"The quest was for the perfect creation, one capable of expressing the authentic, innermost character of Cantina Terlano, for a wine that would embody our tradition of more than a hundred years and would combine the strengths of our very best varieties and vineyards. We have achieved that goal. The result is the Terlaner I Grande Cuvée."
Rudi Kofler
Terlaner I Primo Grande Cuvée
Grande Cuvée
2023
Wine
DOC denomination: Alto Adige Terlano
Variety: 60% Pinot Bianco, 38 % Chardonnay, 2 % Sauvignon
Vintage: 2023
Bottles produced: 3,190
Yield: 35 hl/ha
Orientation: South - Southwest
Altitude: Pinot Bianco 550 - 600 m
Chardonnay 350 m
Sauvignon Blanc 330 m
Slope: 10 - 55 %
Vinification
Pressing: gentle whole cluster pressing; Clarification of the must: natural sedimentation;
Fermentation and maturation: slow fermantation in oak casks (12 hl); malolactic fermentation and ageing on the lees for 12 months in big wooden barrels
Assemblage: June 2025
Bottling date: August, 2025
Technical data
- Alcohol content: 14,0 % vol
- Residual sugar: 1,1 g/l
- Total acidity: 6,4 g/l
Suggested glass
Glass for an evolved white wine
Serving temperature: 12 - 14 °C
Recycling information
Check the regulations of your municipality
Capsule – TIN 42– plastic/aluminium - aluminium and metal collection
Cork – FOR 51 – cork - sep. collection for organic waste
Bottle – GL 71 – glass – waste glass collection
Box – PAP 20 – corrugated cardboard - waste paper collection
box 2 – PAP 21 - non corrugated cardboard - waste paper collection
- Wine description
Color: brilliant straw yellow
Smell: rich and complex on the nose; multifaceted aromas of citrus fruit, white pepper and herbs as well as a delicate smoky note
Taste: The wine’s elegance and perfect balance are the product of its remarkable structure and subtle texture, which give the wine its unmistakable character. Its extremely long finish is more than pleasant; it leaves its mark in memory as the supreme expression of a mineral terroir that is unique in the world. - Vintage
A mild winter with little snow was followed by a very dry and mild spring. Fortunately, this was followed by a cool and rainy May, so that the urgently needed water reserves could be replenished. The flowering of the vines was slightly delayed by cool temperatures in April and May.
In the warm summer months of June and July there was sufficient precipitation, which led to a slight increase in fungal pressure with peronospora and oidium. However, major losses in yield were avoided thanks to our long years of experience and professional handling. A hot spell in August briefly slowed the ripening of the grapes. Following abundant rainfall at the end of August, the weather remained stable in late summer and was very fine in the fall. The result was a good harvest, which began with the Sauvignon Blanc on September 4.
The 2023 vintage offers fresh, fruity wines with slightly lower levels of alcohol and can be classified as a good to very good vintage.
- Aging
Cool storage at constant temperatures, high level of humidity and as little light as possible
Cellar temperature: 10 - 15 °C
Excellent ageing potential > 10 years - Soil
- The quartz porphyry bedrock is of volcanic origin.
- The light, sandy-loamy soils are the foundation for naturally limited yields.
- The soils have a 55-60% quartz content and a slightly acidic pH.
- The minerally and distinctive wines are highly prized for their outstanding longevity.
Soil samples taken from three different sites have revealed the presence of a subvolcanic body around Terlano, which differs in composition from the classic volcanic rock. The skeletal sandy loamy soils have a high quartz content. The absence of calcium carbonate explains the slightly acid pH values. These factors result in a high permeability to water, a limited nutrient supply and thus balanced growth with naturally limited yields. Exceptional soil conditions influence the terroir of Terlano, where the vines have developed a specific reaction to micro-stress and produce their own terroir-specific polyphenols, which give the Terlano wines their distinctive character. The result is particularly salty wines with great tension and depth. The special mix of crystals and minerals in the Terlano soils produces white wines whose unique longevity never fails to impress the world’s wine gurus.
- Climate
The high peaks of the main Alpine chain protect South Tyrol from the Atlantic winds and cold northerlies, while the region benefits from the Mediterranean climate from the south. Terlano has a remarkable microclimate, with pronounced differences in temperature between day and night caused by the cool downslope winds from the mountains.
To the south, a number of mountain massifs like the Adamello also have a protective function. As a result, annual precipitation is only about one-third of the average for the southern Alpine foothills, and the number of hours of sunshine is higher. The climatic conditions are not unlike those to be found in wine-growing areas like the Swiss Canton Valais.
When the sun rises behind the mountains east of Terlano on one of the year’s 300 sunny days, it is already high in the sky as the wine-growing area has a westerly to southwesterly exposure. The lower atmospheric density permits more direct solar irradiation with less diffuse sunlight. That increases the difference between the slopes on the sunny and shady sides of the valley.Microclimate in Terlano
Continental climate (Cfa Köppen-Geiger)
Annual sunshine hours: ø 2135
Maximum temperatures: 38,2 °C
Average temperatures: 12,9 °C
Minimum temperatures: -10,7°C
Annual precipitation: ø 600 - 700 mm
Average global radiation: 150,1 W/m²
Winds
North foehn: cool and dry down-slope wind
Ora: valley wind system from the south, bringing in air from the Po Valley