Description

Founded in 1893, Cantina Terlano is one of the leading quality cooperative wine estates in Europe. It is based in the village of Terlano near Bolzano and counts 143 members who together farm 190 hectares of vines. The soils are especially rich in reddish porphyry soils, quartz and other minerals because this area sits inside an ancient volcanic crater.

The estate philosophy was set by the legendary winemaker Sebastian Stocker and is rigorously followed today by current enologist Rudi Kofler and estate director Klaus Gasser.

The estate has designed its own rounded bottle that is affectionately called the “Sebastianina,” named after Mr. Stocker who first designed it. “Protecting our traditional bottle is part of our efforts to safeguard the Terlano brand,” says Klaus Gasser. “Its beauty and shape express the qualities want to transmit to the senses, and the bottle will be used on both the Selection and the Tradition lines from this point on.” 

Although a completely different grape variety, Pinot Bianco or better known here as Pinot Blanc is an excellent and reasonably priced alternative to Chardonnay.

This version from northeastern Italy’s Dolomite Alps along the Austrian border is unoaked. Rather the grapes are slowly fermented at a cool controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks, and then aged on the lees in steel tanks for 6-7 months which contribute to its creamy texture.