2011 Barbaresco Montestefano Riserva Produttori del Barbares

The 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is the biggest of the bunch. This wine delivers a lasting sense of structure and intensity that is especially apparent as this Barbaresco hits the palate. The bouquet exhibits signs of ripe fruit with soft layers of blackberry preserves and cherry liqueur. The wine's tannic structure is solid and firmly stitched together, yet this wine is slightly softer and perhaps sweeter than the Riserva Muncagota, for example. This is yet another wine destined for long bottle-aging.

The 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is one of the least expressive of these wines. Inward, powerful and explosive, the 2011 is not in a mood to show much today, that is pretty clear. Still, there is an obvious energy here that is impossible to miss. A firm spine of tannin gives the wine much of its signature power. Dark red cherry, smoke, pomegranate and scorched earth blossom on the dramatic finish. A wine of real density and gravitas, the 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano stands out for its pure, unbridled energy and overall intensity.

Ripe and structured, this full-bodied red opens with alluring scents of star anise, dark- skinned berry, underbrush, leather and a balsamic note. On the juicy palate, menthol, licorice and baking spice accent a core of black cherry. Noble tannins provide the framework. Drink 2018- 2023.

This wine seems subdued at first, with a meaty density and powerful, unyielding tannins. After a few hours in the glass, flavors of dark plum and black cherry emerge, gaining momentum as the wine picks up notes of thyme, fennel and black spice. The Montestefano cru's south-facing slope and the high concentration of calcium in its soils contribute to the wine's firm concentration , making it a Barbaresco to hide away for a few years while the tannins soften and the complex herbal and spice flavors come to the fore.