Drink: 2031–2041
99 Points Kerin O'Keefe
For the last few vintages, the Produttori del Barbaresco Montefico Riserva has been even more structured than the firm’s Montestefano, and the 2021 continues this trend. It’s also incredibly fragrant, delivering scents of camphor, new leather, blood orange, hazelnut and spice while the youthfully nervous palate delivers raspberry, black cherry, star anise, truffle and nutmeg alongside brooding tannins. This has the structure and tannic backbone of a Barolo.
97 Points Vinous
The 2021 Barbaresco Riserva Montefico is a tense, vibrant wine. Whereas in most vintages the Montefico can be a touch austere, the 2021 has plenty of energy, but also the textural depth to pull it all together. In that sense, the Montefico is a terrific example of the vintage here. Its concentration and persistence are the stuff dreams are made of. Hints of sage, graphite, chalk and mint explode on the back end.
96 Points James Suckling
Spicy and aromatic, this is full of wild herbs and strawberries, licorice and mint. Fully focused on freshness yet restrained, showing balsamic and figs. Full-bodied, silky to velvety on the palate due to superripe tannins, with crisp acidity and a tight yet chiseled structure in the finish. Long and warming. March 2026 release. Drink or hold.
Winemaker Notes
Ruby red. Bouquet is spicy and intense with notes of red fruits. Full-bodied with a solid structure, intense minerality and slow-maturing tannins.
Montefico Vineyard - "The Academic"
A not widely known vineyard, yet highly sought after by the Barbaresco aficionados.
It is often compared to the slightly larger and more famous Montestefano vineyard because of the similar soil (high calcium) and close proximity between the two. It lays half way between the Montestefano and the Ovello. Exposure is full South, therefore quite warm, but it is not unusual for Montefico to have brisk morning hours during the growing season because of the cooler northern wind that occasionally funnels in from the Tanaro River and into the narrow valley between the villages of Barbaresco and Neive. Austere when young and somehow less fleshy than Montestefano, it shows a beautiful mineral finish. It produces wines with the breed of any classic Barbaresco and with incredible complexity behind the tannins. First vintage released was 1970.
