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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.5 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 74 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by RayOB on 8/19/2023 & rated 93 points: Drank in London
Beautifully mature and deep (664 views) | | | Tasted by mxpbuy on 7/28/2023 & rated 95 points: Cork was crumbly but no leakage and wine was in great shape. Velvety dark cherries and touch of plum fruits with plenty of ripeness, touch of smoked meats, mushrooms and earthiness. Faint touch of sweet Oak. 40 second finish. (637 views) | | | Tasted by jamesabdavis on 4/29/2023: Initally meaty amd smoky on the nose, then a lovely slightly exotic and aromatic nose with oak spices and tea. Heady roses, touch of liquorice. Deep black cherry confit fruit.
Palate is voluptuous, ripe, perfectly balanced. Lovely ripe velvety tannins.
Just beautiful. (885 views) | | | Tasted by mxpbuy on 4/26/2023 & rated 95 points: After about 45 minutes the wine came around. Initially, some heavy funk that blew off pretty quickly. Black cherry, slightly sour red cherry, mushrooms, faintest touch of Oak, with some interloping minerals. 20+ second finish. Cork was soaked 1/2 way up. Less than a teaspoon of sediment. This bottle with a great fill still had a few more years of peak drinking in it. (810 views) | | | Tasted by TheFoodieTraveler on 12/22/2022 & rated 95 points: Wonderful - perfectly aged. decanted and drank over a couple hours, very enjoyable. (1231 views) | | | Tasted by P.A. Cross on 11/25/2022: Deeper translucent brickish purple. Beautiful aromatics, rose petal, fresh blueberry, earthy morning field. In the mouth it is slightly delicate, with notes of earth, crushed blue fruits and toasted wood. Very, very good. (858 views) | | | Tasted by DPDick on 2/5/2021: Great wine. Despedida to whose woods (3067 views) | | | Tasted by LWI on 10/31/2020 & rated 91 points: Blind. Ash, graphite, structured, drying finish. Uncertain if the fruit will eventually win the battle over tannin. (2914 views) | | | Tasted by Javachip on 12/21/2019 & rated 95 points: Decanted and tasted over 3 hours. Clear deep garnet-ruby red color. Gorgeous bouquet of luscious red raspberries, red and black cherries, framboise, roses, violets, mocha, baking spices, stony soil, cedar, leather, hint of balsamic. Similar on the palate, medium-full body, silk-satin mouthfeel, power without weight, seamless, beautiful balance, lingering finish. Improved over three hours. A match made in heaven with fresh shaved Alba truffles. (3726 views) | | | Tasted by Burgundy Al on 12/4/2019 & rated 93 points: Gaja White Truffle Dinner (Osteria Langhe - Chicago IL): Opened shortly before serving, no time to decant. Floral and spiced start with so much charm to complement the brawny, powerful red and black cherry throughout. Complex and layered, there is no much here, even if not fully accessible yet. Lots of upside. (4196 views) | | | Tasted by KenK on 12/4/2019 & rated 95 points: Big dark brooding black fruits aromatically with floral edge. Bold and concentrated with great depth of fruit. Still comes across very young & powerful with tremendous potential. Enjoyable now with a hefty meal rich with white truffle. This will probably prove very special with more time. (3551 views) | | | Tasted by VINNICK on 11/15/2019 & rated 95 points: Full bodied and beautifully balanced. Number 2 in 15+ wines served. Absolute pleasure with power elegance and tannins that will hold this together for many years to come. Number 2 to Penfolds 1988. (2184 views) | | | Tasted by Sanjeev on 6/20/2019 & rated 93 points: Pictet European FOMC wine-tasting dinner
Sonnenberg Restaurant Zürich (2308 views) | | | Tasted by Sundbyberg on 9/18/2018 & rated 95 points: Tasting: A second time with the 1999, and this time a really good wine, with typical nebbiolo characteristics. Elegant, light and yet quite tasty. Still quite tannic.
Do not know what was wrong the first time, but this time a truly great wine. (3073 views) | | | Tasted by Yassine23 on 2/26/2018: Still lots of tannin, high acidity. Mushroom, soy and yes leaf on the nose, red fruit still present on the palate. Very interesting wine. (3094 views) | | | Tasted by MC2 Wines on 2/10/2018: Opened and decanted and continued to open up in the glass over the ~1.5 hours that we were drinking it. This is a really nice wine and a good reminder of why Gaja has the name it does in Italy. No detailed notes, but a well-balanced wine that kept shedding layers throughout and getting more and more interesting. Really enjoyable. (3076 views) | | | Tasted by phil the agony on 1/22/2018 & rated 94 points: Le vin de la soirée.Les attentes étaient grandes ! Nez sur la datte,prune confite.C'est massif et soyeux en même temps.Une main de fer dans un gant de velours.C'est bien structuré.Léger cuir.Le fruit est encore bien présent.Sur son plateau!
94 pts (3215 views) | | | Tasted by Sundbyberg on 12/15/2017 & rated 91 points: Tasting: Hm. Had the 2001 a couple of months ago, and this was better, but still not convincing. Maybe I prefer my Barolos and Barbarescos young? (3215 views) | | | Tasted by MWiking on 6/6/2017 & rated 94 points: som tidigare, ett väldigt väldigt bra vin med fin mognad (3606 views) | | | Tasted by wineappellation on 4/3/2017 & rated 94 points: Pale to med ruby yellowish rim. Intense bright red berried, blackcherry, prune notes jumping out of glass with seductive perfumed floral, earth, spices and wood aroma. Energetic, palate filling, multi dimensional yet layered and so long. Lots of ripe grippy tannins which is palatable. Can drink now up to 10+ years. (3174 views) | | | Tasted by MWiking on 12/28/2016 & rated 94 points: Had this wine in a tasting 2017-12-20 so it was fun to try it again so soon.
I does feel it a bit more mature this second time, more wet tobacco, forest floor, tea, and rose hips on the nose and the taste is great with dried red berries, roses, Forrest floor, tobacco rose hips licrice and beautiful Nebbiolo fruit.
The wine doesn't have the edge you need to get the plus 95 scores. The fruit has to be more present in my opinion and this vintage doesnt have it. (3546 views) | | | Tasted by MWiking on 12/22/2016 & rated 94 points: så tydligt och snygg barbaresco. rakt av min stil!
moget och härligt men ändå massa fin primärfrukt kvar, väldigt rosigt och snyggt, mint tobak och väldigt lätt och härligt för att komma från dessa trakter. oväntad ljus färg, 94-95 kanske blir det et lägre betyg för att motståndet i de andra vinerna ikväll var så starkt? (3463 views) | | | Tasted by Patrik H on 12/20/2016 & rated 93 points: On the nose: Wet tobacco, lether, stable
On the palate: Tobacco in conjunction with well integrated tannins
Medium + finish (3281 views) | | | Tasted by BSA on 10/30/2016 & rated 94 points: From memory, @ Mugaritz. Our 5th wine, and the (wine) highlight of our meal together with the Krug Rosé. Beautifully perfumed nose dominated by red fruits and roses. Great depth and long finish. Definitely some dry tannins left to dissolve towards the end palate, but that did not impact my overall impression. A complete package. 94-95p (2422 views) | | | Tasted by jnewman77 on 1/15/2016: Had this bottle at a restaurant. It had a green/vegetal note that seemed to throw it off and keep some of the fruit and floral notes a little muted. The palate had lovely depth and the tannins were well integrated, sweet, and the fruit/spice notes seemed to come through better. I suspect this was an off bottle given the nose, but it was still pleasant. (3586 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Checking in on the 1999 Barbarescos (Aug 2014)
(Gaja Barbaresco) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Barolo 1999: The Forgotten Vintage (May 2006)
(Gaja Barbaresco) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, November/December 2000, IWC Issue #93
(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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