2021 Barbaresco Rabajà, Bruno Rocca

• Style: Silky, structured Nebbiolo
• Taste: Ripe raspberry, violet, rosehip, soft supple tannins
• Food: Braised beef, roast dinners, game, mushroom dishes
• Occasion: Gifting, cellar worthy, serious entertaining
• Serve: Now or age 10+ years; 14–16°C

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

This wine arrives with real presence: deep garnet colour, opening on the nose as something quite generous. Ripe raspberry and cherry rise first, followed by violet and rosehip, with a whisper of butter underneath. On the palate, fruit carries through with softness and breadth; the tannins are supple rather than austere, and the length lingers without any hardness. This is Nebbiolo that doesn't demand patience — it's drinking beautifully now, yet will age gracefully for a decade or more.

The Winery — Bruno Rocca

Bruno Rocca took over the family estate in 1978 and quickly became synonymous with the Rabajà hill. Today his daughter Luisa and son Francesco help run the 15-hectare property. His winemaking philosophy marries modern fruit intensity with the refinement and structure the Langhe is known for. The vineyard sits on a steep southwest-facing slope between 260 and 315 metres, planted in layered tuffaceous clay, marl, and limestone soils typical of the best sites in Barbaresco. The 2021 vintage brought a cool spring and stable summer, finishing with an early-October harvest that stretched into mid-month — conditions allowing these half-century-old vines to build both ripeness and structure. After hand selection and a second cull at the winery, grapes were destemmed and fermented separately in stainless steel for three to four weeks, then aged in French oak for fourteen to sixteen months.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

Powerful enough for serious food yet refined enough to stand alone, this wine pairs beautifully with braised or roasted beef, aged hard cheeses like Fontina, mushroom-based dishes, and game. It's a sommelier's choice for gifting and worthy of cellar investment — open now with confidence, or lay it down for a decade. If you're exploring our Italy section and seeking a Nebbiolo that proves why this ancient grape remains one of the world's most compelling, this is your bottle.