2005 Foradori Teroldego Rotaliano

Foradori is run by Elisabetta Foradori. Italian wine cognoscenti consider her the doyenne of Trentino, a legendary winemaker whose magical mix of taste, philosophy and scrupulous viticulture has raised the profile of Trentino’s indigenous grapes. Foradori is in the foothills of the Dolomites just under Italy’s border with Austria. The 58-acre estate was founded in the first years of the 20th century and Elisabetta is the fourth generation of her family to run it. She took over in 1984 and started championing the Teroldego grape, an ancient variety primarily grown in Trentino. Teroldego makes dark purple/red wines that are fruity, softly tannic and, some reviewers say, slightly “wild” tasting. Foradori’s reds are made of Teroldego, and her flagship Granato comes from 10 prime acres of Teroldego. Granato means “garnet,” a reflection of its deep color, and it is aged 15 months in wood. Foradori makes a total of 160,000 bottles a year, including several reds and two whites, and the estate is biodynamically certified. Gambero Rosso, Italy’s leading wine journal, invariably awards Granato with its highest rating of three glasses. Gambero Rosso has written that Foradori’s wines “exhibit nonpareil quality and shine on the international stage…The Granato (is a) rich, yet never pompous wine, with polished tannins and a sober, gentle acidic vein….”