LLS Portfolio Book

Barbera d’Alba DOC Santo Stefano The Barbera grapes for this wine come from the famed Santo Stefano vineyard, which initially caused critics to believe Italo Stupino was crazy as this vineyard is typically reserved for the hallowed Nebbiolo. This 100% Barbera proved them wrong as it expresses the depth for which Santo Stefano is known while still retaining Barbera’s signature fruit. The grapes for this wine are pressed and then allowed to mature for nine months in large wooden vats to allow the wines to mellow and develop their complexity.

Barbera d’Alba Superiore DOC The Superiore version of Castello di Neive’s Barbera d’Alba is only produced in the best vintages and represents a selection of the best Barbera grapes from their Marcorino vineyard. Here, they follow strict green harvesting (removal of immature bunches) and plant only on south-facing slopes thus yielding a wine of great ripeness. It is made from 100% Barbera grapes and serves as a reminder of Barbera’s potential. After fermentation, this wine is aged for at least one year in oak barriques (225L French oak barrels) to round out the wine.

Langhe Rosso DOC I Cortini Pinot Noir Growing up, Italo’s favorite wine was his father’s “Cuvée Privée.” This wine, which was served at family gatherings and made from grapes bought from the then current owner of the castel—a Count Guido Riccardo Candiani, was sourced from a vineyard (I Cortini) right next to the Castello di Neive. To pay tribute to his father’s memory and this wine, Italo Stupino continued making a Pinot Noir from the I Cortini plot after his family purchased the castle. Made from 100% Pinot Noir, the grapes are gently pressed and then matured in barriques for 1 year.

Barbaresco DOCG The grapes for this wine come from some of the most-respected vineyards in the Barbaresco DOCG (Gallina, Messoirano, Valtorta, and a part of Santo Stefano). This wine made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes grown on vines that average 30 years of age. The grapes for this wine are pressed and then allowed to mature in wooden vats for two years to smooth the tannins and develop the wine’s complex flavors.

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WINES OF NORTHERN ITALY