For years, the wines of Serafino Rivella were only known to a small group of insiders.

In the past few years, that's started to change quickly. The wine possess such an honesty and precision that it's hard not to be wowed by them. They have plenty of finesse and feel almost devoid of artifice.

The heart and soul of the estate is the Montestefano Cru, which is one of Barbaresco's best. The vineyard is directly outside of the family's house. In any given vintage, they produce 750 cases of Montestefano along with a tiny amount of Dolcetto.

Montestefano is famous above all else for how it marries elegance, detail and intensity. It's a wine that soars with tightly coiled class.

The 2015 Montestefano is a gorgeous example of the wine. Galloni's tasting note, which you can read below, captures the wine very well when he highlights the wine's nuance and overall beauty. 2015 was a warmer vintage in Piedmont, but the best producers turned out silky wines of superb breeding.

Teobaldo and Maria Rivella follow ultra-traditional methods. The family's vineyard was planted in 1963 by Teobaldo's father, and the first vintage at the estate was 1967. Antonio Galloni says, "Tasting Teobaldo and Maria Rivella's wines is like stepping back into Piedmont's past." They are savory and understated wines with a whispering complexity.

Serafino Rivella's Montestefano is one of the most compelling examples of Barbaresco around. Sadly, there's never enough to go around. Please give us your ideal order and we'll try our best.

To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.

Joe Salamone

Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits