In the area of Terlano wine was produced at least in the 6th century B.C. as it dates back to that time a characteristic billhook for the vine pruning, very similar to those still used in those areas, in the subzone “Siebenheich/Settequerce”. On the other hand, that this was a particularly well-suited area, was also known by the large landowners who held the monopoly in the 19th century. Precisely to escape this monopoly, a group of 24 small winegrowers founded, in 1893, the Cantina Sociale di Terlano, a reality that has expanded including 143 members, who cultivate 190 hectares of vineyards, with the help of wine maker Rudi Kofler, and the supervision of President Georg Eyrl. At the beginning, one of the first decisions taken by the winery against the trend was to characterize the production line with a massive presence of white wines (about 70%), while in South Tyrol at the end of the 19th century about 80% of production was made of red wines. Another characteristic of the winery was, right from the start, the choice to vinify long-lived wines, made possible thanks to the long periods of aging on the fine lees that gave it greater character and complexity.
Although not the most famous wine of the appellation, Sauvignon Winkl is one of those whose production began in 1956 within the DOC Terlano, especially in the lands of the first founding members. Its production area goes from the land next to the cellar, to the Rio San Pietro, whose skeleton consists of a mix of sand and pebbles, at an altitude ranging from 250 to 470 meters, from South/ South-West facing vineyards of 8-12 years, on slopes between 5 and 40%. After a first selection on the vine, and the subsequent harvest, the grapes undergo a second manual selection in the cellar and, subsequently, are gently crushed and cleaned by natural sedimentation. The fermentation, slow and at controlled temperature, takes place in stainless steel tanks and is followed by a period of aging of about eight months, partly in stainless steel (80%) and partly in large wooden barrels (20%).
The 2019 vintage has a straw-yellow color with some greenish streaks, and an olfactory range that opens with notes of nectarine, kumquat, elder flower and tomato leaf, followed by cedar peel, chamomile, chlorophyll and slight echoes of green bell pepper and sulfur. The taste, although mainly acid, has a good softness and a sapid-mineral component that gradually spreads in the palate, along with a hint of white pepper and a retro-olfactory return of yellow fruit and vegetable that accompany the sip until a good length closure.
Rating: 89/100
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