Wine

Barbaresco wine, made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes, must undergo a two-year ageing process, of which one at least in barrel. The maximum yield per hectare is not allowed to exceed 80 quintals of grapes, equivalent to 56 hectoliters; minimum natural alcohol content is 12%.

These are the rules established by wine law, in addition to the specific customs that great winegrowers follow to obtain top-quality wines: according to Giuseppe Cortese, the Rabajà Barbaresco Cru cannot be released before three years of ageing (of which two in barrel), grape yield is definitely lower due to the vineyards’ old age (40 years on average) and the careful selection of berries, the barrels must be strictly made of Slavonian oak to preserve the fruit’s typical aromas and flavours, and the alcohol component must be backed by structure and the level of acidity required to age well.

Barbaresco wine is closely associated with the term longevity. However, while the wine must show great ageing potential (even over 20 years) - the result of traditional winemaking techniques that allow for the wine’s slow evolution -, it should also feature the elegance and velvety tannic structure that make the wine well-balanced from a very young age.