Santo Stefano Riserva

Barbaresco

Lying to the east of Barolo, Barbaresco's Nebbiolo wines are similarly bold and tannic, yet tend to be softer and more elegant. Red fruit notes dominate—typically summer berries and fragrant cherries—backed by glorious rose, potpourri, and anise fragrances. You also tend to find a lot less of Barolo's "tar" notes in these wines. The DOCG area is smaller than Barolo, with a slightly milder climate and limestone-based soils. All of this makes its wines a bit more approachable at a younger age. Barbaresco wine must age 26 months before release, with at least nine of those months spent in oak. The DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) classification is the top tier for Italian wine classifications. It controls production methods and wine quality. Strict rules oversee the production of DOCG designated wines, including allowed varietals, winemaking procedures, barrel and bottle aging methods, grape ripeness and limits on grape yields during harvest. DOCG wines are also required to be officially tasted. DOCG bottles have numbered government seals across the neck of the bottle to prevent forgery.