Cantina Terlano's Terlaner I Primo Grande Cuvee is the apex of Italian cooperative white wine production. Produced in very limited quantities from the estate's finest parcels, it is a blend of Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc with a lineage traceable to 1893. James Suckling awarded the subsequent 2021 vintage a perfect 100 points; the 2019 received 97 and preceded it as one of the most critically acclaimed white wines the estate has produced in recent memory.

Fruit comes from high-altitude vineyards at three historic sites within the Terlano zone: Winkl, Kreuth and Vorberg. Pinot Bianco is grown at 550 to 600 metres above sea level, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc at lower elevations. Terlano's distinctive subvolcanic soils, characterised by high quartz content and low calcium carbonate, produce a wine with a rare combination of mineral salinity and natural longevity. The 2019 vintage delivered outstanding concentration and the freshness that defines Terlano's hallmark style; maturation takes place in large oak casks over twelve months on its lees.

Very few Italian white wines generate consistent scores in the high nineties across multiple major publications. The Terlaner I is widely compared to benchmark white Burgundy in blind assessments, and its reputation has grown substantially with each successive vintage. Extremely limited production and strong international allocation demand mean that securing bottles outside of established importer channels is difficult. For collectors who regard longevity and precision over power, this is among Italy's most serious white wine propositions.

Pair with poached turbot, seared langoustines, aged mountain cheese or white truffle pasta. The 2019 has the structure and concentration for a minimum of eight to ten more years of development in the cellar, though it drinks exceptionally now with a generous pour into a large-bowled glass.

Bright straw yellow with fine green reflections. The nose offers ripe citrus, pear, white peach and chamomile, with a characteristic flinty mineral note and a delicate herbal lift. The palate is concentrated yet elegant, with superb balance of texture, acidity and length; the finish carries wet stone, crushed herbs and lemon zest for a considerable duration.

The Alps and the Mediterranean meet in a glass! Mountain freshness (think wild herbs) and bright fruit (think Amalfi lemon) come together in a wine that marries a stack of fine tannins with wet-stone minerality on the the tightly wound palate. Make no mistake, this has been built for very long aging, so decant to aerate, if you drink it any time soon. Breathtaking energy at the very long finish. Drink or hold. —  James Suckling