Nose
This cuvée has a multifaceted structure with a hint of herbs and spices, including aniseed, mint and sage, as well as nuances of fruit aromas, especially apricot, mandarine, honeydew melon, maracuja and passion fruit, all underpinned with salty mineral components.
Palate
On the palate, Nova Domus is complex and delicate, offering a creamy softness in an interesting symbiosis with an aromatic minerality, and has the texture for a very long finish
Growing Conditions
2018 could be defined as "extreme" - from a meteorological point of view - because it was characterized by a snowy winter and a rainy March, conditions that allowed an excellent water supply for the vines. Due to cooler temperatures in early spring, new shoots on the vines appeared in mid-April, later than the previous year. However, the continuation of the season was marked by an almost summery climate, alternating with heavy rainfall, which ensured rapid phenological development of the vines- first inflorescences started blossoming at the end of May.
A hot June ended with a strong hailstorm, causing damage in some of our vineyards. Damage that our producers promptly repaired with great diligence and commitment. The months of July and August were characterized by a great heatwave without precipitation, interrupted by heavy rains in early September. As in 2017, the harvest began on 22 August. Overall, the vintage is satisfactory both in terms of quantity and quality of the wines produced.
- The quartz porphyry bedrock is of volcanic origin.
- The light, sandy-loamy soils are the foundation for naturally limited yields.
- The soils have a 55-60% quartz content and a slightly acidic pH.
- The minerally and distinctive wines are highly prized for their outstanding longevity.
Soil samples taken from three different sites have revealed the presence of a subvolcanic body around Terlano, which differs in composition from the classic volcanic rock. The skeletal sandy loamy soils have a high quartz content. The absence of calcium carbonate explains the slightly acid pH values. These factors result in a high permeability to water, a limited nutrient supply and thus balanced growth with naturally limited yields. Exceptional soil conditions influence the terroir of Terlano, where the vines have developed a specific reaction to micro-stress and produce their own terroir-specific polyphenols, which give the Terlano wines their distinctive character. The result is particularly salty wines with great tension and depth. The special mix of crystals and minerals in the Terlano soils produces white wines whose unique longevity never fails to impress the world’s wine gurus.
The high peaks of the main Alpine chain protect South Tyrol from the Atlantic winds and cold northerlies, while the region benefits from the Mediterranean climate from the south. That explains the pronounced differences between day- and night-time temperatures, which are the key to full maturity and elegant wines.
To the south, a number of mountain massifs like the Adamello also have a protective function. As a result, annual precipitation is only about one-third of the average for the southern Alpine foothills, and the number of hours of sunshine is higher. The climatic conditions are not unlike those to be found in wine-growing areas like the Swiss Canton Valais.
When the sun rises behind the mountains east of Terlano on one of the year’s 300 sunny days, it is already high in the sky as the wine-growing area has a westerly to southwesterly exposure. The lower atmospheric density permits more direct solar irradiation with less diffuse sunlight. That increases the difference between the slopes on the sunny and shady sides of the valley.
Microclimate in Terlano
Continental climate (Cfa Köppen-Geiger)
- Annual sunshine hours: ø 2135
- Maximum temperatures: 38,2 °C
- Average temperatures: 12,9 °C
- Minimum temperatures: -10,7°C
- Annual precipitation: ø 558 mm
- Average global radiation: 150,1 W/m²
Winds:
- North foehn: cool and dry down-slope wind
- Ora: valley wind system from the south, bringing in air from the Po Valley
- Orientation: South - Southwest
- Altitude: Pinot Bianco : 500 - 600 m a.s.l
Chardonnay : 300 - 350 m a.s.l
Sauvignon Blanc : 300 - 350 m a.s.l
Harvest
Yield: 42 hl/ha
Manual harvest and selection of the grapes.
Winemaking
Gentle whole cluster pressing and clarification of the must by natural sedimentation; slow fermentation at a controlled temperature in big oak barrels (30 hl); partial malolactic fermentation (Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay only) and aging on the lees for 12 months in big wooden
barrels; blending three months before bottling.
Appearance
Fresh light yellow with slightly greenish nuances
Food Pairing
Harmonizes very well with caviar and a good pairing with grilled salmon steaks and fried tuna, fiorentina T-bone steaks, saltimbocca alla romana or braised knuckle of veal; also with a parmigiana with aubergines and truffle fonduta.
