La Contessa DOC 2024

Wine Description for La Contessa DOC 2024 from Manincor

Colour & Appearance

Pale straw yellow with luminous greenish reflections – a wine that signals its youthful freshness and vitality in the glass.

Nose

Here the full complexity of a successful Terlano cuvée reveals itself: the aromatic profile oscillates elegantly between yellow and green. Green mango, chilled pineapple and bergamot zest meet white peach and lychee. Particularly appealing is the pronounced herbal layer with lemon balm, lemon thyme and chervil, lending the wine a South Alpine spiciness. Subtle notes of freshly chopped almonds and a hint of yeast cake testify to the nine-month maturation on fine lees. The wood is present but never dominant – a sign of ageing potential.

Palate

Grippy and lively with pronounced yet perfectly integrated acidity. The fruit appears more focused and greener on the palate: nashi pear, lime and bergamot dominate. A light phenolic structure gives the wine backbone without weighing it down. With 6 g/l acidity and only 1.2 g/l residual sugar, La Contessa 2024 shows itself taut and precise, almost stony in mouthfeel. The 13% alcohol is perfectly integrated – an energetic, vital wine with impressive balance.

Finish

Clear, invigorating and refreshingly long. The acidity carries far, mineral notes linger.

Terroir & Origin

The grapes come mainly from the west-facing sites at Ansitz Lieben Aich near Terlan (300 m) on sandy, well-drained weathered porphyry soils. A third comes from the cooler, east-facing Campan site at Lake Caldaro (500 m) with clayey, calcareous soils and glacial deposits – an ideal combination for complexity and freshness.

Grape Variety & Vinification

The cuvée consists of 53% Pinot Blanc, 29% Chardonnay and 18% Sauvignon Blanc. After complete destemming and six hours of skin contact, fermentation takes place in large wooden barrels, followed by nine months of maturation on fine lees. Biodynamic cultivation, hand-harvested from late September to mid-October, moderate 55 hl/ha yield.

Food Pairing Suggestions

This wine calls for sophisticated cuisine: scallops with lemongrass, pan-fried turbot with herb butter, risotto with asparagus and Parmesan or veal escalope with lemon. Also recommended with mature mountain cheese.

Special Features

The challenging 2024 vintage with its wet spring and hot late summer has produced a wine with moderate alcohol and lively acidity. A classic Terlano with development potential that already convinces through precision and energy.