How This Italian Winemaker Is Showing Barbaresco Is a Good as Barolo

For too long, Barbaresco has lingered in the shadow of its more highly regarded—and more expensive—sibling, Barolo. While both are made with Nebbiolo, they come from different soils and have different production regulations. Giuseppe Cortese may not be the region’s most famous producer, but it is certainly one of Barbaresco’s best. The Cortese winery and family home sit atop the bowl that cradles the Rabajà cru vineyard, one of Barbaresco’s finest single vineyards. With profound respect and knowledge of the Barbaresco terroir and long-held family traditions, Giuseppe Cortese crafts some of Piedmont’s most exceptional wines.

Founded in 1971, the winery is run today by the late Giuseppe’s children Pier Carlo and Tiziana along with Tiziana’s husband Gabriele Occhetti. Following in his father’s footsteps, Pier Carlo heads up winemaking while his sister and brother-in-law oversee the commercial side of the business. Family lore has it that when Giuseppe told his father Giacomo that he wanted to produce high quality, estate Barbaresco his father said that it was too big a risk, pointing out that no one would buy an expensive Barbaresco that wasn’t made by Angelo Gaja. Giuseppe persisted, updating the winery and purchasing more vineyards in the Rabajà area, which is now known as one of the finest in the region.

One of 66 MGAs (Menzione Geografiche Aggiuntive), subzones that the Italians refer to with the French word cru, Rabajà is informally called the Grand Cru of Barbaresco thanks to its concentration of old vines, consistent and uniform exposure to the sun, and its marl and sandstone soils that are rich in calcium. “Rabajà is at the junction between two geological areas of soil formation,” Gabriele Occhetti says. The soils in the direction of Neive can make wine bigger and deeper, and that the other, heading towards Treiso, helps the wine show more finesse and elegance. “In Rabajà we have the conjunction, so in this small, magic valley, having south exposure, we can have maximum freshness and maximum structure,” he says.

DOCG regulations stipulate that Barbaresco is made with 100 percent Nebbiolo and ages for a minimum of 26 months, with at least nine months in oak barrel. Giuseppe Cortese 2021 Barbaresco Rabajà was fermented in old concrete tanks and then matured for 22 months in large, formerly used Slavonian oak casks and was then bottled and cellared for an additional 13 months prior to release. Occhetti says that 2021 was “almost perfect” in terms of weather, with a little bit of snow in the winter, some rain in the springtime, and a hot and dry summer.

Unlike other producers who release multiple bottlings across several crus, Giuseppe Cortese makes three Barbarescos. In addition to the Rabajà, there is an entry level Barbaresco, and in exceptional years such as 2021 Pier Carlo makes a Riserva as well. Although the ’21 Rabajà is available now, wine lovers will have to wait until 2028 to enjoy the Riserva, which will spend 40 months in oak casks and three years in the cellar after bottling. And while the 2021 is drinking well now, those who can wait before opening will be rewarded for their patience. Nebbiolo is built to age, with Pier Carlo’s winemaking technique tailored to craft wines that will mature gracefully. “We respect and protect the freshness and the acidity,” Occhetti says. “We work in a soft way in the winery to preserve the energy, the potential of aging, and the tannic structure.” That wouldn’t be possible if Pier Carlo went for an overripe, highly concentrated style. Quite simply, in the wrong hands the wines would not last as long. 

The just released Giuseppe Cortese 2021 Barbaresco Rabajà proves that this exquisite producer deserves to be on every wine lover’s lips. Ruby red in the glass, it offers a bouquet of cherry, cranberry, and eucalyptus. Bright red fruit continues on the palate and mingles with notes of smoke and orange zest wrapped in luxurious tannins and bathed in vivid acidity. The bright, satisfying finish will draw you back in for another sip. And while this will age beautifully for several more years, it’s truffle season, so why not boil up some pasta and treat yourself?

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