Terlano – from mountains to palm trees

Terlano lies in South Tyrol, a melting pot in which the contrasts blend to form a harmonious whole. Here, in Italy’s northernmost province, Alpine peaks go hand in hand with Mediterranean scenery, the German with the Italian language, centuries-old local traditions with an open eye for the modern world.

Terlano is a wine-growing village located halfway between South Tyrol’s main towns of Merano and Bolzano where the Adige flows through a wide valley in a south-easterly direction. The village and vineyards nestle against the red porphyry rock of Monte Tschöggl on the orographically left side of the valley.

DOC zone

In view of its specific climate and geology, the area around Terlano has qualified for a DOC designation of origin (Denominazione di Origine Controllata). In addition to “Alto Adige” as the geographic designation of origin for South Tyrol, the wines are additionally labeled “Terlano” in recognition of the special character of the terroir. The term “classico” is used for those grape varieties that typically grow in the traditional wine-growing area between Andriano, Nalles and Terlano.

The Terlano sites

With sites located at elevations between 250 and 900 meters above sea-level, choosing the right variety is a challenge. The lower sites are better suited to Lagrein, Cabernet and other heavy reds, while Pinot Noir and the white wines are more at home at the higher and therefore cooler levels. The wines from Cantina Terlano come from the following sites:

Up to 1925 Gries, the best known of South Tyrol’s Lagrein sites, was a separate market community and a noted climatic health resort with numerous hotels, villas, gardens and vineyards. Today’s church stands on the site of a Roman settlement called Chellare, meaning “cellar”. The more recent name of Gries derives from the German for sand and gravel. Bolzano porphyry and alluvial materials from the River Talfer mixed with loamy sand form the deep soils of the site, which lies at an elevation of between 260 and 300 meters. In combination with ideal summer and autumn temperatures, the soil provides perfect conditions for the high-grade Lagrein grapes.

Soils: sandy-stony, well-drained soils
Site area: 55 ha
Vine age: 10-20 years
Vine density: 3,000-6,500
Yield: 42 hl/ha
Number of vintners: 10