Terlano Terlaner Cuvee Nova Domus Riserva 2023

Terlano Terlaner Cuvée Nova Domus Riserva 2023 is one of Alto Adige’s benchmark white wines, a meticulously crafted blend of Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc from steep, mineral-rich slopes above the Adige Valley. This Riserva bottling showcases Cantina Terlano’s signature style: purity of fruit, striking minerality and impressive structure built for long aging. First released in the 1990s, Nova Domus has since become a reference point for complex, ageworthy Italian white wine.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2023 Nova Domus Riserva presents a bright, luminous straw-yellow color with subtle green reflections, hinting at its youth and freshness. The nose is layered and refined: ripe pear and crisp apple from Pinot Bianco, intertwined with Chardonnay’s notes of yellow plum, white peach and a delicate touch of brioche, and lifted by Sauvignon Blanc’s aromas of citrus zest, elderflower, fresh herbs and a flinty, smoky minerality. On the palate, it is full-bodied yet precise, with a vibrant acidity that keeps the generous fruit in perfect balance. You can expect a core of orchard and stone fruits—pear, quince, peach—wrapped in creamy texture, with nuances of lemon curd, white flowers, almond and a distinctive salty, wet-stone character that is a hallmark of Terlano’s porphyry soils. The finish is long, clean and subtly spicy, suggesting excellent aging potential. While already enjoyable in its youth for its energy and aromatics, this 2023 Riserva will gain complexity and tertiary notes (honey, hazelnut, wax, more pronounced smokiness) over 8–15 years in a good cellar, and top bottles can age even longer.

Production
The grapes for Nova Domus come from high-altitude vineyards around Terlano in Trentino-Alto Adige, rooted in volcanic porphyry soils with a high mineral content and excellent drainage. These steep, south and southwest-facing sites benefit from warm days, cool nights and fresh mountain breezes, conditions that preserve acidity and aromatic complexity. Harvest is carried out by hand, allowing rigorous selection of bunches at optimal ripeness. In the cellar, the varieties are typically vinified separately: gentle pressing, slow fermentation at controlled temperatures and extended aging on the fine lees with regular bâtonnage to build texture and depth. A portion of the wine matures in large oak casks and/or barrels, while the rest remains in stainless steel; the final blend is then assembled to achieve the house style—combining precision, structure and minerality—before additional bottle aging prior to release as a Riserva.

Food & Serving
Terlano Terlaner Cuvée Nova Domus Riserva 2023 is a versatile gastronomic white that shines with refined dishes. Pair it with butter-poached lobster, seared scallops, turbot, cod or halibut, as well as elegant poultry dishes like roast chicken with herbs or veal in a light cream or mushroom sauce. It also works beautifully with risotti (asparagus, porcini, seafood), alpine cheeses, and delicately spiced Asian cuisine where freshness and umami are in balance. Serve at 10–12°C (50–54°F) in a large white wine or small Burgundy glass to allow the aromatics to open. A short decant of 30–45 minutes is recommended for young bottles to fully reveal the wine’s complexity and texture, especially if served with richer dishes.

Producer
Cantina Terlano (Kellerei Terlan), founded in 1893, is one of Italy’s most highly regarded cooperative wineries and a pioneer in demonstrating the extraordinary aging potential of Alto Adige white wines. Located in the village of Terlano, near Bolzano, the cellar works with a network of small growers who cultivate some of the region’s best mountain vineyards on steep, porphyry-rich slopes. Over the decades, Terlano has gained international acclaim for its focused, mineral-driven whites and for library releases of decades-old bottles that remain remarkably fresh. The Nova Domus Riserva sits among the estate’s flagship bottlings, regularly earning top scores from leading wine critics and reinforcing Cantina Terlano’s reputation as a benchmark producer in Trentino-Alto Adige and one of the most respected white wine specialists in Italy.