Italy’s best co-op is Produttori del Barbaresco, no one can touch their spot at the top as Italy’s best co-op producer. While many regions have a co-op, rare is it that they make standout wines that are the benchmark for a region, except for Barbaresco and this producer in the Alto Adige that is the best Co-Op in Italy for white wines.
We have been selling to many fans on this list the Vorberg, one of Italy’s greatest wines from one of it’s greatest white wine houses. We have special magnums available below of the 99 point Vorberg, as well as a bounty of their top wines we just tasted through in 2 sittings over the last week! The top wines are very limited as we are nearing the end of the vintage, so if you snooze they will likely disappear. Every wine I have ever had from this producer has been excellent, from the intro Pinot Bianco at $21 on up to the Nova Domus Reserva. What stand out to me is the purity of these wines, with pronounced expressions that marry beautiful elegance undoubtedly tamed by the rugged Alpine terroir and high altitudes. Soulful, classic, poised, and precise!
We also for the first time taste their red wines and were very impressed with a riserva Pinot Noir included in this offer!
Terlano lies in South Tyrol, a melting pot of landscape contrasts that starts in the high peaks of the Dolomites to the valleys several thousand feet below to form a harmonious whole, bridging continental and Mediterranean climates. Here, in Italy’s northernmost province, Alpine peaks go hand in hand with Mediterranean scenery, where Germany and Italy collide to create a unique marriage of cultures. Here the unique combination of cultures from centuries-old local traditions and modernity exist harmoniously.
Terlano is located halfway between South Tyrol’s main towns of Merano and Bolzano where the Adige river flows through a wide valley in a south-easterly direction. The village and vineyards nestle against the red porphyry rock of Monte Tschöggl in a perfectly situated valley.
Vinous Media on Terlano, December 2023: “Cantina Terlano is, without a doubt, an icon for northern Italian wine. The portfolio is encyclopedic, with a vast number of varietal wines made in a fresh and easy-to-understand style and, more importantly, single vineyard wines and Terlaner DOC. The winery also produces the Cantina Andriano portfolio. One would think that such a large array of wines might diminish the overall quality produced at Terlano, but that is not the case. While Terlano is a co-op winery, with 43 growers working a total area of 190 hectares, the level of quality produced often outpaces many of the best small artisan growers throughout the region. Year after year, the Terlaner I Primo Grande Cuvée, Sauvignon Blanc Quarz, Pinot Bianco Riserva Vorberg and Terlaner Riserva Cuvée Nova Domus are immediate standouts. While prices have escalated over the years, in my opinion, they continue to represent tremendous value. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a visit to Terlano to include a blind serving of Premier Cru White Burgundy simply to set the pace for the wines they are about to pour. As for the recent vintages, the 2021s show the clarity and promise of the year. They are ripe yet chiseled with tantalizing acidity. As for the fresh 2022s, they show more of the richness of the vintage. Even still, the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Quarz is an immediate standout and outlier, showing the intensity and balanced acidity to excel through medium-term cellaring.”
Pinot Bianco 2023 90WS
$20.99 on 3+
$22.99 reg
Our Tasting Note: Hard to beat for the $. So aromatic for the grape, med+ nose of pear, green apples, some crushed almonds, very subtle pencil lead/shavings, lime, and floral blossom. Med bodied, with med+ flavor intensity, layered and long, cool, and a very persistent finish. Great wine at a really great price! We just added this to our in-store hot values section!
90 pts Wine Spectator
Lithe and graceful, this bright sipper dances across the palate with flavors of Honeycrisp apple, peach skin, blanched almond, orchard blossoms and pickled ginger.
Winemaking: Manual harvest and selection of the grapes; gentle pressing and clarification of the must by natural sedimentation; slow fermentation at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks, aging on the lees in steel tanks for 6-7 months.
Cuvee Terlaner 2023 95SP
$28.99 on 3+
$30.99 reg
While the blend is the same as the Nova Domus, this wine shows a lot more of the Sauvignon Blanc in the blend than the Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc.
95pts Stu Piggot
Lots of fresh flowers, limes, sliced apples and honeysuckle on the nose with candied lemon and heather notes. Full-bodied with a light phenolic tension, rich with lots of citrus peel and minerals in the finish. Concentration with freshness. Pinot bianco, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. Drink or hold.
93pts Wine Enthusiast
An Alto Adige staple, this wine consistently offers exceptional value in Italian whites. Aromas of jasmine and honeysuckle lead to hints of peeled pears and white peach. The palate is harmoniously voluminous, showcasing pristine fruits and a burst of candied lemon zest. The finish, lifted with a mineral edge, seals the experience. Enjoy from now until 2040.
92 pts Wine Spectator
This fresh, minerally white offers both expression and restraint, with fine interplay between the well-cut acidity and flavors of yellow peach, glazed tangerine, pink grapefruit, green almond, jasmine and milled white pepper. Long and mouthwatering, with a salty tang cleaning the fragrant finish. Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay and Sauvignon. Drink now through 2033. (AN)
Our Tasting Note: Very perfumed with the Sauvignon Blanc leading the way even with just 10% of the blend, it shows with gooseberry and florals, white orchard fruits, apple, pear, grassy notes. Warming up and opening in the glass the nose deepens and is denser, more focused. Med+ body, rich, not opulent, excellent mid-palate, ripe and succulent fruits, med+ to high flavor intensity, long, finish to you feel as much as you taste.
Variety: 60% Pinot Bianco,30% Chardonnay,10% Sauvignon Blanc
Winemaking: Manual harvest and selection of the grapes; pressing and clarification of the must by natural sedimentation; slow fermentation at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks, aging on the lees for 6 - 7 months partly in stainless steel tanks (80%) and partly in big wooden barrels (20%).
Nova Domus Riserva 2021 97SP
$64.99 reg US LOW
$69.99 reg
While the blend is the same as the Cuvee Terlaner, this wine is made from barrels selected usually from the older vine plots. It shows a lot more of the Chardonnay and ultimately the Pinot Bianco in the blend than the Sauvignon Blanc.
97pts Stu Piggot
This is a very linear white with tension and acidity that kicks off at the end, giving it fantastic energy and length. It’s medium- to full-bodied with sliced pineapple, lemon and green apple before a vibrant finish. Then there’s lemongrass and tarragon undertones. Complex and complete. 60% pinot bianco, 30% chardonnay and 10% sauvignon blanc. Better after 2025 but already exciting to drink.
95pts Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of warmed pears dusted with spice, delicate white flowers, and the zest of lemon, lime and kumquat. Invigorating acidity leads the way on the palate with pristine orchard fruits lifted by citrus oils, fresh herbs and a distinct flintness that culminates in the rejuvenation of not just the palate but the soul. Drink now–2045. Cellar Selection
93pts Vinous
The 2021 Terlaner Riserva Cuvée Nova Domus lifts up with an airy bouquet that blends ground ginger with dusty dried flowers, crushed green apples and spice aromas. This washes across the palate with silky textures and ripe orchard fruits. Sour citrus notes add contrast, guided by brisk acidity. The 2021 finishes full of youthful tension and lightly tannic, leaving a spicy sensation and a bitter lemon rind tinge that class the taster back to the glass.
Our Tasting Note: Chardonnay comes out more on the nose and palate initially and with air the Pinot Bianco really shines and comes to the fore. I sat with a glass of this at my desk for about an hour after the tasting. If you love Vorberg, you will really love this, especially if you are a White Burgundy or chardonnay fan. Initially primary orchard and citrus fruit, toast from the oak, quite pronounced and evolving in the nose. More integrated on the palate, this shows excellent minerality to the core, more citrus like lime over Meyer lemon, with Fuji apple and Bosc pear. A touch of herbaceousness early on (hello sauv blanc!) and some creamy notes simultaneously, though the sauv blanc traces fade out after 30 minutes as the Pinot Blanc takes over. Med bodied, med+ acids (thanks to only partial malo), med+ excellent density and electric flavors that light up from the vibrant acidity, long, classy finish reminds be of Burgundy but comes back to being more Vorberg like with air and time in the glass.
Variety: 60% Pinot Bianco,30% Chardonnay,10% Sauvignon Blanc
Winemaking: Manual harvest and selection of the grapes; gentle whole cluster pressing and clarification of the must by natural sedimentation; slow fermentation at a controlled temperature in big oak barrels (30 hl); partial malolactic fermentation (Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay only) and aging on the lees for 12 months in big wooden barrels; blending three months before bottling.
Monticol Riserva Pinot Nero 2021 93SP
Pinot Noir
$44.99 SALE
$47.99 reg US LOW
Just 18 bottles remain!
A really pretty Pinot and one of the best I have ever had from Italy! It has all you want from a pinot noir, with it’s own identity via terroir coming through in the wine!
93pts Stu Piggot
A light and delicate pinot noir with so much energy. Very perfumed with roses, rose petals, strawberries, citrus, pomegranate, and cranberries. Medium body, with very fine tannins and a crunchy finish. So delicious and drinkable.
92pts Vinous
The 2021 Pinot Nero Riserva Monticol is dusty and understated, with clove and rose petals accentuating dried strawberries. This flows across the palate, lifted and finessed, with mineral-laced red berry fruits and liquid inner florals that coat the senses. Lightly tannic and crunchy in feel, the 2021 leaves the mouth watering as traces of licorice and sour cherry fade.
92pts Wine Enthusiast
Cranberry, tea leaf and savory herbs swirl in the glass of this serious Pinot Noir. Crunch and tart red-fruit flavors pop at the top of the palate as a rush of earthy and savory notes give great depth and seriousness to the wine. Well-structured and built to last. Drink now–2035.
Our Tasting Note: Transparent color, can see through it, ruby core. Med/med + nose, red cherry, raspberry, underbrush, some mushroom, some subtle spices and red and purple florals. Medium bodied palate, medium fine and supple tannin, med+ flavor intensity, subtle and elegant, med+ and elegant on the finale!
Winemaking: Manual harvest and selection of the grapes; destemming followed by slow must fermentation at a controlled temperature and gentle agitation of the must in stainless steel tanks; malolactic fermentation and aging for 12 months partly in big wooden barrels (30%) and partly in barriques using one third new barrels (70%); blending three months before bottling.
‘Vorberg’ Pinot Bianco Riserva 2021 99SP
$99.99 SALE each US LOW
2 bottles in stock, a few cases more in early January 2025!
99 pts Stu Piggot
Restrained apricot peel, fairly neutral yet classy, but with a floral bouquet that opens up. The attack is full and impressively vibrant, almost electric, with filigreed elegance and a silky, weighted palate. Long and polished. This is incredible. Drink now or hold to achieve greater complexity.
94 pts Vinous Media
“The 2021 Pinot Bianco Riserva Vorberg is youthfully coiled, as an airy blend of wild herbs and dried flowers gives way to young peach and apricot. This is seamlessly silky and serene on the palate, nearly oily in feel, with brisk acidity to balance and depths of ripe orchard fruits and mineral tones that saturate. The balance is perfect, lightly tannic and full of tension with a lemony concentration that puckers the cheeks as minty herbal tones fade. Green apple notes add a crunchy sensation toward the close. This fantastic rendition of Vorberg will thrive in a cold cellar.”
95 pts Wine Enthusiast
Vorberg is one of the world’s great Pinot Bianco (Pinot Blancs) and opens with a fragrant aroma of ripe pear green apple and hints of almond. On the palate it is vibrant with an interplay of citrus and stone fruit carried by a refreshing acidity. The wine culminates in a textured finish that spans across cuisines. Drink now?2040. ? Jeff Porter
Warm days and cool nights are key to the right sugar content, the intensive aromatics and the trademark Alpine freshness of the wine.
- steep, south-facing slopes at altitudes of 450-950 meters
- gentle whole cluster pressing
- clarification of the must by natural sedimentation (decanting)
- slow fermentation in big oak barrels (30 hl)
- malolactic fermentation and aging on the lees in traditional neutral large 30 to 70 hL wooden barrels for 12 months