Drink with Certa #4: La Colombera Il Montino 2018 | Certa

Timorasso is an old grape variety native to Piedmont. Historically it was the principal grape variety in Colli Totonesi and the nearby Gavi in the south-eastern part of Piedmont. But due to its challenges in the vineyard, Timorasso was later overtaken by the more reliable and productive Cortese (the white grape responsible for the Gavi wine) and faced almost extinction in the 1980s. Thanks to the efforts by a group of dedicated local producers including Walter Massa and La Colombera, Timorasso has been on the right track of reviving. ⁣
⁣
Timorasso 是皮爾蒙特地區的古老原生葡萄品種。歷史上，她曾是皮爾蒙特地區東南部Colli Totonesi和相鄰的Gavi產區的主要葡萄品種。可是由於其比較難種，後來逐漸被更可靠的Cortese葡萄（現用以釀制Gavi葡萄酒）所替代，並在1980年代瀕臨滅絕。全靠一班當地釀酒人（包括Walter Massa 和La Colombera）的不懈努力，Timorasso才得以重生。

Il Montino is a single-vineyard Timorasso produced by La Colombera. The winemaker Elisa Semino has earned the fame as the “Queen of Timorasso” due to her great passion and skill in producing one of the best examples of Timorasso in this area. The Montino vineyard is at an altitude of 250m with pale calcareous clay soils which contribute to the tremendous minerality in this wine. ⁣
⁣⁣
Il Montino是La Colombera酒莊所產的單一園白葡萄酒。釀酒師Elisa Semino享有“Timorasso女王”的美譽，皆因她以熱情和技藝釀造出了在當地首屈一指的Timorasso葡萄酒。Montino葡萄園位於海拔250米，擁有淺色粘土土壤，給與酒款出眾的礦物感。

The wine gives a shining pale gold colour. The nose is pronounced with white flowers, wet stone, yellow peach, apricot and a hint of yeasty note. On palate, it has nice impact with high acidity and flinty minerals balanced by the oily texture with a bit phenolic bite. It is a concentrated and full-bodied wine with depth and layers of flavours. The finish is super long lingering with acacia flower, almond/nuttiness, savoury and saline with some celery and bitter citrus nuances. The wine is already quite expressive and delicious but should have a great potential for aging to develop more complexity including the signature petrol-like note which is not unlike a dry Riesling. ⁣
⁣⁣⁣
此酒呈亮麗的淺金黃色。其香味集中，帶有白花、黃桃、杏、濕石子和一絲酵母的氣味。入口是美妙的味蕾衝擊，此酒油性的質地和一絲酚類口感與高酸度和燧石般的礦物味達成平衡。這是一款酒體飽滿且富有集中度的白葡萄酒，味道深邃且富有層次。餘韻是驚人的長，伴隨著槐花、杏仁/堅果、鮮鹹的味道，外加少許西芹和苦橙的風味。此酒現在雖已好喝，但其陳年能力很強，假以時日更會顯現更多複雜的風味，例如類似幹型雷司令般的汽油礦物味。

Foodwise, it should pair perfectly with Salmon and other fatty fish dishes. The rich and creaminess of wine can also work very well with risotto. The Cantonese Crispy Roast Pork Belly looks another fantastic option as the body and texture of the wine (almost like a red wine in the white clothing) can sustain the weight of the pork without a problem and its brilliant acidity will help to cut through the oiliness of the pork and make it more palatable. A great Timorasso is definitely something that you don’t want to miss. I give you my word!  ⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
食物搭配方面，她與三文魚及其他多脂肪的魚類十分合拍。此酒的豐厚和奶油般的質感和義大利燴飯配合也是一絕。脆皮燒肉也是另一個不錯的選擇，因為此酒可說是擁有白酒的外表，但骨子裡更有紅酒的結構，所以搭配豬肉類菜式也毫無問題，另外，她亮麗的酸度還可以幫助消除豬肉的油膩感，使口感更為清爽。這是一款你是絕對不想錯過的上品Timorasso，我可以保證！