As it turns out the 2005 Barbaresco Rabaja offers greater freshness and vibrancy than the 2004. I suppose that is not too surprising considering the estate did not produce a Riserva in this vintage so the oldest vines were used in the non-Riserva bottling. Today the wine comes across as rather primary, which just hints of its perfumed fruit making an appearance. The tannins need some time to soften, but this energetic, focused Barbaresco offers tons of quality, and is likely to be one of the vintage's best kept secrets.
— Wine Advocate, Oct 2008

“The 2005 Barbaresco Rabajà is in a very pretty place today where the tannins have softened, but the aromatics and flavors remain quite fresh. Sweet, red berries, flowers, mint and spices meld together nicely throughout. The 2005 is an especially sensual, refined Rabajà built on total class rather than brute power. Piercarlo Cortese gave his 2005 22 months in cask. In 2005, Cortese did not bottle a Riserva, instead all of the fruit went into the straight bottling. The 2005 has enough freshness to drink well for another decade, perhaps longer.”
— Vinous, Jun 2016