Wine Advisor
Bruno Giacosa, Barbaresco Rabaja 2000
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2000 Barbaresco Rabaja is marvelous. It is also the most backward of Giacosa’s 2000s. Intense notes of minerals, menthol, plums and spicecake take shape in the glass as this regal, aristocratic Barbaresco reveals its pedigree and sheer class. Here the warmth of the vintage offsets the natural austerity and power of Rabaja, resulting in a complete, beautifully balanced Barbaresco of the highest level. The Red Labels get most of the attention among Giacosa’s 2000s, but the Rabaja isn’t too far off the pace. This will be a spectacular wine to follow over the next 10-15 years. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2025. Bruno Giacosa has long been a fan of the 2000 vintage. I found his 2000s quite forward when I tasted them at the winery in November 2010, but far fresher when I opened the same bottles from my cellar in the US.
Reviewed by: Daniel Thomases
Darker in color than the Santo Stefano, the 2000 Barbaresco Rabaja is spicier on the nose, with light notes of vanilla and cinnamon along with the classic Nebbiolo plums and tar. A denser, firmer wine, it possesses more sustained tannins on the palate. Plush, rich, and with a very attractive light graininess, it will offer excellent drinking from 2005 to 2020. A Leonardo Locascio Selection, Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
2000 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Rabaja—Darker in color than the Santo Stefano, the wine has an intense nose of spices, minerals and licorice. On the palate, the wine is soft and round for a Giacosa , with dense backward ripe fruit although the wine remains somewhat closed, offering just a glimpse of what it will become with time. A truly profound and moving wine. 95 points/drink 2007-2020.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Brick-red, a bit less deep than the Asili. Lower-pitched aromas of chocolate, mocha, smoke and animal fur; the fruit is in the background today. Then fat, dense and sweet in the mouth, with more structure and grip than the Asili and a less roasted character. Very long finish features ripe, building tannins.
About the Producer
Bruno Giacosa, located in the south and south-west of Piemonte, has been performing well for three generations, thanks to the careful selection of high quality grapes and the emphasis on traditional winemaking techniques. The vineyard covers 44.7 acres (18 hectares) and is planted with Nebbiolo d'Alba, Barbera and Dolcetto varieties. The average age of the vines is 15 years and the planting density is between 4,500 and 5,000 vines per hectare, with an average yield of 4,800 litres per hectare. In terms of winemaking, the owner has a classic quote: "For us, the philosophy of traditionalism means making wines that are not only strongly local to the vine and the grape variety, but also maintain the various local terroirs. We have always made single-variety wines. Our winemaking techniques have been improved and we also make use of gentle pressing, crushing operations, advanced rotary systems and optimised cold and hot treatment techniques." For Garcosa, technology and tradition are not necessarily at odds with each other. In the winemaking process, the grapes are first fermented in steel containers and then transferred to wooden containers for ageing, which varies slightly depending on the type of wine. Finally, the wine is bottled without filtering. The main wines produced by the winery are the Barbaresco Garina, the Barbaresco Santo Stefano, the Barbaresco Asili, the Barbaresco Wabasha and the Barbaresco Asili. Barbaresco Rabaja, Barolo Falletto and Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto. Some of the more recent vintages are 2001, 2000, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1990, 1989, 1982 and 1978. These vintages are often relatively closed and uninteresting when first bottled, but after 10 years in the cellar, they all show an irresistible magic.
