Cascina La Zerba is a producer based in Volpedo in the Tortona Hills (Colli Tortonesi) of southeastern Piedmont, working with the indigenous Timorasso grape variety that has become one of Italy's most talked-about white wines over the past two decades. Timorasso is a white grape variety native to the Tortona Hills that was on the verge of extinction before Piedmontese winemakers, led by Walter Massa in the 1980s and 1990s, recognised its extraordinary potential for producing structured, long-lived white wines of genuine character.

The 2019 growing season in Piedmont was warm and dry, producing wines of exceptional concentration and aromatic complexity. For Timorasso in the Tortona Hills, the variety's natural high acidity and mineral character were supported by the vintage's ripe fruit, creating wines of the combination of richness and freshness that makes the best Colli Tortonesi Timorasso capable of ageing for a decade or more. The Tortona Hills' distinctive volcanic and clay-limestone soils transmit a specific mineral salinity to the wines that is entirely different from the calcareous soils of Barolo and Barbaresco.

Timorasso has attracted increasing international attention as critics and collectors drawn to indigenous Italian varieties sought out the unique expression of the Tortona Hills. Described by some commentators as the 'white Burgundy of Piedmont' for its combination of textural richness and mineral precision, the variety's best wines have earned comparison with premier cru white Burgundy in quality and longevity while maintaining an entirely distinct Italian personality.

Drink from 2024 to 2032. Pair with grilled turbot, creamy mushroom risotto, agnolotti or aged Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve at 13 to 14 degrees Celsius to allow the wine's full aromatic complexity to emerge.

Deep gold with green tints. The nose is complex and distinctive, offering peach, pear, white blossom, mineral saline notes and a characteristic hazelnut quality from the volcanic soils. The palate is medium to full-bodied with a waxy, textured mid-palate, vibrant acidity and a long, saline and mineral finish. A serious and structured white with years of development ahead.