The 2006 Barbaresco Santo Stefano is a major step up from the normal bottling. A gorgeous bouquet of spiced cherries and raspberries leads to a generous core of fruit that offers plenty of inner perfume and depth. Today the tannins remain firm, but there is more than enough balance here to make me think the wine will develop quite positively. This is a highly promising Barbaresco from Castello di Neive. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. Proprietor Italo Stupino continues to ratchet up quality at Castello di Neive. This year I tasted through the entire range and came away most impressed with the Barberas and Barbarescos. The other wines, while certainly correct, weren’t especially exciting. The only real disappointment was the 2004 Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano, which falls short of the level of recent vintages. Importers: Bacchanal Wine Imports, Inc., New York, NY; tel. (646) 207-0115; Grassroots Wine Wholesalers, LLC; Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 250-9060; Vintage Selections, Cape Canaveral, FL; tel. (321) 783-2700; West Park Imports, Sharon Hill PA; tel. (610) 532-3039; Castello di Neive MHW Ltd, Manhasset, NY; tel. (516) 869-9170

Fresh rose aromas, with plum and citrus fruit, follow through to a medium body, with fine tannins and a fresh finish. Refined and pretty, with excellent length. Best after 2011. 1,600 cases made, 500 cases imported.??–JS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barbaresco Select to Add