96-Point Editors' Choice Barbaresco from exceptional sites
- 96 pts Wine Enthusiast96 pts WE
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2019 Castello di Neive Barbaresco Piedmont 750 ml
- Curated by unrivaled experts
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- Temperature controlled shipping options
- Get credited back if a wine fails to impress
A Tapestry of Top Barbaresco Crus
Single-vineyard wines from Barbaresco’s best crus are truly phenomenal, yet Castello di Neive’s 2019 Barbaresco presents a mic-drop argument for traditionally made blends. Complex and elegantly structured, it’s a 96-point tapestry of some of Barbaresco’s most esteemed terroir.
From their perch in a centuries-old hilltop castle, the Stupino family crafted this bottle from a murderer’s row of sources. That includes Santo Stefano—a cru Decanter called “one of the greatest vineyard sites of Italy”—Gallina, which they called an “outstanding premier cru,” plus the well-respected Messoriano and Valtota.
Assembled with astounding attention to detail, this full-bodied bottle landed among Wine Enthusiast’s top-scoring Barbarescos of the vintage. It punches the gas from the cork-pull, bursting with powerful aromas of crushed cranberry, orange peel, dried leaves, and truffle. Seamlessly integrated tannins and acid balance green strawberry, crushed earth, and florals, culminating in a peppery finish with spice and savory herbs.
The eponymous “castello” is an 18th-century hilltop castle with expansive cellars and surrounding vineyards. The Stupino family purchased the property in 1964, and over the years, they’ve accumulated a patchwork of vineyards in some of Barbaresco’s most important crus, which they still vinify in those same—albeit renovated—cellars.
2019 brought a wet spring followed by a warm, dry summer with diurnal temperature swings that negotiated the Nebbiolo’s balance of bold fruit and acidity. Castello di Neive aged that Nebbiolo for two years in French oak barrels and stainless steel to round out its fine-grained tannins, then at least another six months in bottle. Now, it’s a detailed and graceful bottle that showcases the exceptional merit of top Barbaresco vineyards.