Cantina di Terlano Pinot Bianco Riserva "Vorberg" DOC 2020
(Trentino Alto Adige, Italy) - [VM 95] [WE 94]

About the Winery:
Founded in 1893, the Cantina Terlano winery is now one of the leading wine growers’ cooperatives in South Tyrol, with a current membership of 143 growers working a total area of 190 hectares. That is the equivalent of some 1.5 million bottles of wine a year. We and our members have long had a strong focus on quality. That has attracted praise and recognition on the Italian and international wine markets, and in spite of its relatively small size, Cantina Terlano is now well established in the world of wine.

Tasting Notes:
Smell: The multifaceted aroma of this wine derives from a combination of ripe fruit, including honeydew melon, white peach, pear and Golden Delicious apple, together with the aromas of quince jelly, camomile and pineapple, on the one hand, and mineral notes of flint on the other.
Taste: The interplay of fruity aromatic and salty components is repeated on the palate. The compact structure and  elegant creamy elements create a lingering, firmly minerally and spicy character on the aftertaste.

Vinification:                                                                                                           Manual harvest and selection of the grapes; gentle whole cluster pressing and clarification of the must by natural sedimentation; slow fermentation at a controlled temperature in big oak barrels (70 + 30 hl); malolactic fermentation and aging on the lees in traditional wooden barrels for 12 months.

Soils:                                                                                                                          ~The quartz porphyry bedrock is of volcanic origin.                                                ~The light, sandy-loamy soils are the foundation for naturally limited yields.
~The soils have a 55-60% quartz content and a slightly acidic pH.
~The minerally and distinctive wines are highly prized for their outstanding longevity.
Soil samples taken from three different sites have revealed the presence of a subvolcanic body around Terlano, which differs in composition from the classic volcanic rock. The skeletal sandy loamy soils have a high quartz content. The absence of calcium carbonate explains the slightly acid pH values. These factors result in a high permeability to water, a limited nutrient supply and thus balanced growth with naturally limited yields. Exceptional soil conditions influence the terroir of Terlano, where the vines have developed a specific reaction to micro-stress and produce their own terroir-specific polyphenols, which give the Terlano wines their distinctive character. The result is particularly salty wines with great tension and depth. The special mix of crystals and minerals in the Terlano soils produces white wines whose unique longevity never fails to impress the world’s wine gurus.

Winemaker Notes:
"The south-facing slopes of Monzoccolo in the Terlano DOC area are the location of steep and sunny vineyards at altitudes between 450 and 650 meters above sea-level, where a very exciting Pinot Bianco flourishes. This rich and highly complex wine is impressive for its minerality and considerable capacity for development and thus underscores the full potential of this grape variety.”
Rudi Kofler

95 Points - Vinous:
The 2020 Pinot Bianco Riserva Vorberg is total class. A whiff of sweet smoke and dusty stone gives way to ginger and crushed yellow apple nuances. It envelopes the palate with rich, opulent fruits that coast along a balancing core of brisk, mineral-tinged acidity. The Riserva Vorberg finishes long and potent, yet youthfully backward, as the senses ache under its concentration and a salty flourish slowly tapers off. There is a huge potential, but it will take time for the 2020 to come fully into focus. Bury your bottles deep."

94 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"Grown high on the south-facing slopes of Monzoccollo this Pinot Bianco is one of the historic wines of Alto Adige! The warm sun gives this wine aromas of ripe apples, baked lemon and honey. While the cool mountain air provides the wine with cool crisp acidity and lifted floral aromas. The palate shows baked pears with honey, a touch of lemon and pressed wildflowers. The wine finishes with ample acidity showcasing how long this wine can age." Drink Now - 2035+ — Jeff Porter