Barbaresco Riserva Rabaja

Producer history

The winery was founded in 1971 by Giuseppe Cortese, at a time when few people believed in Barbaresco's potential, with the encouragement of his father Giacomo and the support of his wife Rosella. The Rabajà cru in the commune of Barbaresco remains at the centre of the estate. The property is now run by the next generation — Pier Carlo, who describes the Barbarescos as coming from spontaneous fermentations in old cement containers and ageing in old Slavonian oak barrels, alongside Gabriele, who leads the estate's work in the market, and Tiziana, who looks after hospitality.

Signature pairings

• Slow-braised beef short rib with star anise and cinnamon — Long cask ageing has resolved the tannins into a firm but savoury frame; braised beef collagen softens them further, and the warm spices echo the wine's cinnamon and tobacco register.
• Wild mushroom and truffle risotto — Aged nebbiolo develops earthy, forest-floor and dried-leaf notes that meet mushroom and truffle on the same savoury wavelength, while the wine's acidity cuts the starch and butter.
• Aged hard cheeses with walnuts — The salt and crystalline texture of a well-aged cow's-milk cheese buffers nebbiolo's structure, and the nuttiness picks up the wine's cocoa and dried-fruit tones.