Producer

Terlano

I have reviewed three wines from Terlano, from the 2022 to 2023 vintages, all from Alto Adige. Most are Pinot Bianco. Scores range from 94 to 98, averaging 95; the highest is the 2022 Cantina Terlano “Vorberg” Pinot Bianco Riserva Alto Adige (98 points).

Cantina Terlano, founded in 1893 near Bolzano, is not just a cooperative; it is a legend. Its vineyards grow at high elevations on volcanic quartz porphyry, which drains well and gives a distinctive minerality, and its vinotheque of white wines reaching back to the 1950s shows how extraordinarily long-lived its terroir is. Terlano works to quality standards stricter than most private estates.

Vorberg, the Pinot Bianco Riserva, is its icon and one of Alto Adige’s most celebrated whites. It comes from the steep, south-facing slopes of Monte Vorberg between 450 and 950 metres, where strong temperature swings and a long, cool season give precision and depth, and it ages in large oak casks, gaining richness while keeping its freshness. It rewards ten years in the cellar.

The classic Pinot Bianco, made in stainless steel, is an energetic introduction to the grape, with pear, golden apple, white flowers, almond and wet slate. The Pinot Grigio is a structured, mineral interpretation, far from mass-market versions, with green apple, lemon peel, mountain herbs and a clean saline finish.