Foradori

Its sad to think that the lips of most of the worlds wine lovers will never touch Terlodego, because the vines of that name thrives almost exclusively within the limited confines of the gravelly Rotaliano plain in the Alpine province of Trentino. Even there, Teroldego performs in disparate ways, making wine that on the one hand may be youthfully ruby or even prettily pink and on the other hand dark, deep and dense with a capacity to age in a wonderfully unique way. Among commendable producers of Teroldego, the leader is the family estate of Foradori. Gabriella Foradori ran that winery for years after the death of her husband Roberto. Then daughter Elisabetta took command after graduating from the wine school at nearby San Michele all’Adige. Elisabetta collaborated for a time with her former husband, a professor of enology who influenced her concepts of winemaking. But she is now busily on her own. When she dressed up, Elisabetta displays the svelte elegance of a fashion model, though she seems more at east in grape-stained work clothes and boots tramping around vineyards and cellars doing things in her own enlightened way. She has drastecilly reduced grape yields to far below maximum levels permitted by law, a policy that has made Granta a Teroldego of uncommon depth and concentration. Her regular Teroldego Rotaliano DOC is ready in the spring after harvest as a opulent red of seductive aromas and supple fruit flavors. The protagonist is Granato, names by Elisabetta for the pomegranate, whose rich and concentrated ripe fruit has elements in common with the bouquet and flavors of the wine. Formerly and IGT, Granato became Teroldego Rotaliano DOC with the great 1997 vintage. From 15 hectares, Foradori makes about 220,000 bottles a year, mainly Teroldego, but also three original wines that qualify under IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti: white Myrto (chardonnay, pinot bianco, and sauvignon) and red ailanpa (based on Syrah) and Karanar (Cabernet and Syrah and others).