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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.1 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 76 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by SussexRH on 12/23/2023 & rated 94 points: Quite closed on day one, but by day two it’s singing: clove, spice, fig, Christmas cake, violet, truffle, iodine, tar, rose petal, a top note of menthol; palate in perfect balance with ripe, mature tannins giving firm structure, slightly drying on the finish; all in all, in the ideal spot for this wine, just mature enough to have softened completely while maintaining all of its poise and structure. (501 views) | | | Tasted by JWS84 on 3/16/2023: This was beautiful and a consensus wine of the night. At full maturity, we felt it could still go 5 or more additional years without fading. (839 views) | | | Tasted by grapenomad on 3/4/2023 & rated 94 points: Always a pleasure to try such an iconic wine, even with a few sips. Moderate garnet in the glass. Of course, by the color the age is quite obvious, but when you start smelling and sipping, you can't believe that this is so old. Lovely florals dominate the nose in form of violets and hibiscus, then transform into dried berry fruit, fresh tobacco, mocha, some shiitake mushroom. Palate is full of life with medium (+) acidity, grippy tannins and moderate alcohol. Everything is in sync and working beautifully together. Benchmark wine of Barbaresco. (1202 views) | | | Tasted by SH Wu on 9/25/2022 & rated 94 points: Everything you'd expect in a barbaresco - leather, tobacco, blue/black fruits and sturdy tannins. It is pretty crazy how young this 1996 feels 26 years later. The age has added tertiary characteristics like mushroom and dirt, while the vibrant, concentrated fruit still show signs of youth.
Even after a night of air, this felt like it still had a decade or two in it. Beautiful wine. (1556 views) | | | Tasted by marcellonegro on 7/29/2022 & rated 94 points: Earthy leather and tobacco, still some primary fruit, cherry, dark plum. Tertiary on nose with mushroom, herb. (1595 views) | | | Tasted by Vini Ciclismo on 7/27/2022 & rated 92 points: Beautifully evolved , with lovely sweet fruit and refined dark tar spice. Has peaked but on a very gradual decline . Still delicious , with soft fine grained tannins . (1367 views) | | | Tasted by acyso on 7/17/2022 & rated 93 points: Sunday hangout (and goodbyes) (Chicago, IL): This bottle was more typical of 1996 (at least in my mind) than my last experience with this wine. The fruit is more red-tinted and there are more mature herbal and dried floral notes on the nose. The tannins still feel a little young and grainy, but there should be enough fruit here for the wine to stand up some additional aging. (2041 views) | | | Tasted by Vicchangus on 10/7/2021 & rated 93 points: Still showing very young, would not guess 25 years old. Cedar and herbal notes. Still a ways to develop (1882 views) | | | Tasted by Derek Darth Taster on 7/20/2021 & rated 93 points: 1996 Piedmont theme Lunch at Maison Dakota. Tasted blind. Drank in Conterno Sensory.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, garnet colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of dark earth, leather, dark plums, mint. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (13.5%), structured high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, wth flavours of deep dark plums, dark currants, dark earth, leather, stony minerals, hint of herbal greenness and green mint. Very long powerful finish.
Very good quality. Still quite fresh for a 1996. This will probably last quite a few more years easily. (2015 views) | | | Tasted by Rechrom on 4/13/2020 & rated 94 points: This was a really nice bottle following a double decant on day one, and stayed at that high level on day 2. Intense on the palate with lovely dark fruit and herb and some leather. Nice long finish with a slight tannic eighth. Full nose of dark fruits and some leather. Drank really well with food and really well by itself, more integrated than the last bottle I had of this 4 years ago. (2985 views) | | | Tasted by salil on 9/19/2019 & rated 91 points: Dinner at Nico Osteria: Quite a contrast to the Giacosa - this comes across much darker-fruited and heavier on the palate in contrast. There's more oak apparent in this wine, but it doesn't stick out and instead it's woven into the background of the wine. Like the balance a lot, though I found myself going back to the Giacosa for the aromatic depth there. (3831 views) | | | Tasted by acyso on 9/19/2019 & rated 93 points: Dinner at Nico Osteria (Chicago, IL): Very intense and typical of the vintage, with more of the black fruit and raw power here. Now this definitely shows nebbiolo tannin, but the fruit profile all in all is more generous and opulent, perhaps even modern? Nonetheless whatever oak treatment this receives is very well done, as there's nothing here that would point you to the modernist camp, aside from the slightly more accessible black fruit. The tannins are still very grippy, and this has plenty of life to live yet. (3844 views) | | | Tasted by Ms. Bubblehead on 2/22/2019: From half bottle format. Blind tasted it and guessed it
Pretty modern I felt, sweet currant, plum, tea leaves, leather, dried herbs on the nose, on the palate, the tannin was firm and polish, acidity was gentle, there was more spices and tar/leather note on the finish. I think it is a good quality wine, but just not my type of wine. (3313 views) | | | Tasted by psmith on 1/28/2018 & rated 92 points: Decanted most of the day. I often think the "tar" part of "tar and roses" is overplayed, but not here. Dark and brambly, with anise and black fruit notes. The palate is still youthful and more than a bit chewy, but everything aligns fairly well. There's a ripe sense of sweet fruit to the palate, but that's clipped off by fine but aggressive tannins. Few signs of maturity and there's still a sense of a lot in reserve. Solid. (3969 views) | | | Tasted by Tim Heaton on 12/19/2017: Aromas are, at times, quite explosive, but the palate shows a bit more control. For my palate, this is in a good spot now, even if it did get better with each consecutive pour (yes, this will hold for several more years before beginning a gradual decline). Interesting, and enjoyable, but short of excellent, or above. A good food wine, and one that brings a memorably long and layered finish.
Double-decanted 1 hour prior to service, served at cellar temp, and consumed over the following 2 hours.
https://www.ItalianWine.blog (4024 views) | | | Tasted by Nanda on 11/3/2017 & rated 94 points: Gary's Intro Retro -- Italia!: Served double blind. A full attractive nose that is polished and forward. Big black cherry, spice with nice underlying herb and tar. Palate sports black cherry that is bright and starting lose it's baby richness. Bright acidity. Incredible power here. Young, but no longer primary (unlike the '97 tasted immediately before this which was quite primary). My #3 and group #4. (3544 views) | | | Tasted by Burgundy Al on 11/3/2017 & rated 92 points: Chicago Wine Flock...Gary Goes Italian (Chez Weber - Chicago IL): Tasted double blind in what turned out to be a Gaja Barbaresco flight. Charming floral beginning with red cherry throughout and emerging earthiness. Lean and long with plenty of elegant structure. Somehow this and the 1997 in the next glass seem more than a year apart, at least philosophically if not chronologically. (3723 views) | | | Tasted by rlove on 10/7/2017 flawed bottle: Cooked. (2862 views) | | | Tasted by fcxj on 4/11/2017 & rated 92 points: Fun Barbaresco. Still a pup, deep, deep purple. Aromas of licorice, bubble gum and tar. (2810 views) | | | Tasted by Burgnick on 4/11/2017 & rated 92 points: Dark currant, forest, leather, oak, and earth. Palate is more open vs the previous btl despite shorter aeration. You can tell it is from a weaker vintage because it lacks the depth and intensity of a great gaja. But its really starting to drink well and the fruit and tannins have began to soften. 92+ (2689 views) | | | Tasted by onboisduvin on 3/2/2017 & rated 93 points: Although still young and vibrant, hints of maturity and 2nd bouquet were well expressed. Very enjoyable now or later! (2586 views) | | | Tasted by Rechrom on 3/5/2016 & rated 93 points: Decanted three hours, consumed over next two. Tight initially even after air, last glass drank best. Mature nose of cherry and leather, nice palate with the fruit becoming more pronounced at the end of the bottle. Needs a lot of air to blossom now, many years left. (4437 views) | | | Tasted by lepetitchateau on 8/12/2015 & rated 93 points: Lots of material and classy fruit here, overall quite lovely despite the tannins being drier than ideal but that is what happens when you over-oak wine. This is a food wine, as there is not enough harmony of the elements to be pleasing without the balancing effect of some hearty fare. Still, a nice wine. (6005 views) | | | Tasted by Atlwinelover on 6/5/2015 & rated 93 points: I'm brand new to commenting. Bought two bottles well over ten years ago. Failed to comment on the first one I opened several years ago. But, totally impressed with the second! Intense nose at first opening. Cherry obvious. Over a couple of hours more leather and smoke. Still showing tannins. Just plain good! (6134 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 4/20/2015 & rated 95 points: Cherry to maroon color with some bricking in the rim, low opacity but some sediment present, so decanting is highly recommended. Dry, developed and complex nose with initial aromas of smoke, dried sour cherries and potpourri, underneath hints of dried prunes, some leather, a little sous-bois and a whiff of tobacco. A classic bouquet of mature Nebbiolo. On the palate the wine is a lot younger the nose leads to expect: intense, concentrated and complex flavors of sour cherries, tart dark forest fruits, leather, sous-bois and a little tar. Full-bodied but not that big mouthfeel with very lively acidity and pronounced, grainy tannins. However, the wine does not come across as tight or taut, but instead calm, relaxed and approachable. Dry, complex and very long finish with more pronounced oak characteristics; flavors of ripe dark cherries, dried figs, baked spices, smoke, dry wood and a hint of cognac in the aftertaste.
Not the best Barbaresco there is, but still very, very, very good: this wine gives surprisingly much in return for its high price! Even though Gaja is often categorized as a modernist producer, this wine has a lot more in common with the traditionalists than with the sweet, soft and over-oaked modernist wines. Even though this wine seems quite mature already, it still possesses a lot of potential for further cellaring. Pricey, but still worth the 178€. (5045 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, 1996 Piedmont: The Proof is in the Pudding (Oct 2017) (10/1/2017)
(Gaja Barbaresco Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, November/December 1998, IWC Issue #81
(Angelo Gaja Barbaresco) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Gaja Producer website
Located in the Tuscany and Piedmont regions of Italy, Gaja makes collectible Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay wines, including the Langhe Conteisa label. Gaja wines are among the highest-rated in all of Italy. It is perhaps best known for its Super Tuscans, which are some of the most elegant on the market. However, the estate also makes top-quality wines rooted in Italian tradition, such as Barbaresco. It is perhaps the most lauded Barbaresco producer today.
Although the estate produces 18 different wines, the production is low at just 350,000 bottles per year, making these wines very rare. The best Gaja vintages include 2018, 2016, and 2015 as well as historically well-performing vintages such as 2013, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2004, and 2003. Many of Gaja’s best vintages have received perfect scores from criticsGaja BarbarescoWine description
“Barbaresco” is doubtless the most prestigious wine produced by Gaja winery, famous worldwide for its excellence. Nebbiolo is the only variety used, pure 100%.
The 14 vineyards are located in the district of Barbaresco and have an elevation that swings between 250-330 meters above the sea level. The total surface covers 21,4 hectares, where the vines have a medium age that counts around forty years old.
The wine making is managed separately. After fermentation, maceration and 12 months aging in wood, all the different wines coming from the 14 vineyards are assembled together. The final product is then submitted to a further aging of 12 moths in wooden barrels. Year after year, harvest after harvest, Barbaresco DOCG produced by Angelo Gaja has become greater and greater. It is a surprising wine under all the points of view. It is produced with selected grapes coming from different vineyards, showing its great quality and its unique elegance.
Features of red wine “Barbaresco” from Piedmont
Intense garnet red colour. The perfume recalls red berries, with floral sensations of violet, hints of aromatic herbs, spices, white pepper, tobacco and anise. The taste is silky and rich at the same time, supported by energic tannins that let it age also ten years. Great persistence.
Notes from the producer:
The Gaja family settled in Piemonte in the mid-17th century. Five generations have been involved in winemaking since Giovanni Gaja, in 1859 founded his winery in Barbaresco, in the heart of the Langhe area.
The Gaja name represents a legacy of qualitative supremacy maintained by the family over five generation.
The Nebbiolo vine is particularly affected by the small differences in the various types of soil. The blend of the grapes coming from the 14 vineyards stresses the features of the different terroirs, thus creating a complex and balanced wine. The bouquet smells of soft fruits, flowers, delicate spices and mineral notes. The structure is dense but elegant. It has a lingering finish with refined tannins. Each Gaja Barbaresco is the faithful expression of the production year and is suitable for a long bottle ageinNebbioloNebbiolo is a red grape indigenous to the Piedmont region of Italy in the Northwest. The grape can also be found in other parts of the world, though they are not as respected.
Nebbiolo is often considered the "king of red wines," as it is the grape of the famed wines of Barolo DOCG, Barbaresco DOCG, and Roero DOCG. It is known for high tannins and acidity, but with a distinct finesse. When grown on clay, Nebbiolo can be very powerful, tannic, and require long aging periods to reach its full potential. When grown on sand, the grape exhibits a more approachable body with more elegant fruit and less tannins, but still has high aging potential.
"Nebbiolo" is named for the Italian word, "nebbia", which means "fog", in Italian and rightfully so since there is generally a lot of fog in the foothills of Piedmont during harvest.
Nebbiolo is a late-ripening variety that does best in a continental climate that boasts moderate summers and long autumns. In Piedmont, Nebbiolo is normally harvested in October.
More links:
Varietal character (Appellation America) | Nebbiolo on CellarTrackerItaly Italian Wines (ItalianMade.com, The Italian Trade Commission) | Italian Wine Guide on the WineDoctorPiedmont Vignaioli Piemontesi (Italian only)
On weinlagen-infoLanghe Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Roero | Union of Producers of Albese Wines (Albeisa)Barbaresco Geographical details of the DOCG down to single vineyards. The vineyards belonging to the comune Barbaresco can be found here |
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