Cantina Terlano Pinot Blanc: Top wines reviewed

Back in mid-1980s while restoring its winery in Alto Adige, Cantina Terlan made a chance discovery of some 18,000-20,000 bottles of wine hidden behind a wall.

Former winemaker Sebastian Stocker had hidden the bottles between 1955 and 1993, convinced that the wines were not receiving the consideration they deserved. Stocker, a farmer remembered for his open mindedness and his expertise in the vineyards of Alto Adige, passed away in 2017.He understood the extraordinary quality of the Vorberg hill and its ability to increase the reputation of Terlan’s wines based on their potential to age. Today the estate boasts reserves of 120,000 bottles from more than 70 different vintages. This is a defining feature for Terlan among Italian wineries and sits alongside its reputation for producing wines of incredible depth and consistency and one of the best Pinot Blancs in the world.

Founded in 1893, the estate is comprised of 145 member-suppliers spanning over 180 hectares, with an average of 0.7 ha per member. Since Terlan approved a merger with Andrian winery back in 2008, the members expanded to 230 in number covering over 260 ha. The two brands function separately, collectively producing 1.5 million bottles per year.

With experience in the cool continental climate of Alto Adige, the ability to receive grapes from several plots, and an undying passion for Champagne, Stocker had a strong desire to produce sparkling wines. The board members never agreed to his project, yet since 1967 the winemaker began to hide away stainless steel tanks to store “reserve wines” on the fine lees with the thought that one day, when the board would change their mind, he would be set for layered and complex sparkling wines.

Not by chance but almost by mistake, Stocker’s aged Pinot Blanc – tasted years later – came out extremely gracefully due to the golden balance between the weight of long ageing on the fine lees and the vibrancy of the steep volcanic hill of Vorberg. Since then, this prolonged winemaking became the ‘Stocker method’, defining the style of Terlano and their signature Rarity wines bottled only after eight years. With this a sophisticated Italian icon wine was born.

The Terlan estates rise around the village of Terlan, mostly around Vorberg, but also around the Kreuth and Winkl hills. The former is a group of steep vineyards with up to 50% gradient at 600 metres above sea level with a south east exposition. Worked only by hand grapes from here fetch seven euros per kilo, as in Champagne.

The soil is a red quartz porphyry with volcanic origin and sandy surface. Vines are up to 60 years old with the oldest trained in Pergola style and the younger vines trained with Guyot. The climate is cool and continental, frequently exposed to extreme weather. The growing season can be very hot and dry, while hailstorms from the north are a threat deterred by netting over the north side of the rows.

One of the main factors in producing such a layered Pinot Blanc is the altitude of Vorberg, where there are extremely high night and day temperature variations. Indeed, this grape suffers warm climate conditions more than Chardonnay considering its acidity.

‘We are used to warm vintages,’ says winemaker Rudi Kofler who is more worried about the autumnal anxiety of rain showers. That said, vintages such as 2008, a crazy season with exaggerated hailstorms, was surprisingly great, while some dry and warm years like 2012 or 2009 are hindered by a slight lack of tension. Overall Vorberg is extremely well suited to show its sophisticated character year after year with great potential.

The blends such as Nova Domus or Terlaner Gran Cuvée are always very consistent, while the Vorberg and Rarity pure Pinot Blanc wines are thrilling.

Aldo Fiordelli’s top Terlano Pinot Blancs

See also: Top Alto Adige wines to try