Terlato Family Vineyards

Anthony Terlato, the visionary who introduced America first to Sicilian wines (remember Corvo?), then to the Alto Adige via Santa Margherita, and most recently to Moschofilero, the pretty, aromatic Greek white, was shy about putting his own name on the bottle. All that changed, however, once he saw it in front of him. Now, according to senior winemaker Doug Fletcher, “there’s no stopping him.”

So far the label has five wines, all terroir driven. Pinot Grigio was a natural, and Chardonnay, Syrah, and two Bordeaux blends were inspired by blue chip regions and wines of France.

This restrained, elegant Chardonnay, while perhaps not as brilliant as its role model Chevalier Montrachet, and not nearly as pricey at $24, is clean, bright, straw yellow, and viscous with aromas of bosc pear, golden delicious apple, butter, vanilla, and toast. It is medium bodied with clean, fresh apple and pear fruit flavors. Juicy and bright with moderate oak and alcohol, the wine does have a decadent drop of butterscotch at the center and a long butterscotch, pineapple finish. 2492 cases were produced at the company’s Alderbrook Winery in Dry Creek Valley.

Reviewed May 3, 2007 by Catherine Fallis.