Barbaresco

wines

The 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Montefico is a deep red color, and the nose opens to notes of crushed rosemary, darker crushed stones, and black cherries. The palate is rich in sapidity, saturating the senses with ripe tannins, even acidity, and a long finish. It feels like a more profound and compelling wine in the range for this vintage. Bravo. 2027-2047.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDTwo standouts from the 2020 vintage are Montefico and Asili. The Produttori del Barbaresco 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Montefico comes from a site that is distant from the warm air that travels through the Tanaro River Valley and is closed within an amphitheater. This is a beautiful vineyard that looks toward the village of Neive and has active limestone soils. The wine is especially compact in texture and has a distinctly herbal note, with dried rosemary and lavender, that gives it a Mediterranean or botanical feel. The palate delivers a brief moment of softness, but otherwise the wine is structured and rich.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPA complex, beautifully layered wine, the 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Montefico expresses so many of the attributes that make the wines from this vintage and site so intriguing. The bouquet alone is wonderfully complex. Dried herbs, mint, pine, tobacco and cedar open first, leading to a core of chiseled dark-toned fruit. A vertical, structured Barbaresco, the Montefico is superb.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe most closed of the Riservas at this stage, the 2020 Montefico has aromas and flavors recalling red berry, spice, tobacco and forest floor. It’s brooding and youthfully austere, with firm tannins. Showing more aging potential than its siblings, this will also need a little more time. Drink 2027–2035. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOSmooth and fruity, this red delivers cherry, raspberry, floral and mineral aromas and flavors. Firms up on the finish, where a chalky feel kicks in, yet overall this is open and harmonious. Fine length. Best from 2026 through 2040. 1,388 cases made, 350 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is one of the most elegant, polished wines in this range. Bright red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice, mint and cedar are beautifully lifted. The tannins are remarkably polished for a young, recently bottled Riserva. I admire its poise and elegance. This is an especially refined edition of the Montestefano. In 2020, the mix of vineyards is a bit younger than in the past, as one of the blocks of older vineyards was replanted and not used. If I could have only one of the Riservas in 2020, this would be it!Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 2020 Produttori Montestefano Riserva is absolutely gorgeous, boasting aromas of violet, forest floor, red-skinned fruit and new leather. On the palate, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity support raspberry compote, red cherry, white pepper and star anise. This has a slightly more delicate tannic structure compared to previous vintages that’s not only a feature of the vintage but also due to the fact that a parcel of fifty-year-old vines had to be replanted, meaning the average age of the vines for the 2020 vintage is 35-40 years old. Drink 2026–2032. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOA haunting aroma of rose leads off, underscored with raspberry, cherry, white pepper and mineral flavors. This red is elegant and firmly structured, with refined tannins and vibrant acidity driving the resonant finish. The white pepper note returns on the aftertaste. Shows superb balance and length. Best from 2028 through 2045. 1,358 cases made, 350 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSIn this year and at this stage, the 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is not as full as the Montefico, which is the reverse of most years. A deep ruby/red color, it reveals notes of black raspberries, toasted spice, crushed flowers, and sweet earth. The palate is lush and inviting, with a refined and approachable feel. It has a lot more approachability at this stage than you’d expect, with velvety tannins and a long, floating finish. While the palate has less weight, it has an underlying nervous tension, with mouthwatering notes of sanguine, iron-rich mineral accents. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JDNormally, Produttori del Barbaresco President Aldo Vacca puts Montefico, Rabajà, Muncagota and Montestefano at the end of his flight of Riservas. But in this year’s presentation, he put the 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano fourth to last instead of last. This wine is usually the darkest and the most austere in the series. However, the 2020 does not live up to its usual flavor profile. The aromas are quite ripe, even overripe, with prune and raisin. The tannins are soft, leading to a succulent and chewy mouthfeel. My recommendation is to give this wine a shorter drinking window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

Boasting a deep youthful red color and a very complete nose at this early tasting, the 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Rabaja is brooding with dark aromas of ripe cherry, espresso crema, and leather, balanced with brighter highlights of red flowers, dusty earth, and fresh mint. The palate has a good deal of focus on the palate, with ripe and precise acidity, refined tannins, and a long finish. It is an impressive wine that I would encourage readers to seek out. Drink 2025-2050.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is another stellar wine in this range. Dark and explosive, the 2021 possesses notable richness to match its dark, brooding personality. Black cherry, plum, leather, cloves, menthol, licorice and gravel explode onto the palate. The 2020 will require a measure of patience, but it has a ton of potential.Vinous Media | 97 VMShowing great structure and balance, the radiant Rabajà entices with intense aromas of forest berry, underbrush, new leather and dark spice. It’s full-bodied and delicious, delivering succulent Morello cherry, black raspberry and layers of dark spice. Firm tannins grip the finish. Drink 2026–2032. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOIn this vintage, the Rabajà was served last in a series of nine Riservas; that’s because it shows the most structure and power over a very defined and sharp mouthfeel. The Produttori del Barbaresco 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is streamlined and tight and a wine of enormous energy. The fruit is crunchy and tight with cassis and blackberry. A pretty mineral note defines Rabajà, giving it a chalky or powdery sensations on the close.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThere’s breadth and depth to this red; its broad shoulders carry plum, cherry, licorice, tar, mineral and spice flavors, all backed by a layer of dense, dusty tannins. All of the components are in the right place yet need time to integrate. Best from 2028 through 2045. 1,354 cases made, 348 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS