Rèis

Colli Tortonesi, Piedmont

Simone Revello first told us about his new project, Rèis, in late 2019. At the time, he and his friends had just pressed off the first juice from their first harvest and were unsure if it would be bottled and commercially sold at all, so small was the scale of it.

Rèis is the brainchild of six native Piemontese friends (they’ve known each other since high school) with a love for making wines from their mother land. As the youngest generation in long lineages of grape growers and winemakers, they wanted to nod to their region’s history by unearthing Timorasso’s full potential. Today, they purchase grapes from two sisters who tend small vineyards in Berzano organically. The wine is vinified in a similar fashion at Tenuta Il Nespolo.

This venture is a testament to the friendship as well as the potential of the Timorasso from Colli Tortonesi. After a two-year mandatory bottle ageing period, we’re pleased to get yet another small allocation of this rarity. 

After a two-year mandatory bottle ageing period, they’re keeping us captivated with a small allocation of this rarity. 

Timorasso

Once forgotten, Timorasso is one of Piedmont’s best kept secrets and we’re here to share it profusely. Simone Revello and some of his industry companions decided to give it the attention it so deserves with the first release of Reis in 2019. As for many of the most interesting indigenous Italian white varieties, Timorasso has been hiding in plain sight, right in Colli Tortonesi. Its rebirth has crystalised winemakers’ and drinkers’ passion for the terroir of the grape’s heartland.

Often likened to dry Riesling for its racy acidity, Timorasso is weightier and has a higher alcohol content. In essence, it’s evocative of dry, concentrated Chenin Blancs from Savenières. Add to that a chalky minerality, which puts it in the same category as Chablis. What’s not to like? What’s more, it ages incredibly well, unlike many Italian white varieties. Its stern demeanour when young morphs into a generous complexity with time. These are what, in our opinion, make a wine of exception, worthy of the most audacious food pairings and sure to create quite the memorable drinking and dining experiences. 

We’re proud to champion it here in Australia. While Piedmont’s red varieties have enjoyed most of the limelight, regional winemakers like Simone and his compares have found an awe-inspiring white counterpart in Timorasso. No longer experimental, it has become the worldly wine drinkers’ go-to style. A must have on your list.