2016 Cascina Luisin Barbaresco Rabaja

The fabled Rabajà cru in Barbaresco, within which the Luisin winery itself is situated, borders Asili to the southwest, but the differences in character between the two are striking: Rabajà is brooding and earthy where Asili is bright and mineral, and Luisin’s version of Rabajà is arguably the more complex and long-lasting of the two, even if their Asili can be more attractive in its youth. As densely constructed and structurally imposing as it is, however, the fruit remains stunningly vibrant and pure—a testament to Roberto’s deeply felt and intuitive touch with extraction and tannin management.