WE 97 / WA 96 / VM 96 / JR 18
WE: Forest floor, new leather, rose and red-berry aromas mingle with a whiff of camphor. Youthfully austere, the taut palate shows serious aging potential, presenting juicy cherry, cranberry, star anise and orange slice set against tightly knit, noble tannins and firm acidity. Drink 2022–2034. *Cellar Selection*
WA: The 2014 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà shows excellent textural richness with dark fruit, followed by notes of tobacco and tilled earth. Black truffle and dried fruit converge on the bouquet to add to the intensity. You really appreciate the freshness and sheer power of this succulent, well-structured and medium to full-bodied Barbaresco. This one’s the real deal.
VM: The 2014 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is powerful, dense and explosive, with tremendous intensity of fruit and structure. The Rabajà is dark and potent – as all these wines are – but the tannins and acids give the wine considerable tension and energy. The Rabajà is a powerful, towering wine endowed with massive structure and intensity to burn. Like so many of these wines, the Rabajà is somber and brooding in feel.
JR: A shade deeper and a little more developed than the Muncagota Riserva. Deep nose of strawberry and iron with a cool edge in spite of its concentration. Minerally raspberry fruit with a linear core of acidity and more than a hint of iron. Firm layer of coating tannins while the linear, perfumed raspberry fruit is elegant as well as concentrated. Gorgeous vibrant finish. 18/20 points.