The 2004 Barbaresco Riserva Rabaja is the crown jewel of this lineup. If the Ovello is primary, the Rabaja is even more so. The color is the shade of translucent violet that the most age-worthy, complex Nebbiolos show in their youth. This is an impressive, massively structured wine packed with layers of violets, dark cherries, licorice, minerals, tar, anise, menthol and spices. It is an utterly captivating, seductive Barbaresco of the highest level. Although it will require patience, the Rabaja is likely to offer highly rewarding drinking for those patient enough to wait. This is a breathtaking effort. Incidentally, I have enjoyed quite a few bottles of the 2001 recently, and have consistently found my score (92) to be woefully inadequate, as that wine easily merits another 2+ points. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. Managing Director Aldo Vacca had some interesting things to say about the 2004 vintage in Barbaresco. “I wasn’t initially convinced about the quality of the vintage until I had the wines fermenting in the cellar, something I also experienced in 1978,” says Vacca. “ The summer wasn’t especially hot, but the Fall was gorgeous, and our harvest took place during the second half of October. Given that yields were on the high side, I felt we needed to be especially selective in the cellar, so we produced roughly 30% less of some of our Riservas by using only the best individual lots for wines like our Ovello, Montestefano and Moccagatta Riservas. Any lots we weren’t thrilled about went into our non-Riserva Barbaresco. In 2004 vineyard exposures were a huge factor in determining maturity, while 2005 was perhaps a touch more consistent throughout, but without the complexity and structure of the 2004s.” Readers who have a hard time finding the 2004s, shouldn’t fret, as the Produttori will also release Riservas for the 2005, 2006 and 2007 vintages, so there will be plenty of wine in the pipeline over the next few years. Given the weakness in the US dollar, readers may want to quickly snap up any remaining stocks of the 2001 Riservas as well. Importer: Vias Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 629-0200