SOUTHERN / AMERICAN / PACIFIC WINE & SPIRITS® Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva – 6045274374303

About the wine:
Grape variety: 100% Nebbiolo
Vineyard size: 4.5 hectares (11 acres)
Vineyard exposure: south
Soil: calcareous limestone
Vinification: fermentation at 30°C (85°F), 28 days of skin contact time, malolactic completed
Ageing: 36 months in large oak barrels and 12 months in bottles
Bottling date: april 2017
Total production: 17,104 bottles and 1,448 magnums
Vintage: medium body vintage with intense spicy fruit, tight, powerful tannins and long finish
Vineyard character: full bodied wines with dark and ripe fruit, thick on the palate, firm tannic finish
Longevity: 20 years from the vintage
Vineyard owners: Gonella, Maffei, Marcarino, Rivella, Rocca, Vacca
Food matches: fresh egg-pasta dishes, risotto, white and red meat, game, venaison, cheeses

94 Points – Wine Enthusiast Magazine:
“Balsamic aromas of camphor mingle with mature dark-skinned berry, leather, licorice and vanilla on this structured red. The full-bodied palate reflects the nose, delivering raspberry compote, star anise, crushed mint and hazelnut alongside firm, fine-grained tannins. Drink after 2023. Kerin O’Keefe” – (1/1/2020)

94 Points – Vinous:
“The 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano rounds out this series of wines from Produttori del Barbaresco. Ample and resonant on the palate, the Montestefano shows all the natural breadth that is so typical of this site. On the palate, the Montestefano is rich and explosive, with tremendous depth and fabulous overall balance. Dark cherry, plum, espresso, licorice and spice build into the dark, sumptuous finish.” Antonio Galloni – (Feb 2020)

94 Points – Wine Spectator Magazine:
“This is supple and expressive, featuring strawberry, cherry, floral and freshly cut hay flavors on an elegant frame, undergirded by a stiff backbone of tannins, with racy acidity and a finish that melds the ripe fruity component with the structure. Tar, tobacco and licorice accents linger. Best from 2023 through 2045. 1,336 cases made, 275 cases imported.” – BS (September 2, 2020)

94 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate:
“This is the last wine I tasted in this group of nine from Produttori del Barbaresco. The reason I placed the 2015 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano last is because it is usually considered to be the most powerful and determined in the flight. However, when you really get down to it, this vintage is more tight, streamlined and ethereal than expected. It is saving the best for later, and indeed, the wine is poised to evolve and open fully many years from now. There is a note of shyness here or restraint. Exactly 16,036 bottles were made, and this Riserva demands patience.” – Monica Larner (23rd Jul 2020)