90pts Jeb Dunnuck

Very attractive spice and floral aromas in the 2020 Barbaresco include smoky incense, cranberry, and dusty earth. Medium-bodied, it has a nice arch of the fruit throughout, revealing notes of blood orange, raspberry, and dried roses. It has good balance and a clean finish, with loads of citrus propelling the wine forward. Drink 2023-2030.

Winemaker Notes

Medium garnet in color, aromas of red fruits and cassis are complemented by delicate hints of licorice, smoke, and caramel. The tannins in this wine are central to the mouth feel, yet they are neither astringent nor tight...in other words, a perfect example of the Neive style.
Pairs well with meat-based raviolis, mushroom-topped pork saltimbocca, and elegant filet mignon dishes.

Winery Notes

Castello di Neive and the surrounding 150 acre estate are owned by the Stupino family, siblings Anna, Giulio, Italo, and Piera. The Castello di Neive winery began when Giacomo Stupino, the family patriarch, capitalized on his experience as a surveyor and his knowledge of the area to purchase favorable vineyards and land whenever possible. In the small cellars of their family home, the Stupino’s began their first wine production (including Messoirano, Montebertotto, Basarin, Valtorta, and i Cortini) and, over time, their acquired vineyards grew with the family’s production and ambitions. In 1964 the family purchased the castle with its spacious cellars, along with more land and farmsteads in Santo Stefano and Marcorino. This marked a turning point when the Stupino’s were able to renovate the castle cellars and reorganize their vineyards to produce wine according to modern methods. When Giacomo died in 1970, Giulio and Italo oversaw the transition from tenant farming to direct management of the land, initiating production and export of Castello di Neive wines abroad.