“It's incredible to think this wine is as old as it is. With 3,500 bottles initially released, the Cantina Terlano 2008 Alto Adige Terlano Pinot Bianco Rarity is a rarity indeed. Pouring to a golden-yellow color, it shows so much mineral purity and layering so huge, thick and beautiful, it's like falling into a mountain of down comforters. There are touches of spicy almond and smoke, passion fruit, grapefruit, other citrus notes...you could go on forever. It carries a medium weight with lots of mineral crispness, and, well, it is just amazing. It's an impeccable Pinot Bianco.” –M.L.

“This is the top-shelf wine from Cantina Terlano, to say the least. It's a careful blend of 65% Pinot Bianco, 32% Chardonnay and 3% Sauvignon Blanc. The 2018 Alto Adige Terlaner Grand Cuvée Primo shows ripeness, but the fruit is plush, rich and beautiful. It's an intricate portrait of these three grapes, with brushes of grapefruit and Indian jasmine, or Turkish soap you might buy at an Istanbul bazaar. There is a very citrusy side to the wine with that grapefruit note and the perfumed skin of the citron fruit they call "cedro" in Italian. All in all, this wine is super rich with generous fruit weight and concentration. Cantina Terlano does its best work in terms of texture, mouthfeel and richness, and this release of 3,330 bottles is their masterpiece.” –M.L.

“Just like the previous vintage, the Cantina Terlano 2018 Alto Adige Terlano Riserva Nova Domus is a blend of 60% Pinot Bianco, 30% Chardonnay and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, and again it is beautiful. Released in about 33,000 slightly heavy bottles, it flaunts an elaborate embroidery of aromas and shows what real texture can be in a white wine. Peach, mineral, toasted almond and dried cumin seed all make appearances in this gorgeous blend. The wine has an enormous sense of fiber or textural richness, with creamy and supple overtones, that helps it to glide clear over the palate. Its persistence and length can be counted in many long minutes.” –M.L.

“With fruit from high mountain vineyards, this is a brilliant wine, and I mean that both literally and figuratively. Luminous and bright, the 2019 Alto Adige Terlano Sauvignon Quarz sparkles and shines with passion fruit, jasmine, tropical tones, wild sage and curry leaf. There's even a touch of freshly milled white pepper. This is Italian Sauvignon Blanc in all its glory, and, as always, Cantina Terlano shows a deft winemaking hand to guide the grape's natural aromas but also to render a most elegant interpretation. 2019 was an interesting growing season there, with cold, heavy rains in March, a very sunny and warmer May followed by a relatively cool June, and then a hotter summer, but it all turned out great for this vintage of 60,000 bottles.” –M.L.

“The Cantina Terlano 2018 Alto Adige Pinot Noir Riserva Monticol is fresh and even wild with forest bramble, tart cassis or cranberry. The winemaking style hones in on freshness and brightness, all this thanks to high-altitude mountain winemaking, with plenty of floral detailing focused on violet and Alpine wild flower. These results are fine and silky, and take note of that pretty freshness that gives lots of life and energy to the finish. Some 45,000 bottles were released. This is a Pinot Noir to serve with an Asiago cheese made in the Alps.” –M.L.

“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. The 2018 Alto Adige Terlano Pinot Bianco Riserva Vorberg is a case study in creaminess and texture, although the bouquet holds back just a tad, with a bit of stone fruit. That subtle shyness is a known characteristic of the grape. The wine is as steady and clear-minded as one of those high-wire daredevils, navigating a tightrope between two Dolomite mountain peaks. This expression is salty and firm and with so much energy, and yet it is also relaxed with a touch of softness to the finish. Thankfully, an ample 55,000 bottles were made.” –M.L.

“Here once again is a Cantina Terlano white that punches above its price in this edition of 65,000 bottles. Showing lots of rich, ripe apricot and melon fruit, the 2019 Alto Adige Terlano Chardonnay Kreuth gives you a solid 10-year drinking window. It shows a bright yellow-gold color with rich fruit tones and a medium-weight approach that leaves ample room for the finer mineral nuances and a very light touch of oak spice. Especially notable are the yellow fruit tones and the preserved lemon.”  –M.L.

“Pouring from the bottle with an inky black and impenetrable appearance, the 2018 Alto Adige Lagrein Riserva Porphyr paints a classic portrait of this indigenous northern Italian grape with its characteristic chiaroscuro delivery, with rich black fruit contrasted against raw primary intensity with tangy cherry and blackberry. Some 22,000 bottles were made. A 14% alcohol expression, enjoy it on its own or serve it with a warm slice of mincemeat pie.”

–M.L.

“This is lovely in its streamlined purity and simplicity. The entry-level 2020 Alto Adige Pinot Bianco Tradition is redolent of citrus, crushed stone and tangy grapefruit. Fresh and lively, this Pinot Bianco shows lots of life and energy. It's very pretty. Drink it young with a buttery linguine and shrimp scampi.” –M.L.

“Representing excellent value, this release of about a quarter-million bottles is not at all what you would expect from a production of this scale. A blend of 60% Pinot Bianco, 30% Chardonnay and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, this vintage is the latest in a storied line that has been in production since 1893. The Pinot Bianco is grown at high altitudes, while the other two grapes come from lower elevations. The 2020 Alto Adige Terlaner Cuvée is smooth and is a veritable sounding board of stone fruit aromas, plus honey and some raw ginger or turmeric. You might serve it with a plate of smoked salmon. “ –M.L.

“This is a classic expression of Lagrein with all the softness and exuberant fruit weight that you should expect of this grape. The Cantina Terlano 2018 Alto Adige Lagrein Riserva Gries exhibits an inky dark appearance with purple and blackish hues. To the finish, this vintage offers dustings of earth and spice; however, the core of the wine is packed tight with fruity richness. Lagrein is normally not a very age-worthy grape, but this bottle will likely sail through to the 10-year mark. Some 45,000 bottles were made.“ –M.L.

“The 2020 Alto Adige Gewürztraminer Tradition (packaged in its elegantly tall and slender bottle) is floral and fragrant for sure, but this expression from Cantina Terlano deliberately takes the grape's rather Rococo personality down a notch. The alternative offered here prizes linearity and elegance, and those distinctive aromas of jasmine and lemon blossom are contrasted against some wild sage and spicy acidity. You taste the cool altitude in this proudly mountain wine. Some 100,000 bottles were made. “ -M.L.

“This is a delightful wine that I happily paired with skinless chicken marinated in cumin, olive oil and lemon juice. The 2020 Alto Adige Terlano Sauvignon Winkl is fresh and tonic with lots of varietal purity and zesty energy. I suggest serving this bottle a few degrees colder than usual. Subtle tones of crushed mineral and sour grapefruit appear on the close. This was a production of about a quarter-million bottles.“ -M.L.

“The 2020 Alto Adige Pinot Grigio Tradition is luminous and bright with finely tuned aromatic intensity. The bouquet reveals citrus, white peach and crisp apple. This is a zesty and crisp white to pair with specialty finger foods or vegetable tempura. I just love this freshness and the tonic, energetic quality displayed in this well-priced production of 100,000 bottles.“ -M.L.