Barbaresco
Barbaresco, seen as the more elegant counterpart of Barolo, spreads over 763 ha under vines (a third of Barolo’s ha), and is divided into four communes.
The Nebbiolo grape is said to ripen earlier here because of the gentler altitude – up to 450 metres – and the proximity to the Tanaro river. The legal guidelines for ageing reflect this, requiring only 26 months minimum of ageing for Barbaresco compared to 38 months for Barolo. Along with altitude, soil variations are another reason for their flavour differences: Barolo and Barbaresco are both limestone-based soils, but Barbaresco's soil is comparatively younger. Stylistically, Barbaresco is often described as a more elegant version of Barolo but, like its neighbour, its wines can come in a diverse spectrum of styles and are never without energy and power.
Barbaresco
| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Piedmont | 3 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£683.99 |
|||||
Vinous (94)“The 2010 Barbaresco Riserva Vanotu 60th Anniversary Limited Edition is drinking beautifully. Silky and perfumed, the 2010 is now entering its first plateau of maturity. Sweet tobacco, dried flowers, menthol and coffee lend striking aromatic complexity as the 2010 opens in the glass. The 2010 is rich and layered, as all of Giorgio Pelissero's wines are, but time has mellowed some of that exuberance.” |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£257.98 |
|||||
|
The impeccable character of the Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco 2019 originates from the heart of Piedmont, Italy, renowned for its premium red wines. This outstanding vintage masterfully encapsulates the dedication of the Cortese family to sustainable viticulture and precise winemaking. Grown on calcareous clay soils coupled with meticulous hand-harvesting, the Nebbiolo grapes express an unrivalled potency and elegance. The wine undergoes fermentation in stainless steel tanks and ageing in Slavonian oak casks for 22 months, which reinforces its multifaceted, dense palate and delicate tannins. The Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco 2019 boasts of an intense ruby red hue and offers an enchanting bouquet of wild berries, rose petals and subtle spices. Its well-structured, velvety nuances makes it a wonderful accompaniment to hearty meat dishes, mature cheeses and truffles. Truly, a sublime union of tradition, terroir and time, the Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco 2019 is an excellent addition to a discerning wine aficionado’s collection. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 4 | 92 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£202.40 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (92)The ruby-hued 2021 Barbaresco is savory and ripe with aromas of medicinal herbs, cherry lozenge, sour cherries, salty earth, menthol, and licorice. Medium-bodied, it’s rich through the palate, with ripe tannins and notes of sanguine blood orange as well as iron-rich minerals on the finish. It offers good length and is a rather serious entry. Drink 2025-2035. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£357.64 |
|||||
Vinous (94)The 2016 Barbaresco Rabajà is fresh, vibrant and pulsing with energy, all signatures of this important Barbaresco vintage. Sweet red cherry, tobacco, smoke, dried herbs and menthol are all wonderfully alive in the glass. This is such an expressive and vivid wine. Layers of aromatic and flavor intensity really come alive with aeration. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 92 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£286.84 |
|||||
Vinous (92)The 2017 Barbaresco Rabajà is a very pretty and expressive wine. Blood orange, cedar, mint, sweet red cherry and licorice are all layered together. Medium in body, with terrific depth as well as nuance, the 2017 is understated, classy and polished to the core. In 2017, Cortese did not bottle their flagship Riserva, instead all of the best fruit went into the straight Barbaresco Rabajà. I won't be surprised if the 2017 eventually turns out even better than this note suggests. Today, it is really quite lovely. Pier Carlo Cortese gave the 2017 22 months in cask. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 94 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£376.78 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (94)A deeper ruby/red color, the 2021 Barbaresco Rabaja has all the components of the entry wine amplified further, with notes of medicinal herbs, turned soil, sappy herbs, dried cherries, and orange peel. Medium-bodied, it offers good length, balance, and persistence on the palate. It’s angular but has ripe tannins, good freshness, and a persistent, savory finish with notes of dark rocky earth. This is a very well-done effort from Giuseppe Cortese. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 95 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£632.44 |
|||||
Vinous (95)The 2013 Barbaresco Rabajà Riserva is a dense, brooding wine endowed with serious depth and intensity, Graphite, smoke, cured meats, spice, leather and licorice give the Riserva its decidedly sombre, virile personality. Readers should be prepared to cellar the 2013 for at least a few years. Today, the 2013 is in an awkward stage where it is mot young, but it is also not mature, and in periods like this, patience is key, as there is not much pleasure to be had. The 2013 won't be released until at least Spring 2020, so there is plenty of time. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 96 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£1,294.01 |
|||||
Vinous (96)Cortese's 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is a brooding, powerful wine. Even so, it retains a gorgeous sense of classicism in its transparent feel. Black cherry, plum, licorice, lavender and cloves lend striking nuance. Readers will find a dark, statuesque wine that shows the explosive power of the vintage. The Riserva emerges from the estate's oldest vines, which are about 60 years old now. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£714.04 |
|||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£88.13 |
|||||
|
|
Piedmont | 8 | - |
Inc. VAT
£455.58 |
|||||
|
|
Piedmont | 2 | - |
Inc. VAT
£236.27 |
|||||
|
|
Piedmont | 20 | - |
Inc. VAT
£312.40 |
|||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 95 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£185.98 |
|||||
Vinous (95)The 2018 Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina is fabulous. Most producers would dream of making a wine like this in a strong vintage, much less one that presented so many challenges. Rose petal, goudron, lavender, spice and blue/purplish fruit open first. The 2018 is relatively soft and supple, but that is not a bad thing for a wine from Montefico, where the Barbarescos are often searing in intensity. The 2018 finishes with real weight and intensity. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 96 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£340.78 |
|||||
Vinous (96)The 2019 Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina is a powerful, dense wine. Sage, mint, tobacco, orange peel, kirsch and rose petal emerge from the glass. Just bottled, the 2019 packs a serious punch of Nebbiolo acid and tannin. A classically austere Barbaresco, the Montefico is a gem in the making. This is Montefico through and through. What a wine! |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£224.38 |
|||||
Vinous (94)The 2020 Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina is a very pretty wine that captures all the magic of this great site, but without all of the explosive tension of the very best years. I doubt that will matter much to most consumers, though. A beguiling mix of macerated cherry, rose petal, dried leaves and spice builds into vibrant, salivating finish. In 2020, the Montefico is perhaps just a touch slender, but it makes up for that with its superb energy. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£275.98 |
|||||
|
Ignite your senses with the noteworthy La Ca' Nova Barbaresco Montefico Bric Mentina 2021. This fine wine is beautifully crafted within the famed Piedmont region in Italy, partaking in the fertile soils between Alba and the Tanaro River. La Ca' Nova, the producer, is a family-run estate with over three decades of precious expertise. The grapes are hand-harvested and undergo a natural fermentation process in stainless steel before being matured in Slavonian oak casks. The result? A vivacious Barbaresco with elements of ripe cherries, rose petals, and undergrowth melding into a full-bodied taste seasoned with gentle tannins and an elegant finish. A well-structured wine capable of mature evolution, La Ca' Nova Barbaresco Montefico Bric Mentina 2021 is the epitome of Italian finesse and tradition. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 96 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£499.18 |
|||||
Vinous (96)The 2016 Barbaresco Montestefano is simply magnificent. Bright floral overtones and red/purplish berry fruit give the Montestefano a feeling of focus and explosive energy that is compelling. Hints of mocha, leather, smoke, lavender and a whole range of balsamic inflections open up in the glass, revealing a Barbaresco of power, structure and complexity. Ample in feel and yet wonderfully vibrant, the Montestefano is wonderfully complete. It is also one of the very best wines I have ever tasted from La Ca' Nova. The Montestefano is a bit more showy today than the Montefico, but both wines are remarkable. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£224.38 |
|||||
Vinous (94)The 2018 Barbaresco Montestefano is brisk and engaging. This is an especially strict reading of Montestefano that seems to have more of Montefico-like sense of vibrancy and tension. Rosewater, orange peel, white pepper and bright red-toned fruit are all finely cut. The 2018 comes across as a touch severe today. I would cellar it for a few years and see what happens. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 97 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£321.58 |
|||||
Vinous (97)The 2019 Barbaresco Montestefano shows the greater body and breadth that is typical of this site vis-à-vis the Montefico. Black cherry, plum, lavender, spice, leather and rosewater build in the glass. The 2019 marries pliant fruit with explosive energy along with the searing tannins that are typical of this very young vintage. The 2019 is quite simply mind-blowingly great. It might be even better with more time in bottle! |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 4 | 95 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£211.18 |
|||||
Vinous (95)The 2020 Barbaresco Montestefano is a dense, plush wine, in other words classic Montestefano. Like all the Barbarescos here, the Montestefano is relatively open, which will surely please readers who can't or don't want to cellar their wines. Dark Nebbiolo fruit intermingled with spice, leather, incense and licorice build into the creamy, resonant finish. The 2020 is a gorgeous wine; the only real problem is that it is not quite the 2019! |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 2 | - |
Inc. VAT
£287.98 |
|||||
|
Immerse yourself in the grandeur of Italian winemaking with La Ca' Nova Barbaresco Montestefano 2021. This red beauty hails from the prestigious Barbaresco region, complete with its limestone-rich soils and sun-drenched vineyards. The esteemed La Ca' Nova estate, known for its traditionalist sensibilities and painstaking attention to detail, has crafted this delight. Employing Nebbiolo grapes, hand-harvested from 50-year-old vines, this wine undergoes a month-long maceration to elicit profound depth and complexity. The lengthened ageing in large Slavonian oak barrels for 24 months brings forth an enchanting tapestry of opulent, layered flavours. Subtle notes of ripe cherries, violet, and leather amalgamate, punctuated by nuances of pepper and spice. A prodigious structure and commendable balance make La Ca' Nova Barbaresco Montestefano 2021 an absolute standout in any wine aficionado's collection. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 93 (WS) |
Inc. VAT
£747.58 |
|||||
Wine Spectator (93)A fabulous nose of Christmas pudding, plum and lemongrass leads to a full body, with soft, silky tannins and beautiful fruit. Best after 2012. 960 cases made. -JS |
|||||||||
| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Piedmont | 3 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
£560.00 |
|||||
Vinous (94)“The 2010 Barbaresco Riserva Vanotu 60th Anniversary Limited Edition is drinking beautifully. Silky and perfumed, the 2010 is now entering its first plateau of maturity. Sweet tobacco, dried flowers, menthol and coffee lend striking aromatic complexity as the 2010 opens in the glass. The 2010 is rich and layered, as all of Giorgio Pelissero's wines are, but time has mellowed some of that exuberance.” |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | - |
In Bond
£195.00 |
|||||
|
The impeccable character of the Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco 2019 originates from the heart of Piedmont, Italy, renowned for its premium red wines. This outstanding vintage masterfully encapsulates the dedication of the Cortese family to sustainable viticulture and precise winemaking. Grown on calcareous clay soils coupled with meticulous hand-harvesting, the Nebbiolo grapes express an unrivalled potency and elegance. The wine undergoes fermentation in stainless steel tanks and ageing in Slavonian oak casks for 22 months, which reinforces its multifaceted, dense palate and delicate tannins. The Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco 2019 boasts of an intense ruby red hue and offers an enchanting bouquet of wild berries, rose petals and subtle spices. Its well-structured, velvety nuances makes it a wonderful accompaniment to hearty meat dishes, mature cheeses and truffles. Truly, a sublime union of tradition, terroir and time, the Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco 2019 is an excellent addition to a discerning wine aficionado’s collection. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 4 | 92 (JD) |
In Bond
£148.00 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (92)The ruby-hued 2021 Barbaresco is savory and ripe with aromas of medicinal herbs, cherry lozenge, sour cherries, salty earth, menthol, and licorice. Medium-bodied, it’s rich through the palate, with ripe tannins and notes of sanguine blood orange as well as iron-rich minerals on the finish. It offers good length and is a rather serious entry. Drink 2025-2035. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
£282.00 |
|||||
Vinous (94)The 2016 Barbaresco Rabajà is fresh, vibrant and pulsing with energy, all signatures of this important Barbaresco vintage. Sweet red cherry, tobacco, smoke, dried herbs and menthol are all wonderfully alive in the glass. This is such an expressive and vivid wine. Layers of aromatic and flavor intensity really come alive with aeration. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 92 (VN) |
In Bond
£223.00 |
|||||
Vinous (92)The 2017 Barbaresco Rabajà is a very pretty and expressive wine. Blood orange, cedar, mint, sweet red cherry and licorice are all layered together. Medium in body, with terrific depth as well as nuance, the 2017 is understated, classy and polished to the core. In 2017, Cortese did not bottle their flagship Riserva, instead all of the best fruit went into the straight Barbaresco Rabajà. I won't be surprised if the 2017 eventually turns out even better than this note suggests. Today, it is really quite lovely. Pier Carlo Cortese gave the 2017 22 months in cask. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 94 (JD) |
In Bond
£294.00 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (94)A deeper ruby/red color, the 2021 Barbaresco Rabaja has all the components of the entry wine amplified further, with notes of medicinal herbs, turned soil, sappy herbs, dried cherries, and orange peel. Medium-bodied, it offers good length, balance, and persistence on the palate. It’s angular but has ripe tannins, good freshness, and a persistent, savory finish with notes of dark rocky earth. This is a very well-done effort from Giuseppe Cortese. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 95 (VN) |
In Bond
£511.00 |
|||||
Vinous (95)The 2013 Barbaresco Rabajà Riserva is a dense, brooding wine endowed with serious depth and intensity, Graphite, smoke, cured meats, spice, leather and licorice give the Riserva its decidedly sombre, virile personality. Readers should be prepared to cellar the 2013 for at least a few years. Today, the 2013 is in an awkward stage where it is mot young, but it is also not mature, and in periods like this, patience is key, as there is not much pleasure to be had. The 2013 won't be released until at least Spring 2020, so there is plenty of time. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 96 (VN) |
In Bond
£1,037.00 |
|||||
Vinous (96)Cortese's 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is a brooding, powerful wine. Even so, it retains a gorgeous sense of classicism in its transparent feel. Black cherry, plum, licorice, lavender and cloves lend striking nuance. Readers will find a dark, statuesque wine that shows the explosive power of the vintage. The Riserva emerges from the estate's oldest vines, which are about 60 years old now. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | - |
In Bond
£579.00 |
|||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | - |
In Bond
£70.00 |
|||||
|
|
Piedmont | 8 | - |
In Bond
£370.00 |
|||||
|
|
Piedmont | 2 | - |
In Bond
£190.00 |
|||||
|
|
Piedmont | 20 | - |
In Bond
£250.00 |
|||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 95 (VN) |
In Bond
£135.00 |
|||||
Vinous (95)The 2018 Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina is fabulous. Most producers would dream of making a wine like this in a strong vintage, much less one that presented so many challenges. Rose petal, goudron, lavender, spice and blue/purplish fruit open first. The 2018 is relatively soft and supple, but that is not a bad thing for a wine from Montefico, where the Barbarescos are often searing in intensity. The 2018 finishes with real weight and intensity. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 96 (VN) |
In Bond
£264.00 |
|||||
Vinous (96)The 2019 Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina is a powerful, dense wine. Sage, mint, tobacco, orange peel, kirsch and rose petal emerge from the glass. Just bottled, the 2019 packs a serious punch of Nebbiolo acid and tannin. A classically austere Barbaresco, the Montefico is a gem in the making. This is Montefico through and through. What a wine! |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
£167.00 |
|||||
Vinous (94)The 2020 Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina is a very pretty wine that captures all the magic of this great site, but without all of the explosive tension of the very best years. I doubt that will matter much to most consumers, though. A beguiling mix of macerated cherry, rose petal, dried leaves and spice builds into vibrant, salivating finish. In 2020, the Montefico is perhaps just a touch slender, but it makes up for that with its superb energy. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | - |
In Bond
£210.00 |
|||||
|
Ignite your senses with the noteworthy La Ca' Nova Barbaresco Montefico Bric Mentina 2021. This fine wine is beautifully crafted within the famed Piedmont region in Italy, partaking in the fertile soils between Alba and the Tanaro River. La Ca' Nova, the producer, is a family-run estate with over three decades of precious expertise. The grapes are hand-harvested and undergo a natural fermentation process in stainless steel before being matured in Slavonian oak casks. The result? A vivacious Barbaresco with elements of ripe cherries, rose petals, and undergrowth melding into a full-bodied taste seasoned with gentle tannins and an elegant finish. A well-structured wine capable of mature evolution, La Ca' Nova Barbaresco Montefico Bric Mentina 2021 is the epitome of Italian finesse and tradition. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 96 (VN) |
In Bond
£396.00 |
|||||
Vinous (96)The 2016 Barbaresco Montestefano is simply magnificent. Bright floral overtones and red/purplish berry fruit give the Montestefano a feeling of focus and explosive energy that is compelling. Hints of mocha, leather, smoke, lavender and a whole range of balsamic inflections open up in the glass, revealing a Barbaresco of power, structure and complexity. Ample in feel and yet wonderfully vibrant, the Montestefano is wonderfully complete. It is also one of the very best wines I have ever tasted from La Ca' Nova. The Montestefano is a bit more showy today than the Montefico, but both wines are remarkable. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
£167.00 |
|||||
Vinous (94)The 2018 Barbaresco Montestefano is brisk and engaging. This is an especially strict reading of Montestefano that seems to have more of Montefico-like sense of vibrancy and tension. Rosewater, orange peel, white pepper and bright red-toned fruit are all finely cut. The 2018 comes across as a touch severe today. I would cellar it for a few years and see what happens. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 97 (VN) |
In Bond
£248.00 |
|||||
Vinous (97)The 2019 Barbaresco Montestefano shows the greater body and breadth that is typical of this site vis-à-vis the Montefico. Black cherry, plum, lavender, spice, leather and rosewater build in the glass. The 2019 marries pliant fruit with explosive energy along with the searing tannins that are typical of this very young vintage. The 2019 is quite simply mind-blowingly great. It might be even better with more time in bottle! |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 4 | 95 (VN) |
In Bond
£156.00 |
|||||
Vinous (95)The 2020 Barbaresco Montestefano is a dense, plush wine, in other words classic Montestefano. Like all the Barbarescos here, the Montestefano is relatively open, which will surely please readers who can't or don't want to cellar their wines. Dark Nebbiolo fruit intermingled with spice, leather, incense and licorice build into the creamy, resonant finish. The 2020 is a gorgeous wine; the only real problem is that it is not quite the 2019! |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 2 | - |
In Bond
£220.00 |
|||||
|
Immerse yourself in the grandeur of Italian winemaking with La Ca' Nova Barbaresco Montestefano 2021. This red beauty hails from the prestigious Barbaresco region, complete with its limestone-rich soils and sun-drenched vineyards. The esteemed La Ca' Nova estate, known for its traditionalist sensibilities and painstaking attention to detail, has crafted this delight. Employing Nebbiolo grapes, hand-harvested from 50-year-old vines, this wine undergoes a month-long maceration to elicit profound depth and complexity. The lengthened ageing in large Slavonian oak barrels for 24 months brings forth an enchanting tapestry of opulent, layered flavours. Subtle notes of ripe cherries, violet, and leather amalgamate, punctuated by nuances of pepper and spice. A prodigious structure and commendable balance make La Ca' Nova Barbaresco Montestefano 2021 an absolute standout in any wine aficionado's collection. |
|||||||||
|
|
Piedmont | 1 | 93 (WS) |
In Bond
£603.00 |
|||||
Wine Spectator (93)A fabulous nose of Christmas pudding, plum and lemongrass leads to a full body, with soft, silky tannins and beautiful fruit. Best after 2012. 960 cases made. -JS |
|||||||||

