Redefining Greatness in Alto Adige: The Best Pinot Bianco in the World?

Although Cantina Terlano's Terlaner I could easily be called the best pinot bianco in the world. such a statement oversimplifies this exceptional Alto Adige wine, which recently took center stage at Enrico Barolini al Mudec, Milan's three-Michelin-starred restaurant, in a six-vintage vertical tasting.

Pinot bianco always takes the lead in the Terlaner I, comprising no less than 65 percent in any vintage, but it shares the spotlight with chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. However, while Alto Adige is renowned for its diverse grape varieties, the Terlaner I is ultimately a terroir-driven wine where the grapes act as a pure expression of the land.

The legend of the Terlaner I, which reached its zenith last year with a perfect 100-point score from JamesSuckling.com for the 2021 vintage, is built on a relentless pursuit of excellence by Cantina Terlano, a cooperative winery of 143 producers in Alto Adige, in northeastern Italy near the border with Austria. This includes meticulous attention to soil, aging, viticulture, and the innovative "Stocker method" – the practice of extended lees aging for white wines in steel tanks.

The winery's 193 hectares of vineyards are situated at the foot of the Dolomites, at elevations between 550 and 600 meters. This altitude is crucial, as it extends the growing season and enhances the grape concentration, giving the wine both depth and complexity.

While Alto Adige is often associated with cool-climate winemaking because of its location in northern Italy, the stark contrast between the plains and mountains is striking. At these elevations, the soil is a pure silica, volcanic in origin, and notably low in nutrients, which imparts the wine's unique, almost sulfurous minerality.

The age of the vines, ranging from 50 to 70 years, is another key element. This is unusual in the region and across much of Italy, where vineyards were often replanted between the 1970s and 1990s. The remarkable depth and weight of the Terlaner I can be traced directly to these old vines.

The traditional pergola training system is used, which helps preserve the wine's acidity better than modern approaches like the Guyot method. A key element in the winemaking process is the thinning of the clusters just before veraison. "By using only the upper half of the cluster," explained Terlano winemaker Rudi Kofler, "we achieve greater complexity."

As for the blend – pinot bianco, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc – the latter plays a minimal yet crucial role. "It's like salt on meat," Kofler said. "Today, we use it at just two to three percent, focusing on quality rather than aromatics." In vintages like 2016, sauvignon blanc made up as much as 23 percent

Although Cantina Terlano is renowned for pioneering the Stocker method, it aspires to even greater heights when making its Terlaner I, with aging in 12-hectoliter oak barrels accompanied by full malolactic fermentation while maintaining remarkable tension. The wine is only released after years of maturation – approaching the aging practices typically reserved for fine red wines.

The tasting showcased the 2022 vintage, a year marked by both heat and drought. These conditions are reflected in the wine, which is more phenolic and textured than usual, yet equally complex. As Cantina Terlano's managing director, Klaus Gasser described it, the 2022 vintage showcases “the essence of terroir” – energetic and more gastronomic than previous releases, with a pronounced salinity.

Retasting the 2021 was reassuring. It remains as compelling as ever, and maintained its 100-point score. A year later, it still dazzles with a complexity reminiscent of Corton-Charlemagne: white peach peel, yellow grapefruit, white pepper and subtle smoky tones. It's full-bodied yet crisp, vibrant, and zesty, with a long, tightly-knit structure.

Among the other standout vintages, the 2016 showed remarkable harmony, though it was the only one to hint at evolution. The 2018, despite the challenges of hail, retained its precision and tension, though softened slightly on the finish. The 2019 was refined and saline, one of the freshest of the lineup, while the 2020 exhibited richness and generosity, though it didn’t quite reach the heights of the 2021.

In piecing together the intricate puzzle of viticulture and winemaking that defines Terlaner I, one thing is abundantly clear: rather than categorizing it by grape variety, it is best understood as one of Italy’s greatest white wines.

– Aldo Fiordelli, Senior Editor