98+ points Ian D'Agata Wine Review: "Good full red-ruby. Flowers, red berries, flint and smoke dominate dark cherry aromas on the nose. Then very dense but lifted, bright flavours of milk chocolate, smoke and dark fruit on the tactile, peppery finish. Usually, Barbarescos from Montestefano are richer and thicker compared to the more mineral and sharp wines from Montefico, but in 2021 these two vineyards threw a monkey wrench into the smooth runnings of our thought processes. In fact, this year it’s quite the opposite, with the Riserva Montefico the much fuller wine on the palate and this Montestefano a seemingly lighter, fresher wine. So beware all those out there who’ll write that the Montestefano is big and massive as it is in almost all other years: That’s the normal and what they expect, but in 2021, while the Montestefano Riserva is certainly is a big wine, it is nowhere near the brooding massive beauty that we are accustomed to. Drinking window: 2031-2041. (12/5/25)"

98 points Kerin O'Keefe: "The Produttori del Barbaresco 2021 Montestefano possesses heady aromas of iris, violet, red berry and spice. Firm and full-bodied, the palate boasts great energy and intensity that lifts ripe Morello cherry, orange peel, cranberry and licorice. It’s well balanced, with bright acidity. Drink 2029–2036. Abv: 14.5%. (Sep 2025)"

97 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2021 Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano is a dense, hulking wine. Powerful and dense to the core, the Montestefano is a big, broad-shouldered wine that is going to need a few years to be at its most expressive. Dark-toned fruit, new leather, spice, menthol are all amplified in this potent Barbaresco. Drink: 2027-2041. (Oct 2025)"

96 points Wine Spectator: "Black currant, blackberry, violet, tobacco and sweet spices highlight this suave, fruity red. Opulent for the vintage and solidly built, with a long, resonant finish that echoes the fruit and adds iron and mineral notes. Excellent length. Best from 2029 through 2047. (Mar 2026)"