The Serafino Rivella winery, now led by Teobaldo Rivella, stands atop the Montestefano hill in the municipality of Barbaresco. Since 1967, Teobaldo has been producing authentic wines, crafted with respect for nature following organic winemaking philosophy without chemical interventions in the vineyard. His Barbaresco Montestefano is considered one of the finest of the appellation, a true must for every enthusiast of great wines.

History, passion and humility, Teobaldo and Maria Rivella are an example to all Langhe winemakers, both young and old, and their Barbaresco Montestefano a paradigm of elegance for this appellation.

Serafino Rivella is Teobaldo’s grandfather, one of the first to plant and cultivate grapes here in Montestefano, a small Barbaresco cru. “I cultivate the vineyards my father left me; he produced and sold wine in bulk to others, my grandfather Serafino did the same before him. In the cellar, a few steel tanks for must fermentation and a handful of large oak casks where the Barbaresco ages. We produce just over 8,000 bottles of Barbaresco sourced entirely from the Montestefano cru.”

BARBARESCO MONTESTEFANO

BARBARESCO MONTESTEFANO Rivella Serafino 2022. The Barbaresco Montestefano from Serafino Rivella is a prestigious Piedmontese wine crafted using traditional methods that Teobaldo Rivella, the current owner of the winery, learned from his grandfather Serafino. He and his wife are the only ones who tend to the vineyard work and vinification of this great natural wine. The winery sits atop the eponymous Montestefano cru in the municipality of Barbaresco, a very steep, almost circular hill with predominantly southern exposure.

The Barbaresco Montestefano is made from pure Nebbiolo grapes from the two hectares that Teobaldo Rivella owns in the eponymous Montestefano cru. In the vineyard, all operations are manual and no pesticides, herbicides or fungicides are used, only natural elements such as copper and sulfur. The wine is made according to tradition: four weeks of maceration and spontaneous fermentation followed by 2 years aging in large Slavonian oak casks and another year in bottle.

Tasting Notes

The Barbaresco Montestefano 2021 Serafino Rivella presents itself in the glass with a beautiful dark garnet color. On the nose it is intense and highly complex with the typical aromas of Nebbiolo: red berries, spices, violet, tobacco and leather. On the palate it is a Barbaresco that honors tradition, austere and profound, with balanced tannins well integrated into the body, long finish with excellent sapidity.

The Barbaresco Montestefano as interpreted by Teobaldo Rivella is undoubtedly one of the finest expressions of this great Piedmontese red, crafted using natural methods as Langhe tradition demands.

Vinification

Four weeks of maceration and spontaneous fermentation followed by 2 years aging in large Slavonian oak casks and another year in bottle.