Sauvignon Bianco

Oberkerschbaum – the upper cherry orchard. The name encapsulates the everyday nature of mountain life: a farmstead named after the trees that lined its perimeter. What sets this plot apart from the ordinary, however, is its location. The vineyard is situated in Pochi di Salorno, in the Buchholz UGA, on the southernmost border of South Tyrol – where the province meets Trentino. At an altitude of 770 to 800 metres, facing south-west, on purely volcanic porphyry without any limestone content. No other Vigna vineyard belonging to the estate lies at such a high altitude; none has such consistently volcanic geology. The Sauvignon Bianco thrives here under extreme yet precise conditions: an exceptional amount of sunshine, amplified by the altitude; cool nights that slow down ripening and preserve freshness; and soil that transfers the volcano's minerality directly into the grapes. The "Vigna" classification, first introduced for Alto Adige by Paolo Foradori, denotes a plot that is in a class of its own. The "Riserva" designation of the 2023 vintage confirms the extended ageing process.

Sauvignon Bianco Rachtl comes from a small micro-location of just 0.4 hectares. It gets its fine flint and graphite nose from the porphyry soils near Unteraicha in the municipality of Völs. Very subtle on the palate with fine saline acidity, fresh fruit and a long-lasting finish. If you can call one of the 2,000 bottles of this vintage your own, you can count yourself lucky! SUPERIORE.DE

Ornellaia has always sought more. More depth in its red wine, more expression of the terroir, more precision in its selection. But at some point, the question arose: what if all this were translated into a white wine? A white wine from Bolgheri, that coastal region which taught the world that Tuscany is more than just Sangiovese? Ornellaia Bianco is the answer. "Italy's most ambitious white wine", according to the estate itself. No modest claim. Sauvignon Blanc, exclusively. Three small plots in Bellaria, north-facing – an unusual choice in a Mediterranean climate. The cool aspect protects the aromas, prolongs ripening and preserves the freshness that distinguishes a great white wine from a merely pleasant one. Sandy loam soils on limestone, 130 metres above sea level. 13 hectares of white wine in a winery that focuses on 80 hectares of red.

Beneath the village of Terlan, on the slopes of the Adige Valley, lies a geological mystery: a subvolcanic rock formation whose composition and character differ from anything else known in the world of wine. The porphyry forms the foundation – volcanic, millions of years old, interspersed with fine quartz inclusions. The soils that result are sandy-loam, slightly acidic, free of lime and low in nutrients. Highly permeable, they naturally limit yields. A soil that puts the vines under stress – and thereby forces them to reach deeper, to become more concentrated and more mineral. Since 1893, 143 members of the Cantina Terlan have been cultivating these slopes. What they produce here is unique in the world of wine: white wines that stand the test of decades, whose longevity is reminiscent of the Grands Crus of the Côte d’Or. Cellar master Rudi Kofler named the ‘Quarz’ after the rock to which he owes everything. ‘As delicate as the fine quartz inclusions in Terlan porphyry – that is our Sauvignon.” Delicate texture. Depth. A salty finish.

Sauvignon Bianco Rachtl comes from a small micro-location of just 0.4 hectares. It gets its fine flint and graphite nose from the porphyry soils near Unteraicha in the municipality of Völs. Very subtle on the palate with fine saline acidity, fresh fruit and a long-lasting finish. If you can call one of the 2,000 bottles of this vintage your own, you can count yourself lucky! SUPERIORE.DE

Ornellaia has always sought more. More depth in its red wine, more expression of the terroir, more precision in its selection. But at some point, the question arose: what if all this were translated into a white wine? A white wine from Bolgheri, that coastal region which taught the world that Tuscany is more than just Sangiovese? Ornellaia Bianco is the answer. "Italy's most ambitious white wine", according to the estate itself. No modest claim. Sauvignon Blanc, exclusively. Three small plots in Bellaria, north-facing – an unusual choice in a Mediterranean climate. The cool aspect protects the aromas, prolongs ripening and preserves the freshness that distinguishes a great white wine from a merely pleasant one. Sandy loam soils on limestone, 130 metres above sea level. 13 hectares of white wine in a winery that focuses on 80 hectares of red.

From the 2020 vintage, Ornellaia Bianco is a single-varietal Sauvignon Bianco from three selected, small vineyards at Tenuta dell'Ornellaia. It ferments on the lees for 10 months, which gives it freshness, precision and a fine citrus flavour. Delicate golden yellow colour. A cornucopia of light-coloured fruit on the nose, with wonderful mint and citrus notes. Complex, lush and multi-layered on the palate. One of Italy's great white wines, in the style of the house. SUPERIORE.DE

Fragrant and fresh on the nose with beautiful concentration and complexity. Summery aromas of stone fruit, ripe peach, jasmine and a hint of fragrant beeswax. The racy, slender mouthfeel has a certain density and reveals an elegant hint of gravel and chalk and flavours of white almonds on the finish. Everything is already in its place here today, but it will become even more complex with further bottle ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

Ornellaia has always sought more. More depth in its red wine, more expression of the terroir, more precision in its selection. But at some point, the question arose: what if all this were translated into a white wine? A white wine from Bolgheri, that coastal region which taught the world that Tuscany is more than just Sangiovese? Ornellaia Bianco is the answer. "Italy's most ambitious white wine", according to the estate itself. No modest claim. Sauvignon Blanc, exclusively. Three small plots in Bellaria, north-facing – an unusual choice in a Mediterranean climate. The cool aspect protects the aromas, prolongs ripening and preserves the freshness that distinguishes a great white wine from a merely pleasant one. Sandy loam soils on limestone, 130 metres above sea level. 13 hectares of white wine in a winery that focuses on 80 hectares of red.