PRODUTTORI DEL BARBARESCO Riserva Montestefano Barbaresco 2021

Riserva Montestefano Barbaresco 2021

It was already known in the late 19th century that Nebbiolo in the Barbaresco area had very different characteristics from other regions of Piedmont.

For this reason, the then headmaster of the Royal School of Oenology in Alba, Domizio Cavazza, decided to bring together several winegrowers and producers to establish a cooperative winery that could produce a distinctive wine.

It was precisely in 1894, the year in which the “Cantine Sociali di Barbaresco” were created, for the “production of luxury and table wines”. Initially composed of nine winegrowers, the cooperative began vinification. The cellars belonging to the estate of headmaster Domizio Cavazza himself were utilized. He, in agreement with the other members, chose to give the wine the same name as the village: Barbaresco.

The winery remained under Cavazza’s guidance until 1913, the year the headmaster passed away. Subsequently, the cooperative, after another seven years of activity, had to close in 1920, during the Fascist era. After the post-war period, however, it was the parish priest of Barbaresco, Don Fiorino Marengo, who in 1958 decided to take up the reins of the project initiated by Cavazza. Thus the village’s cooperative winery was re-established under the name “Produttori del Barbaresco”. About twenty winegrowers came together who, convinced of the quality of the Nebbiolo from their vineyards, chose to unite “for the qualification and guarantee of Barbaresco”.

From then until today, “Produttori del Barbaresco” has experienced years of great success, currently counts over fifty contributing members, and has approximately one hundred hectares of vineyards, exclusively planted with Nebbiolo.
Thanks to the constant dedication of all the winegrowers belonging to the cooperative, “Produttori del Barbaresco” has not only long been considered among the most prestigious wineries in the Piedmontese Langhe territory, but is even often cited as an example of one of the finest cooperatives in the entire world.

2021 Vintage

2021 VINTAGE

The 2021 vintage began with a mild winter, albeit rich in precipitation including snow, which ensured excellent water reserves that proved essential for the continuation of the growing season.
March recorded rather mild temperatures with vegetative growth beginning regularly towards the end of the month. April instead brought a return of colder temperatures with intense cold in the early morning hours. Nebbiolo, an early-developing variety and therefore potentially more exposed, did not however suffer significantly from the temperature drop, with frost damage being mild and limited to vineyards located at lower altitudes. The month of May also recorded rather cool temperatures, below seasonal averages. The result was a moderate production load, estimated at -10% compared to 2020.

With June began a long period of fine weather that continued throughout the summer with temperatures in line with seasonal averages and without excess, especially during nighttime hours. Only in the second and third weeks of August did daily highs reach 35°C while by the end of the month highs returned below 30°C. The dry climate continued throughout September, with only one brief storm on 16/9, and in the second half of the month nights began to be cooler, an ideal situation for Nebbiolo grape ripening. At the beginning of October, the Nebbiolo clusters were healthy, with optimal phenological ripeness, aided by the significant temperature variations of the second half of September and October.

The harvest in Barbaresco began on October 6th and continued until the 18th of the month with mild and dry weather. From a quantitative standpoint, the crop load was optimal and well balanced, with berries visually smaller than last year. These factors led to a very rich polyphenolic content, essential for producing structured and balanced wines, destined to last over time.

In conclusion, we can say that we harvested grapes of great quality that will certainly produce important, complex and pleasant wines, endowed with good structure and longevity. An excellent vintage in every respect.

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