2001 Barbaresco, Rabajà, Cascina Luisin, Piedmont, Italy
- Red
- Dry
- Full Bodied
- Nebbiolo
Ready - at best
Product: 20011097177
Description
Rabajà is one of the most revered Barbaresco vineyards, a definite ‘Grand Cru’ if and when the authorities get around to classifying the region (a government would be nice too!) that faces directly into the afternoon sun while being gently fanned by the breezes generated by the river Tanaro below. Forty-five year old vines mean deep roots and naturally low yields, so with richness comes minerality and elegance.
The 2001 vintage was a classic Nebbiolo vintage, both for Barbaresco and Barolo next door, giving intriguing, fresh, delicate, pale coloured wines that are hitting their stride now. Notes of tar, fleshy prune, tamarind, sweet licorice & tobacco tease the senses. And with an alcohol level of 14.2%, this wine has bright, sapid drinkability, of which you will never, ever tire.
The wine displays pale garnet red, bright and transparent, the nose is fresh, a weave of hay-like notes of catrame (tar), tobacco, sweet red fruit and charm. The palate offers a velvety, fresh, fleshy roll of sweet tamarind, soft red fruit, dried rose petal and black licorice flavours. It makes for a compelling drink, very ethereal, agile, porcelain, not a blockbuster like 2000 but more intellectual, opening up with every swill of the glass. Seductive even. Best with rabbit or lamb.
David Berry Green
The 2001 vintage was a classic Nebbiolo vintage, both for Barbaresco and Barolo next door, giving intriguing, fresh, delicate, pale coloured wines that are hitting their stride now. Notes of tar, fleshy prune, tamarind, sweet licorice & tobacco tease the senses. And with an alcohol level of 14.2%, this wine has bright, sapid drinkability, of which you will never, ever tire.
The wine displays pale garnet red, bright and transparent, the nose is fresh, a weave of hay-like notes of catrame (tar), tobacco, sweet red fruit and charm. The palate offers a velvety, fresh, fleshy roll of sweet tamarind, soft red fruit, dried rose petal and black licorice flavours. It makes for a compelling drink, very ethereal, agile, porcelain, not a blockbuster like 2000 but more intellectual, opening up with every swill of the glass. Seductive even. Best with rabbit or lamb.
David Berry Green
Colour Red
Sweetness Dry
Vintage 2001
Maturity Ready - at best
Grape List Nebbiolo
Body Full Bodied
Producer Cascina Luisin, Piedmont
About this wine
Nebbiolo
Nebbiolo is the grape behind the Barolo and Barbaresco wines and is hardly ever seen outside the confines of Piedmont. It takes its name from "nebbia" which is Italian for fog, a frequent phenomenon in the region.
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Cascina Luisin, Piedmont
Cascina Luisin is a traditional family wine estate in Barbaresco, Piedmont, founded in 1913 by Luigi Minuto (‘Luisin’ means ‘small Luigi’ in dialect). It comprises 7ha of predominantly old vineyards, 50% of which grow Nebbiolo, notably Sori Paolin in Neive, Rabajà and Asili in Barbaresco itself; total production is approx. 30,000 bts per anno (incl. some Dolcetto, Barbera, Langhe Nebbiolo and Roero Arneis) The estate is currently run by Luigi Minuto and his son Roberto (pictured right); the latter joining in 1995 from viticultural school. Despite buying a pair of rotofermentors soon after, Roberto conducted a trial of different fermentations (roto, cement, wood) and decided from that moment on to only ferment and macerate Nebbiolo for an extended period in cement to ensure stable wine and tannins, followed by a couple of years in large oak. The rotofermentors are only used for Dolcetto and Barbera, saving time. In 1998 he also stopped fining, filtering, using selected yeast and applied only natural manure. More recently he has been replacing the oldest large slavonian botte with new Stockinger botte. Bottling is done when the wine is ready. Their soft Barbaresco Sori Paolin reflects the sandy soils of Neive; Barbaresco Rabajà (overwhich the cantina looks) is more muscular thanks to its predominantly western exposure; while Barbaresco Asili (from vintage 2011) is all about red-fruited finezza.
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