1999 Giuseppe Cortese, Barbaresco Riserva, Rabajà (RT93+) Slow O’d for the day, decanted less than an hour prior to serving. Cortese’s Rabajà Riserva dials things up a few notches with its profound ripeness and added complexity, not to mention its additional structure. Here the fruit is sweet, dense, and impressively rich, yet it maintains its freshness – a hallmark or the vintage? As it unfolds in the glass classic terroir-driven notes of loam and truffle add interest. Just beginning to show early signs of tertiary development but remains a good 3-5 years from early peak drinking where it should hold for at least a decade. Fabulous stuff, despite the premium price of Cortese’s Riserva, I believe it is worth it. Drink 2014-2037+
