The Alpinist

Teroldego: A wine from the mountains, for the mountains.

Teroldego is a lesser-known, dark-skinned grape hailing from the mountainous Trentino-Alto Adige region of northern Italy that reportedly dates back to the 1400s. Native to the area’s alpine climate, Teroldego is known to mature early and withstand cool temperatures—ergo, it’s an ideal specimen for Colorado, where our harsh winters and high elevations make grape-growing a test of ingenuity.

“We in the wine industry are always looking for new varietals that can not only thrive in our unique climate, but also exhibit a hardiness that can stand up to whatever Mother Nature throws at us,” says Kevin Webber, CEO of Littleton’s Carboy Winery, one of the state’s first wineries to experiment with Teroldego fruit. “Colorado is a state built on innovation [and] Teroldego is innovative in its own right. It’s a bit of an esoteric grape and yet it’s very approachable, exhibiting a great depth of flavor with lively acidity.” The Carboy team recently took home a double gold medal at the 2021 Governor’s Cup competition with its 2019 Teroldego. Continues Webber: “Marketing this new alpine varietal in a state known and widely visited for its alpine playground is a slam dunk, in my opinion.”