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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.2 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 25 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by mxpbuy on 5/11/2024 flawed bottle: Very top shoulder fill. Soft cork needed a strainer and it resulted in a double decant back into bottle. Less than a teaspoon of sediment. Thereafter, slow ox for 90 minutes. Although nothing wrong with the nose on on the original opening or after the double decant nor even 1 hours later when pulling of the cork before the added 90 mins of slow ox. However, after the 90 mins of slow ox, a little TCA taint was appearing and perhaps modestly appearing on the palate, to the disappointment of all. However 60 minutes later, the TCA nose seemed to dissipate either entirely or close to it as opposed to the typical case where the TCA taint grows and becomes really foul with more air. On the palate an hour later it was still a little off but no wet cardboard or materially flattened fruits - certainly "drinkable" (90 points, tops) but not the beauty we were expecting. (36 views) | | | Tasted by Philip67 on 5/14/2022 & rated 96 points: Wonderful. Rich so rich but still so distinctively Barolo - loads of tar some rose petals. Black fruits. High acidity and tannin but plenty of fruit to balance the structure. Sooo long and complex. Drink now, will last but don't wait. (1333 views) | | | Tasted by Thomas123 on 11/23/2019 & rated 98 points: What an absolute treat. Never, ever underestimate the old masters, like Giacosa, Conterno and Gaja. This has everything you want from a top notch mature Barolo. And it’s still convincingly fresh and vibrant. It can easily last at least 5 more years without declining but for me, it’s at it’s peak now! (2538 views) | | | Tasted by Honeyburst on 6/28/2018 & rated 93 points: At a really good stage right now. Dense and intense and still very well balanced. Impressive effort - but then again..... that's Gaja for you! (3334 views) | | | Tasted by Mjladha on 2/9/2018 & rated 92 points: Beautiful nose. Floral.
Tannic. Needed a few more years (3455 views) | | | Tasted by chbeaumont on 6/12/2016 & rated 93 points: Dark; sleek, glossy; flashy, dense. Moderne. This is drinking now but potential for improvement. At its peak in a decade? (5145 views) | | | Tasted by HowardNZ on 1/8/2016: Dinner with Jeffrey: Double decanted six hours earlier. Opened softer and broader than the Sperss. Impenetrable dark colour. A gorgeous nose of spices, tar, dry earth and dark fruit. A sweet entry. Generous and relatively open. Lovely balance. The oak seemed largely consumed. It was however evident in the sleek, glossy mouth feel. Gorgeous, ripe fruit, with no pruniness. No real secondary, savoury development yet. The flavours were espresso, dark cherries, Asian spices, warm earth and tar. Reflecting its La Morra provenance, broader and seemingly softer than the Sperss. Still, very good, perhaps give the Conteisa another 3+ years. (5582 views) | | | Tasted by Milos on 6/14/2014 & rated 92 points: Intense nose of dark cherry and tar. The palate is balanced but the flavours lacked focus and wine seemed little tired. Long finish. Enjoyable but not as good as the last bottle. (5283 views) | | | Tasted by Milos on 1/18/2014 & rated 94 points: A weekend at the farm with the boys. This is something I been wanting to do for a while, have both the Conteisa and the Sperss side by side (same note posted for both wines). Very intense nose of dark cherry, tar, Asian spices and high note of rose petals on both wines. The Conteisa adds a little field flower note. The palate is balanced and finish very long on both wines. In the end the Sperss had little more power and the Conteisa tannins were little dryer but that is splitting hairs. (4818 views) | | | Tasted by Zweder on 12/15/2013 & rated 94 points: Occasional tasting group (@ My place Bordeaux 2002 plus some other nice wines.): Beautiful bouquet with red fruits, licorice, leather, some chocolate, brush wood, autumn impressions and luxurious oak. On the palate a mature wine with tobacco, chocolate, coffee, powdery tannin, beautiful oak and soft tannin which is slightly and pleasantly drying in the finish. Complex and luxurious wine. Completely ready now. No reason to wait any longer, but it will probably stay on this level for a few years. (5600 views) | | | Tasted by redders on 11/29/2012 & rated 92 points: Brittannia Group (Hix Mayfair): very deep colour. Nose extraordinarily young. Raw powwerful but with a lot of substance. Palate powerful rich and very long. International in character and lacks a sense of place. Hard to believe it was 1996 and tasted much younger. needs 10 years and it may then reveal more. For now it is a high quality bruiser. (4252 views) | | | Tasted by drrobvino on 2/17/2012 & rated 92 points: Weekend at Zuli's; 2/16/2012-2/19/2012 (St. Catharines, Ontario): Decanted 2 hours and enjoyed over the next 3. Dark garnet color, 13.5% abv. Nose of tar, black cherry, tobacco, and pepper. Flavors of slightly tart black cherry, plum, and anise. Full bodied, powerful yet restrained, fully mature. Will drink wonderfully over the next 8-10 years, in my humble opinion. All hail Gaja. (5359 views) | | | Tasted by Mr. Muga on 11/3/2011 & rated 96 points: Served at annual Wine Pigs dinner at Volt with fourth course of agnolotti, sheeps milk ricotta, and white truffles. Still youthful but a fantastic match with the white truffle dish. Very complex and meant for food with mutiple layers of fruit including blackberry, black cherry, plums with fleeting whiffs of smoke, leather, tar, and white truffles. Cellar this one for at least six more years! (3510 views) | | | Tasted by kultcha on 9/11/2011 & rated 94 points: Decanted for about 30 mins. Deep garnet purple color. Nose showing tar, rose petals, bit of cherry and asian spices. Lovely balanced mid-weight body showing some plum, black cherry, black licorice/anise, and leather. Really complex palate. The finish was extremely long. What an enjoyable wine! (3562 views) | | | Tasted by Milos on 10/16/2010 & rated 94 points: This is why one should drink Nebbiolo wines; Decanted for about an hour; very intense nose of dark cherry, tar, Asian spices and high note of rose petals. The palate is balanced and finish very very long. Just when you think the flavours are gone something else appears. Just entering drinking phase and expecting it to go for a long time. (3451 views) | | | Tasted by Papies on 10/10/2009 & rated 92 points: Nice aged wine with afine body. Woudl have loved it to be more complex. At the end of the day Gaja is Gaja and this is another fine example. (3615 views) | | | Tasted by socidelvino on 4/4/2009 & rated 90 points: Gaja 150 year Celebration at Vinitaly 2009 (Vinitaly, Verona Fiere, Italy): Tasted at Gaja 150 year Celebration at Vinitaly 2009
Eye: deep garnet color. Nose: leather, balsamic, vanilla, cherry. Mouth: blackberry, cassis, cherry, phenols, good tannins and structure. (2637 views) | | | Tasted by Lorien on 10/1/2008 & rated 90 points: lovely right now. big and enjoyable. needs time to improve, and i have a good feeling it will! (7589 views) | | | Tasted by paulevd on 8/12/2008 & rated 90 points: Smoke and cherries. Medium deep red. Intense cherries, flowers, plum. Not decanted. Long, chewy finish, though becoming slightly insipid at the end. Tannins/oak seems to be outlasting the fruit. Half-hour later it is strong cherry followed by strong oak. Maybe a couple of hours will help it.
Hour later the strong cherry is even more outstanding, but the oak/tannin ending just won't go away. One of the few times I wish a wine didn't have as long a finish. (3198 views) | | | Tasted by Jeremy Holmes on 7/23/2008: This is dense, polished and a little closed at the moment. Shows some tar and licorice notes overlaying an ample frame and a wonderful chain of fine grained tannin. (2527 views) | | | Tasted by 100pp on 10/20/2007 & rated 93 points: Black cherry, plum, licorice with a long and still fruity finish. Never a dull moment. Delicious! (3577 views) | | | Tasted by Zweder on 7/1/2006 & rated 95 points: Southern Nights #1 (@ PVa): Not so many notes… Enormously concentrated and complex with beautiful juicy fruits, herbs like thyme, good acidity and firm tannin. This wine needs another decade. (1230 views) |
| By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, 1996 Piedmont: The Proof is in the Pudding (Oct 2017) (10/1/2017)
(Gaja Conteisa Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (4/8/2009)
(Gaja, Conteisa Barolo Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, November/December 2000, IWC Issue #93
(Angelo Gaja Langhe Conteisa) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, November/December 1998, IWC Issue #81
(Angelo Gaja Langhe Conteisa Cerequio) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and JancisRobinson.com. (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 criticsNebbioloNebbiolo 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)Langhe DOC Union of Producers of Albese Wines (Albeisa) |
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