Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco Rabaja 2020

Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco Rabajà 2020 is a classic expression of one of Barbaresco’s greatest crus, crafted in a traditional style that prizes finesse over flashiness. This is the estate’s flagship wine, known for its structure, elegance and unmistakable Rabajà character. As it ages, its initially vibrant profile blossoms into layers of spice, tobacco and wild scrub, rewarding both patience and curiosity in the glass.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2020 Rabajà shows a luminous garnet core with brick-red reflections at the rim, typical of top Nebbiolo even in its youth. The nose is intense and ethereal, opening with fresh red cherries, wild strawberries and rose petals, then unfurling into more complex notes of violet, anise, sweet spices, dried herbs and a subtle hint of tobacco and underbrush as it breathes. On the palate, this is a firmly structured yet finely etched Barbaresco. Bright red fruit and cranberry-like freshness are wrapped in taut, polished tannins and a vibrant, mouthwatering acidity. Flavors of red cherry, pomegranate and blood orange intertwine with hints of licorice, sandalwood, leather and a gentle earthiness that speaks clearly of Rabajà. The finish is long, savory and persistent, suggesting excellent aging potential. While already enjoyable with a proper decant, this 2020 will gain further complexity and harmony over the next 10–15 years, and can comfortably evolve well beyond that in a good cellar.

Production
Rabajà is one of Barbaresco’s most revered crus, a steep, well-exposed hillside in the commune of Barbaresco with calcareous clay soils that give Nebbiolo both power and precision. Giuseppe Cortese has long championed a traditional approach here: careful green harvesting and manual selection in the vineyard to ensure only the healthiest, ripest Nebbiolo grapes are brought to the cellar. Fermentation typically takes place in temperature-controlled tanks with extended maceration on the skins to extract color, tannin and aromatic complexity. The wine is then aged in large, neutral Slavonian oak botti rather than small barriques, allowing slow, graceful evolution and preserving the pure character of the vineyard before bottling and further refinement in glass.

Food & Serving
This Barbaresco is a natural partner for refined yet flavorful dishes from Piedmont and beyond. Think tajarin with white truffle, braised veal shank, osso buco, roast lamb, game birds, mushroom risotto or aged cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano and mature Taleggio. Serve at 16–18°C (60–64°F) to highlight its aromatic complexity and elegant structure. In its youth, decanting for 1–2 hours is recommended to help the firm tannins soften and allow the perfume to fully open; older bottles should be decanted gently and briefly, mainly to separate any sediment.

Producer
The Cortese family has been cultivating vines in Barbaresco for generations, but it was Giuseppe Cortese who, in the 1970s, began bottling wines under his own name and quietly built a reputation as one of the region’s benchmark traditionalists. Based in the heart of the Rabajà cru, the estate focuses on expressing this great vineyard’s character through classic, long-lived Nebbiolo. Today, the winery remains family-run and is regarded as a reference point for lovers of authentic, terroir-driven Barbaresco, with Rabajà as its crown jewel and a regular favorite among collectors and critics alike.

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