Castello di Verduno 2019 Barbaresco ‘Rabaja’ Piemonte

Tasted recently at a dinner for Barbaresco lovers, Verduno’s 2019 Rabaja is a stunning and complete Barbaresco from first to last sip. Their classic style of long macerations and cask aging is perfect for such a bold vintage. After about an hour of aeration, exotic spices, maraschino cherry and wisps of underbrush and crushed minerals all unfold in the glass. Newbies to Barbaresco may mistake this for a Barolo. Wow, awesome!

Castello di Verduno has a deep history in the tiny village of Verduno, located in the far northeast of the Barolo appellation. It was originally apart of the House of Savoy’s holdings, when in 1909 the Burlotto family took the reins, folding it into the family portfolio of vineyards in Verduno. When the estate was passed down years later by patriarch GB Burlotto to his eldest son, Castello di Verduno was reborn! Led by Franco Bianco and Gabriella Burlotto, the family relies heavily on the efforts of their young winemaker Mario Andrion, who elevates the wines by letting the various Cru’s speak for themselves. Mario and team look after 10 hectar of vines, split evenly between the Barolo and Barbaresco appellations. They also make an excellent Pelaverga. The Monvigliero bottling is the estate’s top wine. 

WINEMAKER: Mario Andrion

VARIETAL: 100% Nebbiolo

APPELLATION: Verduno, Barolo

REGION: Piemonte

IN THE VINEYARD: Organic

IN THE WINERY: Native yeast, 35 days on the skins, 20 months in cask, 26 months in bottle before release

ABV%: 14

SERVE: Decant into a wide-bodied decanter for 1 hour before serving