2021 Barbaresco Rabaja
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Tasting notes
The 2021 Barbaresco Rabajà is complex, dynamic and youthfully austere—in other words, it's classic Rabajà. Dark-toned fruit, menthol, licorice, spice, gravel, incense, tobacco and dried herbs fill out the layers. Medium in body and complex, with myriad shades of expression, the 2021 is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Readers can also expect a Riserva edition.
Critic scores
Average Score
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Barbaresco. Lustrous and just mid ruby. Bags of minerals on the nose while the fruit is still a little subdued but clearly concentrated. Juicy, elegant red fruit with deep gravelly tannins that demand more time. Long and a little mouth-watering on the finish. (WS)
A deeper ruby/red color, the 2021 Barbaresco Rabaja has all the components of the entry wine amplified further, with notes of medicinal herbs, turned soil, sappy herbs, dried cherries, and orange peel. Medium-bodied, it offers good length, balance, and persistence on the palate. It’s angular but has ripe tannins, good freshness, and a persistent, savory finish with notes of dark rocky earth. This is a very well-done effort from Giuseppe Cortese.
The 2021 Barbaresco Rabajà is a wild, mysterious wine. Vibrant acids and incisive tannins are a reminder we are in Rabajà. Red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice, mint, cinnamon and dried herbs all race across the palate. This young, youthfully austere Barbaresco needs time to come together, but it is super-impressive in the early going.