Vigneti Massa

It’s hard not to get worked up about Walter Massa’s wines: He had a vision for a variety nobody wanted, worked in obscurity for years, rescued the grape, and doesn’t talk about himself but about the territory of Colli Tortonesi. When you get lost going there, start asking people 100 kilometers out; they all know and love him, from the gas station guy to the producer next door.

That’s the opening paragraph teaser from 18 plus years ago. Nowadays, everyone knows Walter Massa and the Colli Tortonesi. He is the most important producer of this now famous appellation, and he continues to produce emotional and world-class fine wines vintage after vintage.

Walter farms 35 hectares in eight distinct vineyard areas. Total production at Massa is about 13,000 cases, of which 5,000 is Timorasso. Massa is most famous for his bianco Timorasso production, and his cru bottlings. That said, don’t sleep on the rough and soulful rossi, especially the Monleale bottling.