MAGNUM 1.5 Liter Bottle
Drink Window: 2028-2036
97 Points Kerin O'Keefe
The compelling 2021 Ovello Riserva from Produttori del Barbaresco opens with captivating aromas of dark culinary spice, underbrush, rose and mentholated notes. Delicious and full-bodied, the palate doles out ripe Marasca cherry, cranberry, star anise and ground clove. Firm, well-integrated tannins lend just the right amount of grip while fresh acidity keeps it bright and balanced.
96 Points Wine Spectator
Bright and expressive, this red offers black cherry, blackberry and violet flavors, plus a flash of licorice. Mineral and tobacco elements chime in as this builds through the midpalate to the long, energetic finish. Complex and balanced, but give this a few years. Best from 2030 through 2048.
96 Points Vinous
The 2021 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello sizzles with tension right out of the gate. Orange peel, mint, chalk, white pepper and crushed rocks are all finely sketched. Bright and sinewy to the core, the 2021 captures the purest essence of Ovello. It's another stellar wine in this range. The Ovello will appeal most to readers who like tense wines.
96 Points James Suckling
Restrained if not austere, showing dark fruit, earthy tones and cherries with almost wild blackberries and a whiff of blood oranges. Full-bodied. The attack is dense and velvety with thick, firm tannins that are dusty yet ripe. Powerful but well-balanced at the end, with a mouth-coating texture. March 2026 release, but will need another year or two to be ready to drink.
Winemaker Notes
This 21 acre vineyard is located on the far north end of the ridge. The higher clay levels in this soil give the wine strong ripe fruit notes. Considered a “Tom boy” of a wine, Ovello has a rougher edge to its tannins in its youth, but they become more integrated part of the wine’s personality as it ages. Ovello has an aging potential of 20 years. The first vintage of Ovello was produced in 1967.
Ruby red color. On the nose it is rich and ripe with notes of red fruits. The structure is full-bodied and intense with youthful tannins on the finish.
Food Pairings
Pairs well with fresh egg pastas, risottos, white meats, red meats, venison and cheeses
Ovello Vineyard - "The Tomboy"
Ovello is the northernmost vineyard in the village of Barbaresco, higher on the sea level and dropping down to the river in a 300 feet, abrupt bluff.
It is a relatively large area with a number of subzones with West and East exposure, all sharing a similar calcareous soils rich in clay. The extra clay and the cooler microclimate give the Ovello its exuberant and youthful quality in the fruit and its fuller body, which defines its distinctive personality. Explosive fruit on the palate and firm, sometime rough, tannins on the finish, these wines always bring a lot of joy to the palate and deliver powerful structure, that needs some years of bottle ageing to balance out. Domizio Cavazza had vineyards in Ovello (and Pora) when he started producing Barbaresco in 1894. It was also among the first 5 vineyards produced as single vineyard by Produttori in 1967.
