Cantina Terlano in Alto Adige is arguably Italy’s top white wine cooperative. Founded in 1893, today 143 members cultivate some 190ha of vines northwest of Bolzano. From low-yielding vineyards (35hl/ha), Primo Grande Cuvée is mainly made up of Pinot Bianco, with up to one third Chardonnay plus Sauvignon Blanc (around 3% in the 2018 vintage). Fermented and matured in oak where it spends 12 months on its lees before bottling, the wine more than lives up to its billing. Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW: This has loads of different aromatic characters: fruit, almonds, honey… And the palate is backed with all of it, fresh acidity, lingering finish. Super wine. Stefan Neumann MS: A superb nose, grabbing your attention, wonderful creamy note with hints of yellow apples and pear, sweet quince and ripe peach. Good mineral backbone giving it a wonderful vibrancy. Matt Walls: Very lean, very flinty, very smoky. Then driving intensity and focus on the palate. A cleansing alpine style. Nominated by Michael Garner.

Blind tasted by Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MWStefan Neumann MS Matt Walls (at Decanter tasting room, London, 02 Oct 2021) Part of Wines of the Year 2021: the top Classic wines