Castello di Neive Santo Stefano Barbera d'Alba
Wine Description
The Barbera grapes for this wine come from the famed Santo Stefano vineyard which initially caused critics to believe Italo Stupino 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 9 months in large wooden vats to allow the wines to mellow and develop their complexity.
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Vineyard & Production Info
Production area/appellation:
Barbera d'Alba DOC
Vineyard name
The Santo Stefano vineyards
Vineyard size
4 acres
Soil composition
Calcareous
Training method
Guyot
Elevation:
825 feet
Vines/acre:
1,600
Yield/acre:
3.6 tons
Exposure:
Southern / Southwestern
Year vineyard planted:
1948; 1979; 2001; 2005
Harvest time:
October
First vintage of this wine:
1978
Bottles produced of this wine:
13,000
Winemaking & Aging
Maceration length:
10
Varietal composition:
100% Barbera
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
10 days
Fermentation temperature:
82 °F
Maceration technique:
Racking, Pumpovers, and Aeration
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Type of aging container:
Barrels and Stainless steel tanks
Size of aging container:
3500 L
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
9 months
Age of Aging Container:
Six years
Length of bottle aging:
6 months
Analytical Data
pH level:
3.6
Acidity:
5.8 g/L
Alcohol:
14.5 %
Residual sugar:
2.7 g/L
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