Thank you Vinous!
From 2018 & 2019 Barbaresco Take Center Stage (Feb 2022) by Antonio Galloni
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟖𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜.
𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗢 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟴
The 2018 Barbaresco is a pretty, understated wine. Dark cherry, plum, spice, lavender, mocha and orange zest open effortlessly in the glass. The 2018 balances lovely fruit expression and textural depth in a soft, quiet style that is hugely appealing. 91 PTS
𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗢 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵
The 2019 Barbaresco offers lovely energy and tension to play off its mid-weight structure. Lavender, mint, pine, rose petal and red cherry all lift from the glass. Tasted next to the 2018, the 2019 has a bit more creaminess and vitality, qualities that become increasingly apparent over time. This is an exquisite Barbaresco that shows the strength of the year. 92 PTS
𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗢 𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗔𝗝𝗔 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟴
The 2018 Barbaresco Rabajà expresses all of its classicism and nuance in an ethereal, nervy style that is going to need at least a few years in bottle to unwind. Readers will notice a Rabajà that is more finesse than muscle, the direction these wines have trended in over the last few years. Sage, mint, tobacco, liquorice and incense are laced into the resonant finish. 93 PTS
𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗢 𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗔𝗝𝗔 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵
The 2019 Barbaresco Rabajà has just been bottled, so it is rather nervous, but its completeness on the palate is pretty evident. Rose petal, orange peel, spice, mint and sweet pipe tobacco open with a bit of coaxing. There is a feeling of transparency in the 2019 that is so appealing, while the natural richness of the year builds effortlessly over time. 94 PTS
𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗢 𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗔𝗝𝗔 𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗔 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟲
Cortese’s 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is a brooding, powerful wine. Even so, it retains a gorgeous sense of classicism in its transparent feel. Black cherry, plum, liquorice, lavender and cloves lend striking nuance. Readers will find a dark, statuesque wine that shows the explosive power of the vintage. The Riserva emerges from the estate’s oldest vines, which are about 60 years old now. 96 PTS
𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗢 𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗔𝗝𝗔 𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗔 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵
Tasted from a single cask, the 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is a rich, concentrated wine, certainly more than the wines have been here of late. I admire the wine’s pure raw energy. The 2019 is very clearly an infant, and yet it holds tremendous promise. I can’t wait to taste it again. (94-97 PTS)
