Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva "Ovello" DOCG 2021
(Piedmont, Italy) - [JD 98] [KO 97] [IDWR 96+] [WA 96] [VM 96] [WS 96] [JS 95]

About the Winery:
Produttori del Barbaresco exclusively vinifies Nebbiolo grapes from the vineyards owned by the 50 member-growers in within the Barbaresco DOCG appellation.

In any given vintage a Barbaresco and a Nebbiolo Langhe are produced. The former, first released in the 1958 vintage, is made by assembling grapes from different fully grown vineyards. This is the flagship wine of the winery, known all over the world for the solid quality and great value that it represents. The latter, first released in 1975, is made with a selection of grapes from younger vineyards in within the region. It is suited for earlier consumption and it is a great way to introduce one’s palate to the beauty of the Nebbiolo grape and the Barbaresco terroir.

In great vintages only, nine single vineyards are produced and released after four years under the Riserva (Reserve) program. These wines are produced from a selection of grapes sourced from nine historical premium sites within the Barbaresco village boundaries. Historical vineyards, known for centuries for producing high quality grapes and now worldwide famous also thanks to the Produttori del Barbaresco legacy. Their names are Asili, Montefico, Montestefano, Muncagota, Ovello, Pajè, Pora, Rabajà, Rio Sordo.

First released in 1967, they are vinified and aged with exactly the same style in order to show their different personalities at their best and purest form. A tasting of the nine "Produttori Crus" is therefore an unique experience, just like a walk through the hills of Barbaresco can be!

About the Wine

Grape variety: 100% Nebbiolo

MGA: Ovello

Vineyard size: 20.3 hectares (50 acres)

Vineyard exposure: south - west / west Soil: calcareous limestone and clay

Vinification: fermentation at 30°c (85°f), 28 days of skin contact time, malolactic completed

Ageing: in 25-50 hl oak barrels for at least 30 months

Vintage: medium body vintage with intense mineral and spicy aromas, balanced ripe tannins and elegant finish

Vineyard character: full bodied wines with intense red fruit matched by youthful tannins on the finish

Longevity: 20 years from the vintage

Vineyard owners: Audasso, Cavallo, Cravanzola, Gonella, Grasso, Maffei, Odore, Sarotto, Unio, Vacca, Varaldo

Food matches: fresh egg-pasta dishes, risotto, white and red meat, game, venaison

Ratings & Reviews

98 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Displaying a saturated medium red hue, the 2021 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello offers notes of dusty cedar, red cherries, raspberries, and crushed stones, although the wood tones will need time to fully integrate. Medium-bodied, the palate has beautiful brightness, with hints of apricot and stone fruit along with a more linear, elegant structure. For me, this wine holds a very special place in the range and quietly stopped me in my tracks during the tasting. Roughly 16,666 bottles were produced. Drink 2026-2056." -Audrey Frick (Apr 2026)

97 Points - Kerin O'Keefe:
"The compelling 2021 Ovello Riserva from Produttori del Barbaresco opens with captivating aromas of dark culinary spice, underbrush, rose and mentholated notes. Delicious and full-bodied, the palate doles out ripe Marasca cherry, cranberry, star anise and ground clove. Firm, well-integrated tannins lend just the right amount of grip while fresh acidity keeps it bright and balanced. Drink 2028–2036. Abv: 14.5%." -Kerin O'Keefe (Sep 2025)

96+ Points - Ian D'Agata Wine Review:
"Fully saturated red. Luscious raspberry, kirsch even, blood orange, tangerine peel, and minerals on the vibrant nose and palate. This big juicy wine is nicely polished and balanced on the long finish. A cooler, clay-rich site that tends to gives its most balanced wines in warmer years, the 2021 Riserva is a very good Ovello bottling indeed, blessed by excellent tension, balance, and juiciness. The long and clean finish only adds to its many charms. Neither as massive as the Produttori's 2021 Riserva Rabajà and Montefico, nor as lifted and refined as their 2021 Riserva Asili, it offers exceptional balance for a wine from Ovello. In fact, I'd say this is easily the Produttori's best wine from Ovello in years. Bravo! Drinking Window: 2029-2039." -Ian D'Agata (Dec 2025)

96 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"The Produttori del Barbaresco 2021 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello shows greater richness and structure on the mid-palate, with ripe and supple flavors of red and purple fruit that give the wine an especially generous personality. This is a concentrated expression of Nebbiolo, yet it remains direct, sharp and beautifully focused, fully living up to the reputation of this highly collectible vintage. The added depth of fruit is balanced by freshness, creating a wine that is both powerful and elegantly composed. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in large oak botti, the 2021 Ovello was produced in 19,400 bottles and 2,000 magnums." -Monica Larner (Jul 2026)

96 Points - Vinous:
"The 2021 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello sizzles with tension right out of the gate. Orange peel, mint, chalk, white pepper and crushed rocks are all finely sketched. Bright and sinewy to the core, the 2021 captures the purest essence of Ovello. It's another stellar wine in this range. The Ovello will appeal most to readers who like tense wines. Drink: 2027-2041." -Antonio Galloni (Oct 2025)

96 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Bright and expressive, this red offers black cherry, blackberry and violet flavors, plus a flash of licorice. Mineral and tobacco elements chime in as this builds through the midpalate to the long, energetic finish. Complex and balanced, but give this a few years. Best from 2030 through 2048."

95 Points - James Suckling:
"Restrained if not austere, showing dark fruit, earthy tones and cherries with almost wild blackberries and a whiff of blood oranges. Full-bodied. The attack is dense and velvety with thick, firm tannins that are dusty yet ripe. Powerful but well-balanced at the end, with a mouth-coating texture. March 2026 release, but will need another year or two to be ready to drink." -Aldo Fiordelli (Nov 2025)