Barbaresco Cru Rabajà DOCG

Bruno Rocca

Pronunciation
Bar-bar-ESS-coh RAH-bye-YAH
Year
2005
Type
Red
Winery
Bruno Rocca
Region
Piemonte, Italy
Oenologist
Bruno Rocca

Overview

Barbaresco is one of Italy's most famous cult wines and it strikes an interesting parallel with Burgundy. This takes into account not only the wine's similarities in aromatics and flavours but also in the wine culture that prevails here. Like Barolo, Barbaresco is made with 100% Nebbiolo grapes but it is aged for a slightly shorter period of time and the wines tend to drink a little sooner. The zone is much smaller than Barolo and this makes it even more novel. Bruno Rocca's Rabaja is an exemplary Barbaresco from a famous single vineyard and one can find many great things to talk about in this wine.

Wine Notes

Grape Variety
100% Nebbiolo
Vinification
Grapes are soft pressed. Fermentation on the skins using select yeasts in s.s. tanks with a long, warmer temp. 2nd fermentation in barrel.
Aging
18 months in mid-toasted, new Alliers barriques (for 80% of the wine) 20% in 25 Hl barrels
Alcohol
14%
| Appearance
An intense, deep garnet colour with a light rim particular to Nebbiolo's thin skin.
| Aroma
Aromas of very ripe raspberries and blackberries with a hint of cedar. Full bodied, refined red fruit impressions mingle with vanilla and hazelnut.
| Taste
Noble tannins surround a comfortable, warm and coating texture on the palate, followed by a rich and elegant expansion which lingers on and on.
| Serving Suggestions
Osso bucco, roast of beef and thick cut rib eye steaks, leg of lamb, Roasted Goose breast, wild mushroom risotto.

Barbaresco Cru Rabajà DOCG

Suggested Retail:
$98.00
CSPC#:
713353
Available Sizes:
750ml
Bottles Per Case:
6

Reviews

Wine Spectator - September 2008 - James Suckling - 95 points

Strawberry, flowers and cherry on the nose. Full-bodied, with very chewy tannins. But there's also loads of fruit. Massive. This is a blockbuster. Such structure. Best after 2014

The Wine Advocate - Robert Parker - 92 points

The 2006 Barbaresco Rabaja is a decidedly approachable, medium-bodied version of this wine. Sweet roses, raspberries and spices emerge from the Rabaja but the sheer muscle and layered quality that informs the finest vintages seems missing. Still, this is a very pretty, harmonious, if delicate, Rabaja relative to the finest vintages. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2021.