Rabasco: beautiful natural wines from Abruzzo, Italy
Website: https://www.rabascowinery.com/en/home-en-2/
Rabasco is an impressive natural wine producer in Abruzzo, which is run by Iole Rabasco. She was previously a lawyer, but decided to take over the family winery in the 2000s, farming the 11 hectare estate organically (later switching to biodynamics in 2006) and making the wines naturally. The estate, with four separate vineyards, is based in the village of Pianella, in Pescara, and the vineyards have age (over 40 years old). The big advantage from her point is that they’ve never been conventionally farmed. These are zero/zero wines with no added sulfites.
One feature here is the use of demijohns for some of the wines (indicated by Damigiana in the name). Iole has 120 of them! The labels – hand drawn – are beautifully retro and fit the wines well. I tasted these wines at the VinNatur tasting in Paris, November 2025.
Rabasco Cancelli Branco 2024 Abruzzo, Italy
10% alcohol. This is Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, harvested at the end of August and direct pressed into stainless steel. Full yellow in colour, this is bright and lively, and even has some structure, with really fine acidity. Lemony, showing good concentration, this is pithy and has lots of personality. 93/100
Rabasco La Salita 2024 Abruzzo, Italy
11.5% alcohol. This is made from an old clone of Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, fermented and aged in stainless steel. There’s great concentration here, showing lemon, orange peel, pear and apple. Nice depth and richness, with a grainy, detailed palate, and finishing with some fine spicy notes, and apple, cherry and dried herb characters. 94/100
Rabasco Damigiana 2024 Abruzzo, Italy
12% alcohol. This is Trebbiano d’Abruzzo with 30% Malvasia Candida, and it spends 5 days on skins. Aged in demijohns. It’s a slightly cloudy golden colour. Textured and detailed with nice weight, showing apples, pears, some peach and and even a touch of mint. There’s some structure, there are some oxidative hints, but also real detail and finesse. Very fine. 94/100
Rabasco Cancelli Rosso 2024 Abruzzo, Italy
12.5% alcohol. This is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, and it spends just 1.5 days on skins, and is raised in stainless steel. Supple and juicy with nice sour cherry fruit. Has some grip, and also lovely acidity. Fresh red cherry and redcurrant fruit with vibrancy. Juicy and delicious. 93/100
Rabasco Damigiana Rosato 2024 Abruzzo, Italy
This is from a young vineyard of Cerusualo. Full pink/orange in colour, and this is just from the press! Lively, with tangy redcurrant fruit as well as red cherry, with citrus brightness. There are some grippy tannins here, and good acidity. So interesting. 93/100
Rabasco Rosso Damigiana 2020 IGT Colline Pescaresi, Abruzzo, Italy
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo with 9 days on skins, then raised in demijohns. Beautiful texture here to the bright red cherry and raspberry fruit. Grippy and firm with good acidity and some sleekness to the red fruit. Substantial, fine and expansive, with lots of tannin. 94/100
