Profile

Structure

Bodyfull
Tanninlow
Acidityhigh
Sweetnessdry
Finishlong
Oaknone or neutral

Drinking window

Best 0 to 30 years from release.

release0 yrs30 yrs32 yrs

Critic scores

No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating above is our own.

In the glass

Full-bodiedLow tanninHigh acidityDryLong finish

Aroma: honey, almond, dried apricot, saffron

Palate: aged honeyed fruit, intense saline minerality, preserved citrus, umami

Cantina Terlano's library-release Pinot Bianco: late-disgorged bottlings from vintages typically 15 to 40 years old, released annually in small allocations. The cellar's proof of Pinot Bianco's ageing potential; demonstrating Pinot Bianco's 30-year-plus ageing potential.

What it pairs with

  • Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano with truffle honey The cheese's umami and the honey echo Rarita's mature register; the wine's salinity slices the richness.More wines for truffles →
  • Roast guinea fowl with mushroom sauce Mature white wine pairs naturally with white game; the mushroom's earth echoes the wine's preserved-citrus complexity.More wines for mushrooms and truffles →
  • Salt cod with brandade Mediterranean preserved fish meets the wine's saline depth and lees-driven texture.More wines for cod →

With cheese

Alta Badia Hartkäse Our pick Mila describes an intense hard cheese with milky and toasted notes and a firm yet melting paste. A Pinot Bianco raised on its lees, partly or wholly in large wooden casks, has the depth for that intensity, and its high acidity cuts the fat.

History

Cantina Terlano's Rarita programme began with the realisation that Pinot Bianco fermented and aged on lees could survive decades in the cellar. The cellar bottles vintage-by-vintage selections from oldest tanks, late-disgorges, and releases them in tiny allocations under the Rarita label after typically 10 to 40 years. The 1979 vintage was among the first proof bottles.

  1. 1979First vintages destined for the Rarita library programme
  2. 2015Terlano formalises annual Rarita release schedule with structured allocations

Facts

Producer
Cantina Terlano · visiting guide
Grapes
Pinot Bianco (100%)
Classification
DOC Alto Adige Terlano Pinot Bianco
Oak
Twelve months in large oak barrels then decades of ageing on the lees in steel and finally bottle ageing; library-release programme
ABV
13.0%
Price
EUR 200 to 350 at release
Drinking window
0 to 30 from release
First vintage
1979

Frequently asked about Rarita Pinot Bianco

What does Rarita Pinot Bianco taste like?

Honey, almond, dried apricot and saffron on the nose; aged honeyed fruit, intense saline minerality, preserved citrus and umami on the palate. Full-bodied with high acidity and a near-infinite finish.

What is the Rarita library programme?

Cantina Terlano holds back selections of Pinot Bianco for decades, late-disgorging and releasing them in small allocations after 10-40 years of cellar ageing. Each annual release is from a different historical vintage.

How rare is Rarita?

Allocations are tiny (under 1000 bottles per vintage in many years) and distributed through the cellar mailing list and selected retailers. Older vintages (1980s, 1990s) command secondary-market premiums.

When should I drink Rarita?

Drinking-ready on release; the wine has already aged 10-40 years in cellar. Will hold another 10-15 years post-release. Serve at 12-14C in a wide tulip glass.

Tags

cellar worthy dry full body high acid iconic library release mood contemplative mood elegant occasion celebration occasion cellar occasion gift occasion special old world pairs with aged cheese pairs with mushroom pairs with poultry pairs with white fish pinot bianco price luxury still white

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