2017 Terlaner 1 Grande Cuvee
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Tasting notes
The 2017 Terlaner Grande Cuvée Primo is rich and seductive from the first tilt of the glass. It displays a mix of roasted hazelnut, baked apple and dried peaches, as it gains further complexities through evolving notes of smoky minerals, chamomile and hints of honeysuckle. The textural depths on the palate are otherworldly, seemingly weighty yet precise, enveloping all it touches in velvety waves of ripe stone fruits and sweet spice, as juicy acids sneak in, both framing and balancing the wine. The finish is remarkably long yet fresh, teeming with energy while also showing hints of vanilla and toasty oak. The Terlano wines have a track record for evolving beautifully in the cellar. That said, the 2017 does show a warmer vintage character, yet all of the elements are here to carry it for another fifteen to twenty years. It's a blend of Pinot Bianco 70%, Chardonnay 27% and Sauvignon Blanc 3%...Wow!
Critic scores
Average Score
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
Eric Guido, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The top-shelf Cantina Terlano 2017 Alto Adige Terlaner Grand Cuvée Primo is mostly Pinot Bianco (70%) with smaller parts Chardonnay (27%) and Sauvignon Blanc (3%). Although the Chardonnay only clocks in at about one-third of the blend, this grape ultimately makes the biggest impact, both in terms of bouquet and mouthfeel. For a white blend, there is a good amount of oak tannin and even a touch of phenolic bitterness that softly disappears with time in the glass. The bouquet is strongly driven by chalky minerals at the front, with orchard fruit, pressed flowers, lilac and savory mountain herbs. This wine shows that Cantina Terlano magic, with a precious few 2,741 bottles made.
Cooked-apple, clove, light toffee and smoked-wood aromas follow through to a full body with layers of fruit and nice phenolics that give it a creamy, almost chewy structure. Flavorful and intense. Smoky at the end with licorice and fennel-seed undertones. Drink now.