2021 La Spinetta Barbaresco Starderi DOCG, Piedmont

The organic La Spinetta 2021 Barbaresco Starderi V?rs? is a very nice wine that I prefer to the Gallina and the Valeriano. It is characterised by its medium-bodied density and spicy concentration with layers of dark fruit and blackberry jam. The quality of the fruit is very dense and rich, and the wine offers sharp definition. With time, it develops a dark, smoky side with caraway and barbecue spices.

96 points robertparker.com

Vibrant and balanced, with striking beauty, the 2021 is wonderfully lively in the glass. Crushed rose petals, spices, mint, orange peel and cinnamon rise from the glass. Lively acids.

97 points vinous.com

From the celebrated hills of Neive in Piedmont comes one of the most powerful and age worthy expressions of Barbaresco. The Starderi vineyard has long been recognised as one of the great crus of the appellation, producing Nebbiolo with remarkable concentration and structure. La Spinetta, founded by Giuseppe Rivetti in 1977 and now led by his sons Giorgio, Bruno and Carlo Rivetti, has built an international reputation for crafting bold yet refined wines from exceptional sites across the Langhe. Giorgio Rivetti’s vision helped transform the estate from a small Moscato producer into one of Piedmont’s most admired wineries. Starderi sits on calcareous marl soils that provide both richness and mineral tension, and the Rivetti family farms the vineyard with meticulous care and low yields to capture its full potential. Extended maceration and maturation in French oak help shape a wine that balances modern polish with the unmistakable character of Nebbiolo grown in Barbaresco’s historic vineyards.

The wine reveals a deep garnet colour with brilliant clarity. Aromas are intense and layered, opening with rose petals, ripe cherry and raspberry before unfolding into notes of liquorice, dark spice, cedar and a touch of tar that signals classic Nebbiolo character. Starderi often shows greater power than many Barbaresco wines, and the palate reflects that depth with concentrated red and dark fruit supported by firm yet refined tannins. Hints of orange peel, truffle, dried herbs and earthy minerality build through the mid palate, leading to a long structured finish that promises decades of evolution. This is a magnificent partner for braised beef, slow cooked lamb shoulder, game dishes or truffle infused pasta. With patience in the cellar it will reward drinkers for twenty five to thirty years as the wine develops deeper savoury complexity and the perfume of mature Nebbiolo.