Bricco San Michele is a vineyard near the municipality of Sarezzano. Facing southeast, it is the youngest vineyard where the soils are made of limestone and clay. The vines enjoy a favourable microclimate being close to the Apennines, overlooking the Po Valley, and there is also influence from the proximity of the sea, just 60km away.

The growers are focused on, what they call, 'common sense agriculture'. They cultivate the vineyard without the use of pesticides, with pruning and defoliation that respects the vine and the local environment.

At the beginning of the 90s, Claudio Mariotto, together with a few other local winemakers, believed in the native Timorasso grape, which had been almost abandoned. They strived to keep it growing in the region, and this dedication to the grape led to the production of a great “Piedmontese” style white wine that's suitable for ageing.

Piedmont, located in northwest Italy at the foothills of the Alps, is one of the country’s most prestigious and renowned wine regions. Known for its rolling hills, diverse microclimates, and rich soils, Piedmont offers ideal conditions for growing some of Italy’s most celebrated grape varieties. The region experiences a continental climate with cold winters and warm summers, moderated by the nearby Alps and the Tanaro River, which helps reduce frost risk and provides humidity essential for certain grape-growing practices.

Piedmont’s key grape varietals include Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto for reds, and Moscato Bianco and Cortese for whites. Nebbiolo, the star grape, is famous for producing powerful and complex wines such as Barolo and Barbaresco, characterised by firm tannins, high acidity, and aromas of cherry, tar, and roses. Barbera offers softer, fruit-forward wines with vibrant acidity, while Dolcetto is known for its approachable, juicy style. Moscato Bianco, used in the production of the sparkling Asti, provides aromatic, sweet wines, and Cortese is the grape behind the crisp, floral Gavi wines.

Viticultural challenges in Piedmont include late spring frosts, which can damage young buds, and the risk of hail, especially during summer storms. The region’s steep vineyard slopes also make mechanisation difficult, necessitating labour-intensive cultivation. Despite these challenges, Piedmont continues to produce world-class wines prized for their elegance and ageing potential.

Timorasso is a rare, indigenous white from Piedmont, with its heart in the Colli Tortonesi around Tortona (often bottled as “Derthona”). Almost lost after phylloxera, it was revived from the late 1980s—most notably by Walter Massa—and today is again a regional flag-bearer, prized for depth, texture and longevity. Plantings remain modest and largely confined to north-west Italy, making it a genuine local speciality.

In the vineyard, Timorasso is demanding. It is late-ripening, low-yielding and prone to irregular fruit set; growers contend with coulure, millerandage and susceptibility to rot if ventilation is poor. Berries are small and thin-skinned, yet the variety retains firm natural acidity and ample phenolics—one reason it delivers structure and ages well. Careful canopy management, low crops and well-drained, sun-exposed sites are essential for even ripening and healthy fruit.

Stylistically, Timorasso is no lightweight. Young wines are concentrated and mineral, typically showing citrus, green apple and stone-fruit tones with floral lift; with time on lees—or discreet oak—they gain mid-palate weight and a waxy, textural feel. As they mature, complex notes of almond, dried fruit, honey and a saline, stony finish emerge, underpinned by fresh acidity and moderate alcohol—attributes that give serious ageing potential. Winemaking ranges from stainless-steel precision to more layered, barrel-influenced expressions; both aim to showcase the grape’s savoury depth and volcanic-chalky terroir signatures of the Tortona hills.