About this wine
Rabajà is one of the three or four most celebrated MGA vineyards in all of Barbaresco, sitting atop a natural amphitheater on the hill above the village with a warm south-southwest exposure. Castello di Verduno holds 1.23 hectares here, planted in 1974 and 1990, on calcareous clay soil with a sandy component between 240 and 300 meters elevation. The combination of warm exposure and mineral-rich soil produces a Barbaresco of unusual density and structure — blue flowers, red berries, and underbrush aromas over crushed raspberry, ripe cherry, and baking spice, with taut tannins and fresh acidity.
One of Barbaresco's most famous names — a serious, age-worthy Nebbiolo best approached with a bit of Barolo/Barbaresco experience already under your belt.
Sommelier's Note
"Castello di Verduno's Barbaresco Rabajà is the wine that explains why this estate, headquartered outside the Barbaresco zone, is taken seriously as a Barbaresco producer — few sites in the appellation combine this much density with this much elegance."
Food Pairings
Structured enough for roasted red meats and game, yet elegant enough for truffle dishes — a classic match for Piedmont's own white truffle season.
When to drink it
Special occasions, white truffle season, cellar-worthy purchases
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Nebbiolo
- Style
- Red
- Price Range
- Reference estimate converted from US retail (~$86): approx. ¥16,000-20,000 (actual Japan retail pricing may differ; not confirmed as currently imported to Japan)
Terroir & Winemaking
100% Nebbiolo from 1.23 hectares of estate-owned Rabajà cru, planted in 1974 and 1990, on calcareous clay soil with sand, at 240-300m elevation with south-southwest exposure. Fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in large Slavonian and Austrian oak botti; unfined and unfiltered.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why does a Barolo producer make one of Barbaresco's top wines?
- The estate's Rabajà parcels came through marriage — winemaker Gabriella Burlotto's husband Franco Bianco's family held prized Rabajà land, four communes from Verduno, well before the couple united the two estates.
- What makes Rabajà such a celebrated site?
- Its natural amphitheater shape concentrates warmth while retaining a south-southwest exposure, and its calcareous clay-and-sand soils give Barbaresco unusual density and structure compared to neighboring crus.
- How long can this wine be cellared?
- As a structured, tannic Nebbiolo from a top cru, it is built for long-term aging and can typically develop well for a decade or more from vintage.
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Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
バルバレスコ ラバヤ・バス
Barbaresco Rabajà-Bas
RedNebbiolo
Rabajà-Bas is the lower-lying portion of the legendary Rabajà cru, one of Barbaresco's most celebrated vineyards, separated from the upper Rabajà site by a dividing road when the cru was split in the 1990s. Grown on the estate's signature Marne di Sant'Agata soil (roughly 30% sand, 55% clay, 15% limestone), it offers a darker, more savory and earthy expression of Nebbiolo than its upper-hill sibling — dark cherry, wild herbs, menthol, licorice, and dried flowers over firm, structured tannins.
バルベーラ・ダルバ ブリッコ・デル・クックロ
Barbera d'Alba Bricco del Cuculo
RedBarbera
Castello di Verduno's Barbera d'Alba comes from the Bricco del Cuculo vineyard and shows the variety's typical dark fruit and racy acidity in a more structured, concentrated register than most Barbera d'Alba. Spicy black pepper and cardamom notes frame ripe sour cherry and blueberry fruit, backed by the high natural acidity that makes Barbera such a versatile food wine.
バローロ
Barolo
RedNebbiolo
The estate's classic Barolo blends fruit from the estate's Verduno vineyards, primarily the Massara and Monvigliero crus, into an approachable yet authentic expression of the appellation. It shows the estate's hallmark purity — ripe cherry, raspberry seed, fresh flowers, and herbs on the nose, with a medium body, zesty acidity, fine tannins, and a touch of sweet berried fruit through the finish.
バローロ マッサラ
Barolo Massara
RedNebbiolo
Massara is a 1.22-hectare single vineyard in Verduno, the northernmost commune of the Barolo zone, purchased by the estate in 1910. Castello di Verduno was the first winery to put the Massara MGA name on a Barolo label, with documented vintages dating back to 1974. Planted with Nebbiolo on calcareous clay soil at 265 meters elevation with an east-southeast exposure, it produces a Barolo of notable purity, combining ripe fruit with the site's characteristic freshness.
バローロ モンヴィリエーロ
Barolo Monvigliero
RedNebbiolo
Monvigliero is widely regarded as one of Barolo's greatest crus, and Castello di Verduno's bottling comes from a single plot atop the hill, with vines planted in 1967. It grows on the estate's signature Marne di Sant'Agata soil — a mix of clay, sand, and limestone — that gives Monvigliero its trademark combination of perfume and structure. Since the 2019 vintage, the non-riserva bottling blends estate fruit with purchased grapes from the same cru, while the estate's riserva remains 100% estate-grown.
バローロ モンヴィリエーロ リゼルヴァ
Barolo Monvigliero Riserva
RedNebbiolo
The estate's Riserva bottling of Monvigliero is made exclusively from 100% estate-grown fruit from the 1967-planted plot atop the hill, unlike the non-riserva which has included purchased grapes since 2019. It undergoes an extended 35-day maceration and around 30 months of aging in large Slavonian oak botti, followed by further bottle aging before release, meeting the DOCG Barolo Riserva minimum of 62 months total aging — the estate's most ambitious and long-lived wine.