Winemaker Notes
Made from the autochthonous varietal, Lagrein is impenetrably dense garnet with scents of brambly ripe blackberry and spice, balanced with warm oak accents. It is silky textured and layered with rivers of lush chocolate and wild berries supported in a framework of mineral and spice.
Ideal with grilled lamb, venison au poivre, hardy stews and aged cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
An enormously concentrated and complex Italian red that is totally distinctive to this region. Stunning nose that marries the blackest berry fruit with notes of raw meat, old balsamic vinegar and crushed rock. The integration of deep fruit, richness and dense powdery tannins is breathtaking, the plush finish extremely long. The best vintage ever of this unique wine.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Cantina Terlano 2019 Alto Adige Lagrein Riserva Porphyr is an opaque and richly concentrated wine that is almost impenetrable in appearance. Prune, raisin and all sorts of black fruits emerge heavily from the bouquet. The wine spreads richly over the palate, pushed forward by considerable fruit weight and pretty acidity. There are sweet earthy notes. Best after 2022.
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Vinous
The 2019 Lagrein Riserva Porphyr wafts up with a richly seductive mix of musky black currants, brown spice and lavender. It's silky and refined, coasting a bittersweet mix of tart wild berries and inner violet florals across the palate, while leaving a staining of sweet tannins. It's lightly structured, yet there's no harm in checking in on the 2019 today with its lingering balsam herbs and unexpectedly fresh finish. That said, a few years of cellaring may bring forward further depth.
Located in the Dolomite Mountains in the foothills of the Alps, Terlano's distinctive location and extraordinary terroir are key to the development of their stunning, world-renowned wines. Situated in a sheltered hollow, Terlano benefits from an ideal south-facing exposure. Vineyard slopes ranging from 250m-900m ASL provide perfect conditions for the cultivation of grapes, especially Lagrein, a variety that is indigenous to the Alto Adige region. In the vineyard, red porphyry rocks with high mineral content retain the day's warmth, while the porous soil creates an environment with just enough moisture for the roots to extend deeper into this mineral-rich soil. In combination with cool evening temperatures, these factors create wines of incredible depth and potential for aging.
Founded in 1893, Cantina Terlano has grown into one of the leading wine growers' cooperatives in the Alto Adige region of northeastern Italy. With a current membership of 143 growers farming a total area of 165 hectares, Terlano ensures the highest standards of quality by compensating growers for the quality of their grapes not the quantity. The emphasis in the vineyard is on reducing yield in favor of producing more concentrated fruit.
Terlano produces 70 percent white wines and 30 percent red wines, all of them of DOC quality designation. Following a winery renovation in 2009, the cellars now include a total of 18,000m of storage space, which ensures that the wines can develop undisturbed. On the outside, the building has a natural exterior of red porphyry, the stone that gives the wines in the area their typical character. The roof of the winery is planted with vines so that the building blends in completely with the surrounding countryside.
Terlano wines are classified in four distinct quality lines: Tradition, Selection, Rarity and Primo. Terlano wines are famous for their incredible depth and complexity and their stellar reputation continues to make these wines highly sought after both at home and internationally.
Incredibly concentrated and uncommonly sturdy in character, Lagrein has roots in the Alto Adige area and has recently experienced a great renaissance in popularity. While the climate is cool there, the sun is intense on the region’s steep slopes. Warm hillsides near the bustling city of Bolzano create the perfect environment for the production of intense reds from Lagrein. Somm Secret— Lagrein Kretzer (German) or Rosato (Italian) is the spicy rosé version, which is delicious with smoked fish and white meat.
A mountainous northern Italian region heavily influenced by German culture, Trentino-Alto Adige is actually made up of two separate but similar regions: Alto Adige and Trentino.
Trentino, the southern half, is primarily Italian-speaking and largely responsible for the production of non-native, international grapes. There is a significant quantity of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Merlot produced. But Trentino's native and most unique red variety, Teroldego, while still rare, is gaining popularity. It produces a deeply colored red wine rich in wild blackberry, herb, coffee and cocoa.
The rugged terrain of German-speaking Alto Adige (also referred to as Südtirol) focuses on small-scale viticulture, with great value placed on local varieties—though international varieties have been widely planted since the 1800s. Sheltered by the Alps from harsh northerly winds, many of the best vineyards are at extreme altitude but on steep slopes to increase sunlight exposure.
Dominant red varieties include the bold, herbaceous Lagrein and delicate, strawberry-kissed, Schiava, in addition to some Pinot Nero.
The primary white grapes are Pinot grigio, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot blanc, as well as smaller plantings of Sauvignon blanc, Müller Thurgau. These tend to be bright and refreshing with crisp acidity and just the right amount of texture. Some of the highest quality Pinot grigio in Italy is made here.