Produttori del Barbaresco's Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà 2020 is a wine that has achieved stellar acclaim from top wine critics. It's a single-vineyard Nebbiolo from the celebrated Rabajà cru in Barbaresco, Piedmont, where two ridges of the village meet. Black cherry, plum, leather and spice sit over a dense core of dark fruit with a chalky, mineral finish. It was rated 98 POINTS by Jeb Dunnuck, and it's a wine for someone after a genuinely complete, complex Barbaresco.
There's real lift alongside the dark fruit, with brooding spice and a herbal, almost medicinal edge that keeps it from feeling heavy. The palate stays taut and energetic, with real drive through to the finish.
This is a standout among Produttori del Barbaresco's single-vineyard Riservas, balancing real richness with real lift. It rewards decanting for an hour or more, and it's the kind of Barbaresco we'd pour with a good braise, for someone who wants to see what this particular patch of ground can do.
Just eight of Produttori del Barbaresco's member growers farm this small, prized site between them, and the resulting wine is consistently ranked among the cooperative's finest crus.
What it tastes like
The nose is dark and explosive, with black cherry, wild berry and plum backed by leather, clove, menthol and a lift of liquorice. It's one of the more immediately generous of Produttori del Barbaresco's single-vineyard wines, true to Rabajà's reputation as one of the most complete crus in the village.
The palate is full-bodied, tight and energetic, with a dense, crunchy core of dark fruit and fine, persistent tannin. A distinctively chalky, mineral-driven finish runs underneath it all, keeping the richness in check.
It's a serious, complete Barbaresco with real presence, built to reward patience.
Style at a glance
- Body: Full
- Sweetness: Dry
- Acidity: High
- Tannin: Firm, fine-grained
- Oak: Large oak casks (botti); adds structure and a savoury frame
- Style: Dense, complex and complete
Food to enjoy this with
- Fresh egg pasta, such as tajarin with a rich meat ragù
- Risotto, especially with mushroom or truffle
- Roast white meat, such as chicken or veal
- Grilled or roasted red meat
- Game birds
- Venison, a classic match for a Barbaresco with this much depth
Who makes it
Produttori del Barbaresco is a growers' cooperative based in the village of Barbaresco, founded in 1958 by a parish priest who brought together 19 struggling local growers. It has grown to around 60 members, many of whom farm some of Barbaresco's best vineyard sites. Its everyday Barbaresco is regarded as one of Italy's great wine values, and in the best vintages it also bottles up to nine single-vineyard Riservas from its finest crus.
The Rabajà cru sits at the point where two of Barbaresco's main ridges meet, just 3.7 hectares facing south-west at 240 to 300 metres. Its soil blends two distinct profiles, lower in calcium and more fertile toward the Tanaro River, higher in calcium toward Ovello, and that convergence is part of what gives the wine its complexity. Eight of the cooperative's members farm the cru between them.
Produttori del Barbaresco works with minimal intervention, aiming to let each cru speak for itself. Rabajà has been bottled as a single vineyard since 1970, and it remains one of nine crus that becomes a Riserva only in strong vintages.
For the 2020 vintage, the Rabajà grapes fermented at 30°C with 28 days on the skins, and malolactic fermentation finished before the wine went into large oak casks, where it aged for a minimum of 30 months before bottling in June.
About the vintage
The 2020 growing season in Barbaresco brought plenty of rain and warm, humid conditions through the year, with a real heat spike at the end of July and into August. The grapes still ripened evenly, and the tannins came in refined rather than harsh.
Decanter rated 2020 a very good vintage for Barbaresco, describing the best wines as round, generous and well balanced, after a run of trickier years: a dry 2017, a dilute 2018 and a hail-hit 2019. Production across the appellation rose too, from 4.9 million to 5.1 million bottles, as more growers came online.
Critic scores and ratings
- 98 POINTS – Jeb Dunnuck – jebdunnuck.com, May 2025
When to drink it
Jeb Dunnuck gives this a drinking window from 2025 through to 2050, so it's built to reward real patience. That's the sort of wine you buy a case of and open one bottle every few years to watch it evolve.
Technical details
| Producer: |
Produttori del Barbaresco |
| Wine: |
Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà |
| Vintage: |
2020 |
| Variety: |
100% Nebbiolo |
| Region: |
Barbaresco (Rabajà cru), Piedmont |
| Country: |
Italy |
| Alcohol: |
14% |
| Oak: |
Large oak casks (botti), minimum 30 months |
| Fermentation: |
Stainless steel, 28 days on skins |
| Cellaring: |
To 2050 |
Where to buy
The Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà 2020 is available online at thewineryonline.co.nz for delivery within New Zealand. You can also buy it at our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores, alongside a large range of New Zealand and international wine. Online and in both stores you can select a mixed case from a large range of wines. It's made from one of Barbaresco's smaller, most sought-after crus, so it doesn't stick around for long.
Questions we are often asked
What grape is Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà 2020 made from?
It's 100% Nebbiolo, grown in the Rabajà cru within the Barbaresco DOCG in Piedmont, Italy.
What food pairs well with this wine?
It suits rich, savoury food such as venison, game or a good braise, as well as classic Piedmont dishes like fresh egg pasta and risotto.
How long will the Rabajà Riserva 2020 keep?
Critic Jeb Dunnuck gives it a drinking window from 2025 to 2050, so there's plenty of time to let it develop.
Why is Rabajà considered one of Produttori del Barbaresco's best crus?
It sits where two of Barbaresco's main ridges meet, blending two different soil profiles, which gives the wine unusual depth and complexity for the village.
Who makes Produttori del Barbaresco wines?
Produttori del Barbaresco is a growers' cooperative in the village of Barbaresco, founded in 1958 and now made up of around 60 member growers.
Where can I buy Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà 2020?
The Winery sells Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà 2020 online at thewineryonline.co.nz for delivery within New Zealand. You can also buy it in our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores.
