The 2014 Barbaresco Riserva Rabaja shows excellent textural richness with dark fruit, followed by notes of tobacco and tilled earth. Black truffle and dried fruit converge on the bouquet to add to the intensity. You really appreciate the freshness and sheer power of this succulent, well-structured and medium to full-bodied Barbaresco. This one's the real deal.

Produttori enthusiasts will be happy to know that the estate's celebrated Riservas were made in 2014, a vintage that performed very nicely in the rolling hills of Barbaresco. We can also look forward to the Riservas in 2015 and 2016. I find it helpful to remember the tasting order of the Riservas as suggested by General Manager Aldo Vacca. It starts with the more delicate expressions and concludes with the most structured wines.

The 2014 Barbaresco Riserva Rabaja is powerful, dense and explosive, with tremendous intensity of fruit and structure. The Rabaja is dark and potent – as all these wines are – but the tannins and acids give the wine considerable tension and energy. The Rabaja is a powerful, towering wine endowed with massive structure and intensity to burn. Like so many of these wines, the Rabaja is somber and brooding in feel.

This red is opulent and lushly textured, providing a backdrop for pure cherry, black currant, floral and graphite flavors. There is a firm grip and plenty of energy here, building to a long, mineral-tinged finish.

A shade deeper and a little more developed than the Muncagota Riserva. Deep nose of strawberry and iron with a cool edge in spite of its concentration. Minerally raspberry fruit with a linear core of acidity and more than a hint of iron. Firm layer of coating tannins while the linear, perfumed raspberry fruit is elegant as well as concentrated. Gorgeous vibrant finish.