✒ Kellerei Cantina Terlan Tasting

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Kellerei Cantina Terlan Tasting, 21st November 2024.

by Sarah Kemp

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It is not at all usual to go to Bordeaux for an Italian white wine tasting, so it was one of the more offbeat invitations I have received in my career.  I was intrigued, however, by the rare opportunity on offer: To taste a vertical of Kellerei Cantina Terlan (Cantina Terlano in Italian) wines going back to 1955, and to discover whether this renowned Italian white wine aged as beautifully as a great red. The tasting took place at Chateau Lascombes, where Axel Heinz has returned from Ornellaia to take charge of the 2nd growth Bordeaux château, under the new ownership of Gaylon Lawrence, of Lawrence Wine Estates, which own Heitz Cellars.

Axel is an old friend of Cantina Terlan director Klaus Gasser and winemaker Rudi Kofler, who believe that their white wines can age in a similar way to the greatest of red wines, and so he offered to put this to the test in the tasting room of this 2nd growth Bordeaux château on a very wet, windy day last November.

Situated in South Tyrol, close to the Austrian border, Cantina Terlan is one of Italy’s great white wines, today found mainly on the world’s top restaurant wine lists and in a few select independent wine merchants. It’s a winemaking co-operative, founded in 1893, and today comprises of 143 members, each with a small parcel of vine rows that totals 190 hectares. The vines range in altitude from 200 to 900 metres above sea level. The quartz porphyry bedrock is of volcanic origin, and the light, sandy-loam soils have a high quartz content. The hallmark of the wines is a distinctive saline character, and its legendary ability to age.

Terlano’s three traditional varieties are Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The largest proportion of the blend is Pinot Blanc. Winemaker Rudi Kofler started here in 1999, and in 2002 took over the production; that year, he returned to the old style of using large oak casks. Yeast contact is very important, he told us, with 18 months yeast contact before bottling.

As the November wind blew hard outside the tasting room at Chateau Lascombes, I reflected on the narrow idea we have of varieties that are age-worthy and, possibly sometimes, the belief that a wine made by a co-operative cannot be as fine as one made by a domaine. I discovered immediately that Cantina Terlan proves this wrong. The Terlan co-operative could best be described as a group of small growers whose aim is world-class quality not quantity.

Pinot Blanc, the main component of the Cantina Terlan blend, showed without doubt that in the right place it can produce wines of exquisite complexity and age-ability. What was consistent in all the wines was a distinct sense of place, a clear identity, so was I convinced they could age as well as a great Bordeaux red? A definitive yes.

Sarah Kemp.

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Wine Notes:-

Terlaner Nova Domus Riserva 2021
The Riservas are released after 2 years in bottle, and the 2021 vintage is a blend of 70% Pinot Bianco, 25% Chardonnay, 5% Sauvignon Blanc. Light gold, enticing floral nose jumping out of the glass, reminiscent of summer mountain meadows, On the palate, tight, brightly vibrant lime and citric fruit, very young, core deep, racy with acidity piercing through, needs time, saline finish, very poised but masses to give in the future. 14% abv.

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Terlaner Nova Domus Riserva 2013
The 2013 vintage is a blend of 60% Pinot Blanc, 25% Chardonnay 5% Sauvignon Blanc. Luminous golden colour, summer hay on nose, complex deep core of harmonious white fruit, lots of minerality but roundness and generosity here, lyrical, with saline lick through it, very textured, powerful richness but so moreish and savoury, rising with every sip, masses of energy and still young and very vibrant. Long and persistent power on finish. 14.5% abv.

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Terlaner Nova Domus Riserva 2003
Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

A hot and dry summer produced one of the smallest harvests of the last few decades and picking took place two weeks earlier than usual. The fermentation took place half in barriques and half in tonneaux. The wine is deep gold in colour, richness on nose, fully evolved, stone fruit, slight hints of butterscotch, textured, the signature saline grip, but heat of vintage showing with flatter profile on finish. 14% abv.

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Terlaner Nova Domus 1998
Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

The 1998 vintage was a cool vintage which was difficult to sell when it was first released due to its pronounced acidity. Bottled in 2000, the wine has now found its balance. Deep luminous gold, mandarin orange rind on nose, powerful expression of orange peel, lime, with beautiful texture, that saline lick again present, a harmonious blend of fruit and acidity very direct, full and driven, still acidity driving through, with a tightness on the finish. 13.5% abv.

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Rarity – Cantina Terlan only releases Rarity in outstanding vintages. After a year ageing in wooden barrels, the wine is transferred into small steel tanks where it is left to age for another 10 to 30 years. Only when the winemaker believes the wine is ready to be enjoyed at its fullest is it released.

Terlaner Rarity 2008
Pinot Blanc 85%, Chardonnay 10%, Sauvignon Blanc 5%

Whole-cluster pressing, slow fermentation at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks with malolactic fermentation and ageing on lees in big wooden barrels for 12 months. Further ageing on lees in steel tanks without filtering or fining for 11 years. A beautifully balanced wine, full core of vibrant citric fruit, creamy, freshness, so loads of minerality dancing across the palate. Terrific. 13.5% abv.

Terlaner Rarity 1991
Pinot Blanc 60%, Chardonnay 30%, Sauvignon Blanc 10%

The grapes were crushed in a 30-minute programme on an old horizontal Vaslin press. After fermentation and 10 months spent on full lees in a 2,500 litre barrel, the wine was left to mature on fine lees in a 2,500 metre steel tank for a further 24 years. Mid-gold in colour, orange peel and hay on the nose, very enticing, very serious, so complex, stone fruit, greengages, hints of coconut. Firm texture with lots of minerals appearing as the wine develops. Very balanced and with a delicious, persistent finish. Mesmerising. 13% abv.

Terlaner Weißurgunder Rarity 1979

This vintage is 100% Pinot Blanc and was bottled in 1991. Slow fermentation in stainless-steel tanks with malolactic fermentation, then aged on lees in big wooden barrels for 12 months with further aging on lees in steel tanks without filtering or fining. Orange-gold in colour, wet hay on nose reminiscent of a clean stable. This wine is so youthful! Rich orange with hints of caramel on the nose, very fresh, complex, deep taut core of firm autumn fruit, very emotional wine, so fluid and lyrical, beautiful fluid movement in the wine which just comes back and back with waves on the palate exposing deeper layers, fresh truffle, that signature mineral lick, and keeps its strength straight to the long finish A magnificent wine. 13.2% abv.

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Terlaner 1966
Fermented in 25-hectolitre big oak barrels, the vintage blend is Pinot Blanc 70%, Chardonnay 30%, with malolactic fermentation and ageing on lees in traditional wooden barrels for 8 months. Burnished gold in colour, extraordinary explosion of fruit, glorious bramble apple, then hints of mandarin orange and lime, so ripe and full-bodied, very complex. Incredibly fresh and alive with complex layers of firm autumnal fruit and citric overtones, just goes on like an army on a march, salty, saline finish. Outstanding. 13.7% abv.

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Terlaner 1955
The 1955 vintage was considered outstanding in the Alto Adige, and the Terlaner 1955 confirms that opinion. It’s 70% Pinot Blanc and 30% Chardonnay. Deep rosy- bronze colour. Slowly fermented in 25 hectolitre big oak barrels, malolactic fermentation and ageing on lees, in traditional wooden barrels for 8 months, the wine was bottled in 1956. A highly evolved nose of gently bruised apple, the wine is fully alive with acidity quite present but totally in balance, with autumnal fruit, that lime again and deep, deep core of evolving layers of firm fruit and that signature lick of saline which just invites you to drink more. High-voltage energy. Will last forever, extraordinary. 12.9% abv.

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Terlaner Primo Grande Cuvée 2013
The Terlander Primo Grande Cuvée is only produced int the best vintages and vinified in a very limited edition. The blend changes depending on the vintage but is combination of Terlaner’s most representative varieties, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Only 3,000 bottles were made, the blend is 90% Pinot Blanc, 7% Chardonnay and 3% Sauvignon Blanc. Fermentation in big oak 30-hectolitre casks, malolactic fermentation and ageing on lees for 12 months in big wooden barrels. Mid-gold, bright zesty nose, round richness of the Chardonnay showing with a huge kick of zest followed by layers of minerals on finish. Racy and powerful, like a high-speed Ferrari. 14.5% abv.

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Terlaner Primo Grande Cuvée 2019
The blend is 70% Pinot Blanc, 28% Chardonnay, 2% Sauvignon Blanc. Slow fermentation in 12-hectolitre oak casks, malolactic fermentation and ageing on lees for 12 months in big wooden barrels. Mid-gold, fresh straw on nose, very intense core with massive depth of citric fruit, extremely racy, needs time to settle down, unless you like going round hair-pin bends at full speed. 14% abv.

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Terlaner Primo Grande Cuvée 2021
The 2021 vintage was smaller than usual in volume The blend is 65% Pinot Blanc, 33% Chardonnay, 2% Sauvignon Blanc. Bright light gold, first impression is of the evidence of that saline lick, lots of power and structure here, spice, masses of intense citric fruit, expressive and rich with a long finish. 14% abv.

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Further information:-

Cantina Terlan

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