Just Arrived - IWM's #1 Selling Italian White. The “Greatest White Producer of Italy” Delivers “Liquid Magic” Once Again with the 2019 Release. The Age-Worthy Mountain White Impresses Today.

With the thermometer sneaking across the 70 degree line, it is officially Terlano O'Clock at IWM.
Our #1 selling Italian white as arrived, and it is the finest expression to date.
A MUST-BUY for the upcoming season ... and beyond!

“This wine is liquid magic…The Cantina Terlano 2017 Alto Adige Terlano Pinot Bianco Riserva Vorberg is one of the most impressive expressions of the grape to emerge from this mountainous region in the far north of Italy." – Monica Larner, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

"If I were stranded on a deserted island with just one bottle of wine of my choosing, it very well might be Cantina Terlano's Vorberg [2018]." – Monica Larner, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
 

2019 Cantina Terlano "Vorberg" Pinot Bianco Riserva
Christopher Deas, Italian Wine Merchants: “Tasted four time. We said it with the 2017 and 2018 release, this is one of Italy’s great age-worthy whites and blah, blah, blah… why wait, this is awesome today. What we would add is enjoy this over a long meal and watch this wine open up as it evolves. It simply opens with an intoxicating nose that brings you in with subtle fruit and minerality. At first it is slightly wound up, but it is here where you feel the terroir with the intensity of minerality and more restrained fruit nuances. There is even a crushed seashell note that we find in some Chablis and Sancerre that that makes a welcomed appearance. However, with aeration comes the added, richness to the profile, but it is not buttery and fat or flabby like many Pinot Blanc expressions can be, or Chardonnay for that matter. There’s a core of concentrated fruit and the underlying minerality adds to the tension, hinting at where this wine can go. The immediate note that stands out is salty pears and even more spiced apple. You can expect nuances of lemon pith, lime, melon, wild herbs, green almond, wet stones, and salinity. The wine has firmness and awesome vibrancy under the generous and almost creamy and glycerin texture. The wine simply stains the palate for a finish that just lingers for minutes. Serve this chilled and pair away. This wine simply gets us excited about Italy’s whites and the best is yet to come. We believe this is the finest expression to date - a more powerful expression.
For those looking for a stunning pairing try it with Strichetti alla Romagnola from Chef Evan Funke’s book American Sfoglino – which is essentially Farfelle with stewed cherry tomatoes, arugula, and crisp prosciutto. It is an easy dish to prepare, and the wine is enhanced by the richness of the food, the salinity in the wine picks up on the crisp prosciutto, and the acidity accents the stewed cherry tomatoes. It is a great alternative to Chardonnay, but also a great pairing to many rich pasta dishes, north and south throughout the Boot.”
 

2018 Cantina Terlano Chardonnay Kreuth
Monica Larner, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: “The 2018 Alto Adige Terlano Chardonnay Kreuth opens to a pretty medley of Meyer lemon and sweet almonds, with some distant cinnamon or vanilla spice at the back. There are tangy layers of rosemary or lavender essence and even a touch of savory laurel leaf. This cool-climate Chardonnay is rich, creamy and beautifully textured with soft and lasting intensity. This is a terrific medium-bodied choice for baked codfish or spicy chili crab. The wine's texture is enhanced by sur lie aging in both wooden barrel and stainless steel."

How do you surpass the IWM legend and "liquid magic" that is the 2017 and 2018 Terlano Pinot Blanc Riserva Vorberg with more than 1,200 bottles sold? How about the new release of the 2019 Terlano Pinot Blanc Riserva Vorberg! We are going to have to agree with both of Monica's quotes above, as the 2017 was "liquid magic" and 2018 is absolutely a "desert island pick." As you know by now, we taste thousands of wines each year and this is just one of those whites that makes you want to stand up and scream about it – it’s that good once again! 

Yes, the Terlano Pinot Blanc Riserva Vorberg is known for its age-ability, but who wants to wait, this is awesome today. It is the perfect alternative to Chardonnay and remains one of the great pairing wines for northern Italy’s rich pasta dishes, and so much more. Best of all, this is one of Italy’s benchmark wines and it is available at just $42.99! It is approachable in the pocket and on the palate with the ability to age another two decades.  

The reality is when we think of Italy’s great whites, we often gravitate to Burgundian influenced wines of Gaia & Rey, Cervaro, and Batar; the esoteric whites of Gravner, Radikon and Bea, as well as the ground ground-breaking whites of Fiorano. However, there are more selections to explore with Italy’s treasure trove of varietals and regions. One that is simply not talked about enough are the age-worthy Pinot Bianco of Terlano and Alto Adige. It might just be “Italy’s best white wine producer,” region, and varietal you may not know or have had the opportunity to taste often enough.

Cantina Terlano is a benchmark producer for Alto Adige. The historic cooperative takes the name of the town in which it resides and dates all that way back to 1892. While the estate does produce some noteworthy blends such as the phantom-like Terlaner I Grand Cuvee, it is the flagship Cantina Terlano Pinot Blanc Riserva Vorberg that is easily the pinnacle expression of Pinot Blanc, and the region. The prized bottle is produced from Pinot Bianco, also known as Weissburgunder in this part of the world, and is grown at an impressive altitude of 400 to 650 meters on heavy volcanic soils rich in crystals and minerality. In fact, “Vorberg” translates to “in front of the mountain,” and refers to the awesome altitudes that provide this generous grape with additional acidity. 

As for the inspiring 2017 Cantina Terlano "Vorberg" Pinot Bianco Riserva release, Monica Larner of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate was absolutely correct, it was “liquid magic.” Well, we had the new release from 2019 for the fourth time, and along with the brilliant 2018 Chardonnay Kreuth, the wine is magic once again. Sure, the wine can age, but save the aging to Cantina Terlano and the estate’s library releases. 

Ancient winemaking tradition, privileged positioning and microclimates, an infusion of Roman, German, and Austrian heritage: Alto Adige may just be Italy's best-kept secret. In the Northernmost province of Italy lies the cultural crossroads of Trentino-Alto Adige. It is here in this mountainous zone, squeezed between the borders of Austria and Switzerland, that one of Europe's oldest wine growing sites resides (predating 15 BC). This land has passed from the Romans to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and back to the Italians, absorbing a potpourri of tradition and technique in its viticulture along the way. The people of Alto Adige carry on a unique mélange of cultures; though clearly filled with Italian ways, they still speak German, and German names and quality classifications are very important to the region's wine producers. 

This is an e-comm ONLY offer! If you would like to take advantage of this offer that is only available until 11:59pm Tuesday, March 28, 2022,  All orders are subject to confirmation. IWM is not responsible for typographical errors. 

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