This looks like a winner even before it is tasted, with quite deep pigmentation very expressive aromas with fruit and woodspice nicely integrated. Medium-bodied at a minimum, it shows fully ripe fruit but also very refreshing acidity that lifts the flavors and makes it seem lighter than it would otherwise. Moreover, the intensity of the blackberry fruit is brightened by very energetic acidity, giving this a lot of linear drive, and truly recalling renditions from Trentino in northeastern Italy, which is essentially home turf for Teroldego. One can’t taste this without wishing that other American vintners would also plant this to see what it can do in their region.
Jeff Runquist Wines, Jahant District, Lodi (California) Teroldego 2022
By Michael Franz