I love Italian white wines and believe that the best examples, be they from Campania, Alto Adige, Sardegna, Piemonte or several other regions need to be better recognized for their excellence. In my Italian Wine Report, I always include reviews of numerous Italian whites, and note their complexity as well as their longevity.
The Winter issue of Italian Wine Report will be published in a few weeks, and in this issue, I list the best wines of the year: white, red, rosato and sparkling. Usually I have a difficult time choosing one in each category as the single best, but for the white wines from 2021, the decision was easy. The finest Italian white from this past year for me is the Livio Felluga Terre Alte 2019.
First produced from the 1981 vintage, Terre Alte (“high ground” or “high land”) is a blend of Friulano, Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon from the winery’s vineyards in Rosazzo near Cormons in the Friuli region. The Friulano is fermented and matured in oak, while the Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon are treated only in stainless steel, and see no oak.
Terre Alte is a powerful white with a rich, layered mid-palate and a complex finish of notable persistence. Upon release, the wine impresses with its fruit, but after a few years, greater character (often a peppery, smoky note) emerges. As remarkable a wine as Terre Alte is in its youth, it is often stunning when it reaches five to seven years of age, with many examples aging well for more than 10-15 years, retaining their freshness and power.
I’ve tasted various vintages of Terre Alte since the early 1980s and have always been quite impressed, even in so-called lesser years such as 2011 and 2017. Yet I have not enjoyed a version of this wine as much as the 2019. My review from the Winter issue of Italian Wine Report is posted below – I don’t need to say much more.
Do what you can to locate a few bottles (one to taste now, the others for down the road), as the 2019 Terre Alte is a must-have for anyone who loves the world’s greatest white wines.
Terre Alte 2019 (Rosazzo DOCG)
A blend of Friulano, Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon. Brilliant yellow of medium intensity; aromas of guava, orange blossom and lemon peel. Medium-full with excellent concentration. Perfectly ripe fruit, lively acidity, outstanding persistence, excellent harmony; with subdued wood notes (only the Friulano receives wood treatment). Lengthy, fruit-driven finish with notes of papaya, Meyer lemon and grapefruit. Beautifully realized, this has impressive structure and will hold for at least 10-12 years, probably longer; at present, it is absolutely delicious! (96)
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learnitalianwines - by tom hyland 