1989 Vietti Barbaresco Rabaja

Vietti traces its roots to the 19th century. It gets its name from Mario Vietti, who started bottling his wines on the estate in 1919, putting his name on the bottles. Vietti was sold in 2016 to Krause Holdings, an Iowa-based, family-owned corporation that owns convenience stores, transportation and real estate businesses. Luca Currado of the Vietti family will remain on as CEO of the 84-acre estate. Vietti has long been known as an estate that successfully mixes tradition with modern wine making. Gambero Rosso, Italy’s leading wine journal, notes that the estate is “brilliantly managed” and the family brings out the best from “the marvelous vineyards.” Vietti offers numerous wines, from Barolo and Barbaresco to Barbera d’Alba and Moscato. The signature Barolos typically earn very high ratings and wide acclaim. Robert M. Parker Jr. noted that the 2007 Vietti Barolo Brunate is “a stunner…that captures the essence of one of Piedmont’s greatest sites.”

Barbaresco is one of the two most acclaimed DOCGs in Piedmont, the other being Barolo. Located just a few miles north of Barolo, Barbaresco is a small town of fewer than 700 people and 1,680 vineyard acres, making it less than half the size of the Barolo DOCG. The other communes in this DOCG of rolling hills are Neive and Treiso. As in Barolo, the DOCG requires that Barbaresco DOCG wines be 100% Nebbiolo, a grape thought of as the Pinot Noir of Italy. Records show that Nebbiolo was grown in the Piedmont as early as the 14th century, and despite being somewhat finicky – it is late to ripen and easily damaged by adverse weather --- Nebbiolo makes highly aromatic and powerful red wines. Until the mid-19th century Nebbiolos of Piedmont were vinified as sweet wines, though that ended in the late 19th century when a French oenologist was invited to Piedmont to show producers how to make dry reds. By the late 20th century respected producers were making outstanding Nebbiolos, as well as Nebbiolo blends that do not carry the DOCG label. Barbaresco was made a DOC in 1966 and upgraded to a DCOG in 1980. DOCG Barbaresco must be aged a minimum of two years, with a minimum of one year in wood. Barbarescos are regarded as more subtle and refined than Barolos, and more approachable when young.

This red grape is most often associated with Piedmont, where it becomes DOCG Barolo and Barbaresco, among others. Its name comes from Italian for “fog,” which descends over the region at harvest. The fruit also gains a foggy white veil when mature.