Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco Rabaja Riserva 2011 Magnum
SKU
GCBR201110 UCAU
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Crafted by the renowned Giuseppe Cortese winery in Piedmont, Italy, this wine showcases the heritage and expertise of a family-owned winery with a history dating back to the early 19th century, adding an exciting touch to its exceptional quality.
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A harmonious blend of ripe red fruits, delicate floral notes, and subtle hints of spice, culminating in a velvety texture and a lingering finish.
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Giuseppe Cortese, the visionary winemaker behind this masterpiece, combines traditional winemaking techniques with a deep respect for the land and a commitment to sustainable practices.
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1 or more bottles$450.00
Editors notes
A harmonious blend of ripe red fruits, delicate florals, and subtle spice. Its velvety texture and lingering finish create an unforgettable tasting experience. Crafted by the visionary winemaker Giuseppe Cortese in the stunning region of Piedmont, Italy, this wine captures the essence of the renowned Rabaja vineyard, showcasing the authentic character of Barbaresco.
Details
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Wine Type
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Vintage
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Variety
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Brand
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Location
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Cellaring
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Closure
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Alcohol Percentage
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Oak Type
Tasting Profile
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Light (Light)Full (Full)
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Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
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Sweet (Sweet)Dry (Dry)
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Low Acidity (Low Acidity)High Acidity (High Acidity)
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Aroma
- Earthy
- Kirsch
- Red Cherry
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Palate
- Black Cherry
- Red Cherry
- Savoury
Food Pairings
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Pork -
Poultry
Critic Scores & reviews
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James Suckling
96"What a nose of dried citrus, tangerines, blood oranges, incense, tobacco, cloves, lavender and cedar. Full body, uber-polished tannins and a long, spicy yet taut finish. The complexity and balance take you on a long journey here. Be prepared!"
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Wine Spectator
96"Complex and perfumed, this red invites you in with aromas of rose, strawberry and sun-kissed hay, then keeps you riveted with flavors of tangy berry fruit, tobacco and iron. Harmonious even in its youth, expanding on the long aftertaste. Best from 2020 through 2043."
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Vinous
95"The 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is a total pleasure bomb. Just as captivating (if not more) than it has been in the past, the 2011 exudes remarkable class. A burst of sweet red berry fruit, hard candy and wild flowers makes a strong first impression, but what impresses most is the wine's sublime freshness."
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Locations
Italy
Italy has some of the oldest wine production methods in the world and almost every part of the country is planted under vine. From the Alps in the north to the very southernmost parts of Sicily where Africa is almost in sight, wine is successfully cultivated. In addition to the latitude covered, Italy's many mountains and hills provide a plethora of altitudes for grape growing in various soils and micro-climates. The extensive coastlines along the peninsula that is Italy provide maritime climates for the coastal wine-growing areas. Over 350 grape varieties are 'authorised' in Italy, though up to 550 varieties are thought to be grown.
The classification system of Italian wines has four classes, with the intention of defining a wine's origin a quality. Two of these classes are table wines, whilst DOC and DOCG fall under the EU quality wine produced in a specific region category. Vino da Tavola (VDT) means that the wine comes from Italy. Most of these wines are generally basic table wines that are consumed domestically. Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) denotes a more specific region within Italy, and the resultant will be of higher quality than simple table wines, but won't conform to the rules required for higher certification. Both Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) are regionally more specific than IGT, and have stricter rules regarding the grape varieties grown, yields per hectare, minimum alcohol levels and so on. The major difference between DOC and DOCG is that the latter has to undergo a blind-tasting session to ensure the highest quality is achieved. Italy has 32 DOCG appelations, 311 DOC appelations and 120 IGT zones.
Key regions include Piedmont, Tuscany, Abruzzo, Veneto, Sicily and Sardinia. Common white varieties grown are Pinot Grigio, Arneis, Vermentino, Verdicchio, Fiano and Moscato. The red varieties grown the most are Sangiovese, Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Montepulciano, Primitivo, Nero d'Avola and Corvina.
Piedmont
Piedmont (Piemonte in Italian) is probably the finest wine region in all of Italy, and has laid claim to this since Roman times. It has a continental climate influenced by the surrounding Alps and Ligurian Apennines, and is located in the north-west of Italy, bordering both France and Switzerland.
Piedmont has only 1% of the total vineyards of Bordeaux and 15% that of Burgundy. So while a top Chateaux may produce upwards of 35,000 cases a year, leading Barolo producers will often make only 800 cases. More than half of its vineyards are registered with DOC designations and many are in the Apennine or Alpine foothills, from 300-600m above sea level. Most of the wines are produced by smaller family estates rather than larger holdings.
Piedmont has 46 different DOC and four DOCG regions, and produces the largest number of well known, world-recognized, prize-winning wines. The most famous would have to be Barolo or Barbaresco, whose power comes from the Nebbiolo grape variety. The most widely planted red variety is Barbera although Dolcetto, Muscat, Shiraz and Bonarda are also produced.
The white variety most well known is Moscato, which is often made into frizzante (bubbly) wines known as Asti. Cortese is made into the popular Gavi wines, and smaller amounts of Chardonnay and high quality Sparkling are also produced in the far north of Piedmont.
About the brand Giuseppe Cortese
A native of Barbaresco, Giuseppe Cortese began a lifelong passion for winemaking by working with his father Giacomo in the family business. Before running his own winery, Giuseppe Cortese served as cellar master and vineyard manager for some of Piedmont’s most prestigious wineries. During this time, he gained invaluable knowledge of the Nebbiolo grape and learned how to maximize its potential in and around the Barbaresco area.
After several years of experience, he realized the future of high-quality Barbaresco wines was in developing the potential of the terroir. With this in mind, Giuseppe began re-orienting the family’s wine business and remodeling the winery, improving winemaking techniques, and purchasing new land, in particular in the famous Rabajà site, one of the best vineyards in the Barbaresco area.
Today, Cortese is the typical small, family owned winery, which is run by Giuseppe’s children: Pier Carlo, in charge of winemaking, and Tiziana, who plays an active roles in the commercial aspects and public relations. Giuseppe’s son-in-law Gabriele has also joined them in the family business.
Attentive, rigorous care of the estate’s vineyards, strict selection of the best clusters, a traditional approach to winemaking and a gentle hand with modern techniques are the ingredients that define the unmistakable personality and unique identity of Cortese’s wines. All this attention to detail yields wines of incredible depth and balance, with a finesse that rewards the patient consumer.
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