Foradori Teroldego 2022

This 100% Teroldego mixes rich dark fruits with earth tones, leather and spice to create a truly inviting bouquet. This is soft-textured and round with juicy acidity and masses of mineral-tinged wild berry fruits that cascade throughout. It finishes wildly fresh yet still long and potent, leaving the mouth watering as hints of wild blueberry slowly fade. The 2022 is completely open for business yet with a balance that will carry it for the next three to five years in the cellar.  

Referred to simply as "Foradori" by the Foradori when speaking of their various wines, this is the estate's core red: first bottled by Elisabetta's parents back in 1960 and their largest production today. It comes from nine hectares of estate vines, planted from 1956 to 2005 on the flat, sunny, well-drained Camp Rotaliano plateau right around the winery. The soils are a range of alluvial sand and gravel and feature Dolomitic limestone. Older vines are trained traditionally in pergola; younger vines are trained on wires in guyot. The farming is certified-biodynamic. There are 15 separate parcels, all hand-harvested and vinified separately. The bunches are partly destemmed and partly left intact, depending on the vintage; the uncrushed berries and the whole clusters are layered in cement tanks, where they ferment spontaneously with indigenous yeasts and no sulfur. The wine is aged for around a year in well-worn, 20-40-hectoliter botti and bottled without fining or filtration and with a small dose of sulfur.

Azienda Agricola Foradori, located in the northern Italian region of Alto Adige, is one of the country's most respected and renowned wineries, with a deep-rooted history in producing indigenous grape varieties, particularly Teroldego. The estate was founded in 1901, but its modern legacy began when Elisabetta Foradori took over in 1984 following her father's passing. At 19 years old, she embarked on a mission to revitalize the family estate, modernize its practices, and elevate its wines, bringing them to international recognition.

Elisabetta is celebrated for her pioneering work with the Teroldego grape, an indigenous variety that was largely overlooked at the time. She recognized its potential and devoted herself to refining its expression through organic and biodynamic farming, eventually becoming a symbol of this renaissance. Over the years, she has become a prominent voice for biodynamics, leading by example through her commitment to farming with respect for the land, biodiversity, and long-term sustainability.

A significant milestone came in the early 2000s when the Foradori estate officially converted to biodynamic farming. This transition was more than a change in agricultural techniques; it was a philosophical shift toward creating wines deeply connected to their terroir, which expresses the land's natural cycles. Elisabetta's focus on biodiversity, soil health, and minimal intervention in the vineyard and the cellar reflects her dedication to crafting wines with integrity and a sense of place.