In Terlano, where the winemaking tradition dates back more than 2,000 years, mild, Mediterranean type microclimatic conditions impart unique characteristics to the wines. Located in Alto Adige’s Dolomite Mountains, in the foothills of the Alps, Terlano’s distinctive location and extraordinary terroir are the key to the development of these stunning wines. Situated in a sheltered hollow, Terlano benefits from an ideal south facing exposure. There, vineyard slopes ranging from 820–3,000 feet A.S.L. provide perfect conditions to cultivate their many indigenous grapes. Vineyards composed of red porphyric rocks with high mineral content accumulate and retain the day’s warmth, while the porous soil allows the water to drain, keeping the soil dry around the roots of the vines. To insure the highest standards of quality, Terlano compensates their growers for the quality of their grapes, not the quantity. And in the vineyards, emphasis has been placed on reducing yield in favor of producing more concentrated fruit. These factors combined with the cool evening temperatures contribute to the wines’ enhanced quality.

Wine Spectator’s James Suckling writes, “To say that an Italian cooperative winery produces some of the best white wines in its region, if not the whole of the country, may raise an eyebrow or two. But having recently blind-tasted the white wines of Cantina Terlano, from the Alto Adige region in Italy’s northeast, I have no doubt that this is the case.”

http://www.kellerei-terlan.com