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 Producer:
Le
Terrazze
Region: Le
Marche
DOC(G):
Le
Marche IGT
About the Producer:
The Terni family
staked its name on the quality of their wines over a century ago,
when they established this estate on 150 hectares of land near
the small fishing town of Numana, on hills overlooking the sea.
Here the vineyard is situated in the
ideal microclimate for growing grapes. In the summer months the
vines are fanned by the evening breezes from the Adriatic while
the winter bite is contained by the slopes of Monte Conero, which
shelters the area from the icy, northern winds. It is in this area
that the premium red of Le Marche, Rosso Conero, is at its best.
Le Terrazze is currently run by Antonio Terni, grandson of the
man who first planted it in 1882. Far from being a typical Italian
winemaker, he is an Argentinian-born Jew who worked as a nuclear
engineer before deciding to take over the family wine business. In the early eighties,
Antonio took Le Terrazze in a new direction by completely renovating
the property and hiring the likes of Attilio
Pagli and Leonardo Valenti. Together they experimented with blends
that included noble varietals such as Merlot and Syrah. In combination
with Terni's signature dense Montepulciano, the team is able to
produce some of Le Marche's most sought IGT wines. In the meantime,
Terni is also pushing for a DOCG designation for the Conero zone
that would limit blending with Sangiovese.
Terni is Le Marche's most celebrated producer of quality Italian red
wine, most notably the classic Montepulciano-based Rosso Conero and
the super-Marchigiano blend of Montepulciano/Merlot/Syrah labelled
"Chaos" (an IWM favorite). Consistently breaking new ground,
Antonio looked to create a spiritual wine that paid homage to his
childhood hero. In 1997, Terni released the vintage driven Rosso Conero
"Visions of J.," titled after the Bob Dylan song. The wine
went on to win critical acclaim, capturing the coveted Tre Bicchieri
award and attracting the legendary songwriter after Terni sent a few
bottles backstage at a European concert. One taste and Dylan requested
to be part of Terni's next effort, "Planet Waves." The name
is taken from Bob Dylan’s 1974 album of the same title. The
maverick winemaker does not compromise quality for celebrity status;
Terni creates the wine and Dylan endorses it. The limited production
of high quality fruit yielded just over 400 cases of this new wine,
a testament to Terni's commitment to quality.
To understand these wines, it is important to understand Antonio Terni's
commitment to quality. The dynamic producer has brought much acclaim
to the historically underrated reds of Le Marche with the production
of his reserve Rosso Conero and powerhouse blends. This can be attributed
to more than a century of Terni winemaking and a dedication to cultivating
the Montepulciano grape (not to be confused with the noted Tuscan
wine area). The grape was, in fact, borrowed from the neighboring
Abruzzo; however, it is in Le Marche, under the guidance of Terni,
that it reaches its full expression.
Featured Wine(s):
Le
Terrazze "Planet Waves"
Le Terrazze "Visions of J."
Le Terrazze "Chaos"
Le Terrazze Rosso Conero
Le Terrazze "Sassi Neri"
To purchase these wines, call our Portfolio
Managers at 212.473.2323.
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