality viticulture.
Barbera has always been the most widely grown vine in the Colli Tortonesi, but it is Derthona Timorasso the wine that has made the area famous throughout the world, thanks to the foresight and hard work of a few vine growers, above all Walter Massa: a path that began at the end of the 1980s and has exploded to its full potential in the last decade, its constant growth in quality and quantity. In addition to these two grape varieties and wines, we find Cortese, Dolcetto, and Croatina, which give rise to very pleasant and drinkable red wines.
The Monleale sub-zone is the most prestigious expression of the Colli Tortonesi, both because of the very restrictive parameters of the regulations, and because of the great expression that is obtained from the Barbere in this part of the district. The sub-zone Terre di Libarna, on the other hand, lies on the border with Liguria and produces elegant, vertical wines; in the higher areas, excellent grapes suitable for sparkling are obtained. Lastly, in 2020, the new Derthona sub-zone was created for the definitive consecration of Timorasso from a mistreated grape variety that has almost disappeared from the map of Italian viticulture, to the flagship of Piedmont's white wine universe, especially one that has ambitions, more than legitimate, to last and improve over time. If in 2009 there were only 25 hectares of Timorasso, today there are 175, and the wines that will be released from 1 September 2021 will be able to bear the name of the Derthona sub-zone on their labels. Two types will be put on the market: a vintage wine from the first of September of the year following the harvest (minimum 12.5% alcohol content), and a Riserva, from the first of March of the third year following the harvest (minimum 13% alcohol content). With a view to environmental sustainability, the weight of the bottles will also be regulated, not to exceed 600 grams.
Characteristics of the wines
Characteristic of all Colli Tortonesi DOC wines is their marked sapidity, due to the clayey-marly soils, which transfer salts such as lithium to the grapes and consequently to the wine, giving it unique characteristics. The wines obtained, thanks to their particular minerality, have a strong predisposition to ageing, even in the case of whites.
Colli Tortonesi Doc Bianco has a more or less intense straw yellow colour; the nose is pleasant, intense and characteristic; the taste is fresh, dry, sometimes lively. It can also be presented in a sparkling version. Colli Tortonesi Doc Rosso is ruby red in colour, varying in intensity; the bouquet is pleasing and winy; the flavour is dry and harmonious, sometimes lively. It can also be presented in a sparkling version. Colli Tortonesi Doc Novello has a more or less intense ruby red colour; the scent is vinous, persistent and characteristic; the palate is full and slightly tannic. Colli Tortonesi Doc Rosato and Colli Tortonesi Doc Spumante wines have colour, bouquet and taste typical of the vines and terroir involved in the various types.
A territory to be discovered
The Colli Tortonesi, as mentioned, are an area of great scenic beauty, all waiting to be discovered: rural realities, where you can ride on Coppi's roads, walk on 300 km of paths and admire the landscapes painted by Pelizza da Volpedo. Working intensively with this in mind, to propose this bucolic remnant of Italy in a wine tourism key, is the Strada del Vino e dei Sapori dei Colli Tortonesi with its president Walter Massa, who is also a member of the National Coordination and representative of the North West, a large delegation of wineries. ‘I have the honour of representing the Strade del Nord Ovest thanks to the trust placed in us by the Lombardy Federation and the Strade del Piemonte. We are working through the National Coordination to restore centrality to the only entity established by law with the task of promoting the Excellence for which Italy is appreciated all over the world,' explains Walter Massa. "In Tortona we have decided to be protagonists and not spectators in this challenge: we have started an important reorganisation of the Wine and Food Trail of the Tortona Hills."
According to Massa, "farms have always played a fundamental role in the Italian economy and must continue to do so in the future of both production and tourism in the country, also because of their contribution to cultural environmental, hydrogeological and landscape issues. Never before has there been such an urgent need to redesign the dialogue with small farms, which must continue in this work as collectors and must continue to be recognised as having a simplified status in order to be an engine for economic and cultural revival. The objective is to create a movement that is able to finance itself through its own instruments. But above all, the Roads must be recognised as having a frontline role in the interlocution with the Ministry and the Regions, because the Roads can represent the territories as no other organisation would be able to do by virtue of a law establishing them precisely for this role and the experience gained in 20 years of relations and activities".
The Consortium
The Consorzio Tutela Vini Colli Tortonesi, until 1999 called Ente Vini Colli Tortonesi, in 2014 obtained the ‘Erga Omnes’: the Consorzio is therefore the body that represents and protects the interests of Tortona wine growers. In particular, it implements a process to relaunch, valorise and improve the territory, local wine production and spread the Colli Tortonesi denomination of origin. It is also engaged in the coordination of members for the fulfilment of obligations related to the application of the production regulations, and in the protection and supervision of the denomination. There are currently 65 members, including the Cantina Sociale di Tortona, which in turn associates more than 250 producers. The Consortium therefore today represents 98 % of the total grape production in the area.
