Bruno Giacosa - Barbaresco Riserva Rabaja 2001

Tasting note (as of 2024/25 - after 23 years of ageing)

• Colour:
  Transparent garnet red with a copper-coloured rim. Delicate opacity, but lively reflections - signs of intact maturity.

• Nose:
  Majestic complexity: bunched rose petals, dried violets, ripe Morellas and Amarena cherries. Tertiary layers of truffle, wet clay, cedar wood and soft smoke. Undertones of liquorice, dried sage and Piedmont tea (typical of Rabajà's terroir). Not a trace of ageing fatigue.

• Palate:
  Perfect synthesis of power and finesse. Juicy sour cherry, preserved plum and orange zest, carried by lively acidity and silky, polished tannin structure. Mineral core of iron and graphite (Rabajà signature!). Centre of gravity with evolutionary notes of juniper, tar and fine leather. Finish of dizzying length (60+ seconds).

• Structure:
  Monumental, but springy. Tannins fully integrated, acidity supports the wine like an invisible scaffold. Alcohol (14% vol) completely fused.

• Maturation potential:
  At the beginning of the drinking plateau (2025-2040+). Still slightly youthful and taut - air unfolds it magically.

Evaluation context

• 2001 vintage: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - One of the best post-war vintages in Piedmont. Ideal conditions: long, dry autumn → ripe grapes with fresh acidity.

• Cru Rabajà (Barbaresco): Steep south-facing slope on calcareous marl. Gives the wine its mineral rigour and floral precision - Giacosa always vinified the best parcel here ("Faset").

• Vinification: Traditional long maceration, 30-40 days on the skins. 36 months in large oak barrels → pure terroir expression.

• Riserva status: Only produced in excellent years (previously: 1996, 1990). The 2001 Riserva bottles carry red labels (⚠️ do not confuse with the basic Rabajà!).

• Rarity & value: 500-800€/bottle (auctions, assuming provenance).

Tasting recommendation

• Temperature: 16-17°C (cooler than Barolo → preserve variety of flavours).

• Decanting: At least 2-3 hours (tannins need air to open up). Carefully separate the sediment.

• Accompaniment:

  • Classic: Tajarin with truffles, wild boar ragout with polenta

  • Modern: Matured Comté cheese (36 months), mushroom cappelletti

• Drinking philosophy:

  "Giacosa's wines are silent preachers: they demand patience, reward with revelation."
  Open it on a quiet evening - every sip tells a new story.

Condition check & risks

• Fill level: Should reach upper shoulder (Giacosa's cork quality was excellent).

• Cork: Always pull with awl - pressure from 23 years can make it brittle!

• Risk of oxidation: Low (thanks to intact acidity), but drink within 8 hours of opening.

• Alternatively: If in doubt - do not decant, but leave to develop in the glass (1 hour).

"A Barbaresco that thinks like a Barolo: Rabajà's mineral rigour meets Giacosa's poetic soul. Here, terroir becomes transcendence."

Last piece of advice: document the tasting! Wines like these are history books in liquid form. 🍷