Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco Riserva Rabaja

93 points Wine Enthusiast

Aromas of underbrush, dried mint, hazelnut and prune lead the nose. The full bodied, classically crafted palate features juicy Marasca cherry, baking spice and tobacco framed in taut, polished tannins while fresh acidity keeps it well balanced. Drink through 2028.

93 points Wine Advocate

The Giuseppe Cortese 2013 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà has a rich and sweet bouquet with plum and dark cherry. The bouquet reveals ripe black fruit notes that stand in contrast to background notes of sour cherry or cranberry. It's hard to pin down if the wine can be described as overripe or underripe, because it shows signs of both but ultimately remains somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. Give the wine more cellar time to come together. Fruit comes from a one-hectare parcel in this celebrated cru at 270 meters above sea level with calcareous clay soils. The wine sees extended aging with 40 months in large Slavonian oak casks and an additional three years in bottle.

95 points Wine Spectator

A sleek, elegant style, with plenty of intensity to its floral, strawberry, currant, mineral and eucalyptus flavors. Still a little reticent on the finish, yet balanced and pure. The fruit becomes more prominent with air, so decant gently now or age a few more years. Best from 2022 through 2038.

96 points James Suckling

Lots of ripe fruit on the nose and palate with dried rose petals and cigar box adding complexity. Full-bodied and rich with depth of fruit and layers of ripe tannins. Smoky finish. Decadent and glorious now.