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Serafino Rivella, Barbaresco Montestefano, 2020

Red Wine from Piedmont, Italy
by Serafino Rivella
$119.99
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From the heart of Barbaresco, Serafino Rivella’s 2020 Barbaresco Montestefano is a stunning example of Nebbiolo’s potential in this iconic Piedmontese terroir. The Montestefano vineyard, renowned for its exposed, well-drained soils, produces wines of great structure and complexity. Rivella’s meticulous approach to viticulture and winemaking results in a wine that beautifully captures the essence of this revered site.

The 2020 vintage offers a powerful expression of Nebbiolo, with layers of ripe red fruit—cherry and raspberry—complemented by earthy undertones and subtle notes of dried flowers and spice. The tannins are firm and structured, providing the backbone needed for aging while still feeling refined and well-integrated. The wine’s bright acidity ensures that it remains fresh, making it a wine that will continue to evolve and deepen with time.

This Barbaresco is perfect for pairing with rich, flavorful dishes like braised meats, truffle pasta, or aged cheeses. For those who appreciate the power and grace of Nebbiolo, Serafino Rivella’s 2020 Barbaresco Montestefano offers a beautiful opportunity to experience Barbaresco in its most elegant, structured form. It’s a wine that promises both immediate enjoyment and long-term potential.

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Antonio Galloni

94 points

"The 2020 Barbaresco Montestefano is gorgeous. Sweet scents of pipe tobacco, spice, dried herbs, mint, leather and crushed autumn leaves all grace this exquisite, super-classic Barbaresco. The 2020 offers a beguiling mix of the slightly oxidative character that is typical here with bright Nebbiolo acids that add a counterpoint. The 2020 can be enjoyed now with aeration. A bottle tasted that had been opened 24 hours in advance was nicely softened, while a freshly opened bottle showed a bit more nervous energy. The overall flavor profile was pretty similar." —Antonio Galloni

More about Serafino Rivella

Teobaldo Rivella is a Barbaresco cult figure, making tiny amounts of wine from 100% of his grapes at Montestefano Cru. Long macerations, neutral oak, limestone-rich soils—if you've never tasted Barbaresco this elegant and mineral-driven, this is your introduction.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Nebbiolo

  • Vintage

    2020

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Organic

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Full Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

What Polaner Selections has to say about this wine:

VineyardSourced from the Montestefano Cru in the commune of Barbaresco.SoilThe soil is almost one solid meter of limestone with veined tufo beneath.ViticultureOld vines - were planted in 1963. Hand harvested. Practicing organic.VinificationTraditional fermentation followed by submerged cap maceration.AgingAged 34 months in neutral botti followed by six months in the bottle.

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Grilled lamb chops, aged prosciutto, mushroom risotto, roasted chicken, herb-crusted beef

Tasting Profile

Elegant Barbaresco with red cherry, rose, and mineral notes; silky tannins, balanced acidity, and a long, refined, savory finish.

Cantina Serafino Rivella consists of a husband and wife, Toebaldo and Maria Rivella, and that’s it. When they step into the garden behind their house they find themselves in one of the greatest places on earth for the Nebbiolo grape: Montestefano, in Barbaresco.

Teobaldo’s father planted this vineyard in this cru in 1963, and they have been making Barbaresco from it ever since. Aside from a little Dolcetto, it’s all they’ve ever made.

The winemaking is so unchanged that Galloni offers them as a link to Piedmont’s history. Others have described Rivella as the Bartolo Mascarello of Barbaresco. But with hardly any wine to offer, they’ve stayed under the radar.

Montestefano is known for its dark and brooding wines. It faces south and has more calcium in its soils thany any other Barbaresco cru. It is the cru that can most easily be mistaken for Barolo.

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