Cascina San Leto Ricci 'Io Cammino da Solo' Timorasso (100-day anfora maceration) 2019 750ML
Variety: Timorasso
Vineyards: Hand harvested from Cascina San Leto’s oldest Timorasso vines planted in 1989 and 1992; South, Southeast facing, 290 meters a.s.l., Tortonian marl
Vinification: Spontaneous fermentation with indigenous easts in underground anfora; macerates on lees for 100 days. 12 months settling in untoasted chestnut botti and an additional year in bottle. Bottled without fining or filtering.
Tasting Notes: A dense and intense orange wine, with a savoury finish, spicy texture and light tannin. Ocean spray, candied kumquat, citrus, ginger, saffron, thyme, and Mediterranean scrub.
Deep in Piedmont’s stunning Colli Tortonesi hills, Daniele Ricci has been making unforgettable natural wines from local grapes, most notably the once almost forgotten white variety Timorasso, since the late 90’s when he took over the small family estate. Having married the naturalist ethos, he converted his 8 hectares to organic farming (although he goes way beyond that obviously), while in the cellar he works exclusively with wild fermentations and nothing added nor taken away. None of Ricci’s wines are filtered nor fined and contain very little sulphur. Daniele is quietly confident in this “less is more” philosophy and his son Mattia seems equally reassured about the future and sustainability of their azienda. Often quite extended skin contact for the whites infuses them with depth of emotion and complexity, as is the case with Daniele’s beautifully successful experimentation with local wood such as chestnut and acacia and guided oxidation.