2020 Castello di Neive Barbaresco 750 ml

Single-vineyard wines from Barbaresco’s best crus are truly phenomenal, yet Castello di Neive’s 2020 Barbaresco presents a mic-drop argument for traditionally made blends. Complex and elegantly structured, it’s a 94-point tapestry of some of Barbaresco’s most esteemed terroir.

From their perch in a centuries-old hilltop castle, the Stupino family crafted this bottle from a murderer’s row of sources. That includes Santo Stefano—a cru Decanter called “one of the greatest vineyard sites of Italy”—Gallina, which they called an “outstanding premier cru,” plus the well-respected Messoriano and Valtota.

Assembled with astounding attention to detail, this complex bottle landed among Wine Spectator’s top-scoring Barbarescos of the vintage. It punches the gas from the cork-pull, bursting with powerful aromas of crushed cranberry, orange peel, dried leaves, and truffle. Seamlessly integrated tannins and acid balance green strawberry, crushed earth, and florals, culminating in a peppery finish with spice and savory herbs.

The eponymous “castello” is an 18th-century hilltop castle with expansive cellars and surrounding vineyards. The Stupino family purchased the property in 1964, and over the years, they’ve accumulated a patchwork of vineyards in some of Barbaresco’s most important crus, which they still vinify in those same—albeit renovated—cellars.

2020 was a warm year balanced with appropriate rainfall—perfect conditions for vine growth. A warm summer and fall meant that Nebbiolo’s tannins were tamed compared to old-school years, and the wines display “volume, lushness and balance,” according to Decanter. Castello di Neive aged that Nebbiolo for two years in French oak barrels and stainless steel to round out its fine-grained tannins, then at least another six months in bottle. Now, it’s a detailed and graceful bottle that showcases the exceptional merit of top Barbaresco vineyards.