Teobaldo & Maria Rivella's estate is very much a 'garagiste' operation: 2 hectares of 60 year old Nebbiolo vines in the Montestefano cru area and vinification/ageing taking place under their house. Teobaldo's father Serafino first bottled the wines in 1967, with his son joining him in 1974. The traditional approach has been maintained: the wine being vinified in static stainless-steel and some slavonian oak for 15-20 days using wild yeast before being matured in 20 hl old slavonian botte for between 24 - 36 months (twice as long as the legal requirement from the Barbaresco DOCG).

Rivella's 2015 Barbaresco Montestefano is a very pretty, nuanced wine. Gently mellowed by several years in cask, the 2015 is super-expressive today despite its recent bottling. Dried cherry, cedar, tobacco, and mint are nicely layered in this inviting, mid-weight Barbaresco. Silky tannins add to the wine's considerable appeal. This is such a beautiful wine. Date Tasted: Oct 2018; Drink: 2023-3040; Rating: 93 Points; Antonio Galloni