Though it has been vinified since the pre-Roman era and was once an important wine for trade by Venetian merchants (known as recaldina), Raboso literally lost ground to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1960s.
As was the case with many indigenous varietals, it might have been consigned to the enological scrap heap if not for the Confraternity of Raboso Pieve and producers committed to preserving wines that reflected cultural heritage and place.
Since 1982, Ornella Molon has developed a portfolio of wines that thrive in the organic alluvial soils in the Pieve River Valley near Treviso. They have restored Raboso to its post-1945 prominence in that area.
This is a complex, powerful wine of depth and extraction. Scents of flowers, berries, and spices evolve into well-defined flavors of full-on red fruits and darker cherry, with touches of pepper. The finish is lengthy and built on solid tannins and a dry but not unpleasant bitterness. Interesting, unique, and challenging to the senses.