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2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà

Wine Details
Place of Origin

Italy

Barbaresco Riserva

Piedmont

Color

Red

Grape/Blend

Nebbiolo

Vintages
202120192016201320112008200620041999
Reviews & Tasting Notes

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Drinking Window

2026 - 2039

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This is a fine set of new releases from Giuseppe Cortese. The 2022 Barbarescos show all the forward appeal of the year, while the 2021s are deeper, more serious wines for the cellar. Farming and winemaking remain quite minimalist. Instead, the personalities of site and vintage come through loud and clear in these classically built wines. Barbaresco is often the focus, but the entry-level reds are also very much worthy of attention.

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2025 - 2041

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This is a fine set of new releases from Cortese. The entry-level wines are terrific, a theme that continues through to the Barbarescos. Readers who enjoy structured, traditionally build wines will find much to admire. As has been the case for a few years now, the wines seem to be gaining in finesse, which is always great to see.

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2027 - 2039

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Two-thousand nineteen is an especially fine vintage at Cortese. The wines are deep, layered and super-expressive. Gabriele Occhetti describes 2019 as a late-ripening year, with a harvest that started in mid-October. The 2020s, on the other hand, strike me as a bit less even. There is some edginess in the tannin that is probably the result of less favorable conditions during the growing season. There will be no Riserva in 2020. As always, winemaking here is pretty bare-bones. Fermentations are spontaneous. The wines see fairly long fermentation/maceration, which can reach as much as 30-40 days on the skins for the Riserva. All the Barbarescos are aged in cask; about 18 months for the Barbaresco, 22 for the Rabajà and 48 for the Riserva.

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2027 - 2039

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer vitae aliquam odio. Aliquam purus diam, tempor et consectetur vitae, eleifend ac quam. Proin nec mauris ac odio iaculis semper. Integer posuere pharetra aliquet. Nullam tincidunt sagittis est in maximus. Donec sem orci, vulputate ac quam non, consectetur fermentum diam. In dignissim magna id orci dignissim convallis. Integer sit amet placerat dui. Aliquam pharetra ornare nulla at vulputate. Sed dictum, mi eget fringilla lacinia, nisl tortor condimentum mi, vitae ultrices quam diam ac neque. Donec hendrerit vulputate felis, fringilla varius massa.

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The 2018s and 2019s at Cortese are terrific. In the 2018s, readers will find Barbarescos that reflect the lighter style of the year. There will be no Riserva. Two-thousand nineteen, on the other hand, is a much stronger year. The wines are richer, deeper and more layered across the board, from the straight Barbaresco through to the very promising Riserva. As always, the wines are fermented in cement. Malos are spontaneous and usually take place in winter. Aging is in cask, typically 18 months for the Barbaresco, 22 for the Rabajà and 48 for the Riserva.