Drink Window: 2025-2045
95 Points Vinous
The 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Pajè is a classic wine from this site. Deeply spiced and balsamic notes meld into a core of dark, sepia-toned Nebbiolo fruit. A Barbaresco of real presence and substance, the Pajè makes itself felt. It's one of my early dark horse favorites in this range from Produttori del Barbaresco.
95 Points Wine Enthusiast
The 2020 Pajè Riserva is a beautiful wine starting with its enticing scents of dog rose, violet, eucalyptus, new leather and white pepper. A bit firmer than Pora, the savory palate delivers juicy red cherry, strawberry compote, blood orange and wild herb before an almost salty finish. Fine-grained tannins provide weightless support while fresh acidity keeps it balanced.
94 Points Wine Spectator
This is all about power and structure, with cherry, blackberry, earth, wild herb and tar flavors buoyed by a dense matrix of tannins. The fruit is there, peeking through the maze briefly before the tannins take hold on the finish; never obtrusive, they drive the lingering finish. Best from 2029 through 2045.
93 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Pajè vineyard faces the Tanaro River and is tucked at back of a narrow theater of vines. The site is often characterized by a floral note of rose and violet that comes thought nicely in the Produttori del Barbaresco 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Pajè. With those sweet floral notes comes an open-knit mouthfeel and a more immediate drinking style with soft, silky tannins. In fact, this was the second of nine wines served in a flight that started with the lightest Riservas and ended with the most powerful wines.
Winemaker Notes
Pajé sits just west of the village of Barbaresco, a small, steep amphitheater of calcareous soils that consistently yields one of the most refined and transparent expressions in the Produttori lineup. It’s never the biggest or boldest cru—but for many Nebbiolo traditionalists, it’s the most compelling.
In 2020, Pajé is taut and quietly powerful. Red cherry, blood orange, and crushed roses meet a spine of acidity and iron-rich minerality that gives the wine its hallmark precision. Tannins are firm but fine, and the structure is unmistakably built for the long haul—though a few hours in the decanter already hint at its inner elegance.
This is Barbaresco in high-definition: pure, vertical, and exacting. Ideal for cellaring, or for pairing with dishes that match its restraint—porcini, game birds, or aged cheeses. For collectors, it's the cru that rewards patience. For purists, it’s the one that speaks clearest.
