2014 Barbaresco Montestefano Riserva Produttori del Barbares

This first-rate Barbaresco cooperative has released a superb set of Riservas, and this is among the very best. It's dense and solid on the nose, infused with cherry and raspberry fruit. Suave and full-bodied, it shows impressive weight and depth, with ripe tannins that contribute texture. The finish is spicy, displaying drive, finesse and length. Excellent balance and ageing potential.

This is visibly the darkest in color and concentration of this series of wines from the well-known Produttori del Barbaresco cooperative. The 2014 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano offers round and supple fruit with dark cherry, blackberry and some easy spice. Once again, the wine is a bit flatter than I had hoped, lacking that extra level of snappy freshness. 2022 - 2048.

One of the many highlights in this range, the Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is superb. A big enrobing wine, the Montestefano wraps around the palate with stunning depth. Today, the Montestefano is utterly embryonic, and yet it exudes depth, resonance and pure class. The Montestefano is one of the more complete wines in the range because of the way it deftly balances fruit intensity and structure. Readers will have to be patient, though. 2022 - 2044.