From: Barbaresco, Piemonte, Italy
Varietal: Nebbiolo
Taste and Critical Acclaim
RP 96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Produttori del Barbaresco 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is another spectacular release from this cooperative winery that hits it out of the ballpark with each set of new releases. That impressive track record includes this wine that delivers extreme focus, depth and integrity. The bouquet is very clear cut with dark cherry, tart plum, spice and blood orange, but it is also complex and fluid. It offers new perspectives with each swirl of the glass. From a hot vintage, the Rabajà is smooth, powerful and balanced. I would bet on long aging for this bottle.
Best After 2025. Rating: 96+
WS 95 Wine Spectator
Dense, featuring fruit flavors of plum, cherry and raspberry, with accents of tar, eucalyptus and iron. A powerful red that needs time to resolve the muscular tannins, with plenty of ripe fruit coursing underneath. Best from 2026 through 2043.
About. Produttori del Barbaresco, founded in 1958, is the premier cooperative of Barbaresco wines. They now have 51 members and control more than 100 hectares (250 acres) of premium Nebbiolo vineyards in Barbaresco. Each family is in full control of its land, growing Nebbiolo grapes with centuries old skill and dedication. The vinery produces a Barbaresco D.O.C.G., a blend of Nebbiolo grapes harvested from different vineyards, and a simpler Nebbiolo Langhe suited for earlier consumption. These families make more money for their grapes when submitting a higher quality, so this ensures the cooperative receives the best of the best. In every vintage, Produttori del Barbaresco releases a Barbaresco from many different vineyards and maintains the style of the house.
In the very best vintages, nine single-vineyard Barbarescos are also produced from nine classic premium sites within the Barbaresco village boundaries: Asili, Rabajà, Pora, Montestefano, Ovello, Pajè, Montefico, Muncagota, and Rio Sordo. These are the geographical names of sites where Nebbiolo grapes have always been cultivated. The name of the single-vineyards, the total number of bottles produced, and the name of the owners of the vineyards are marked on the labels.
The Produttori del Barbaresco, which vinifies only Nebbiolo grapes, produce around 550,000 bottles (45,000 cases) per year. In a good vintage they are divided among Barbaresco (50%), single vineyard Barbarescos (30%) and Nebbiolo Langhe (20%).
