The nose on this is WILD. Tobacco, dry cherry, cut wood, mushroom, leather, smoke. It doesn’t really smell like wine anymore. The palate is very very smoky, in a good way. Like smoked meat off a pitmaster’s pit. At the same time it is light and elegant but the fruit is mostly gone. I’m not sure I could drink a whole bottle (well I could but look at how expensive it is) but a glass would be nice. 10ml was not really enough. Very interesting wine.
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Bottle vertical for 15 hours. Opened 9am. Poured tasting glass to follow during the day. Slow’ox for 9 hours. Surprised how dark the color was. Medium dark brick red color, edge orange’ish. Beautiful clear color at start, some sediment in the last glass. Stood for 15min to blow off before first sip of tasting glass. Nose of mature red fruit, cigars, leather, very nice. Palate was mature cherries, mature red fruit, leather, cigarbox, very nice balance and integration. Few tanins are still present. Smooth palate and mouth feel. Very nice and pleasent. Drank over 4 hours. Not done at all. Fantastic.
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It is certainly not very often I drink wines that are close to 50 years old - but what a treat it is. The 1970 Gaja Barbaresco delivers a lovely nose full of bright red ripe fruit which is very shortly followed by leathery and quite Pinot like earthy tones. The palate adds to overall impression with integration and balance as number one keywords. All components are in place. Tannins are subuded and actually rather absent. Acidity and fruit are seamlessly integrated and just sing with one voice. I have no clue about how long this wine will keep together - but it certainly provides a pleasurable drinking experience tonight! (score is 96+)
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Cloudy light ruby. I have to admit that while my expectations for any old bottle are always held low (to avoid disappointment), this one hurt. Acquired from a fantastic source, but nearly D.O.A. There are some nice woody notes and spice with cherry and berries, but mostly the muddy, cloudy old red wine taste. Very low fine tannin, nice acidity, a medium-short finish of cherry and spice. Sadly, not a great bottle.
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Gaja Charity Dinner & Tasting for HealthServe (Taberna, Bukit Merah): Very bretty, which was unfortunate, because this actually felt somewhat more elegant and complete than the unaffected bottle I had a couple of years back. The nose was very funky, with telltale brett notes of gym socks and bandaid overlaid on some meaty, earthy, slightly oxidative aromas. Very masculine I thought, As the funk swirled off, one could just make out some sweet stewed fruits and a drift of wood spice and mint as well. The palate carried both the bretty funk notes and the oxidative tones from the nose, making it a bit challenging to drink at first. I actually suspected that it was tired or a bit scalped. However, as one got beyond the funkiness, a nice mouthful of cherries and berries with a gentle infusion of spice and herb started coming to the fore, all still beating with a persistent strength. The finish was surprising too, coming through round, full and quite complete. This was certainly a lot more giving in the mouth than the last bottle I tried I thought. Pity that it is a bit spoiled by the brett. I am not the most intolerant when it comes to smelly wines, but this was a bit much even for me.
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Litt grumsete i glasset, rødlig mørk konjakk farge. Lukt av syrlige røde bær, stall, kompost og lett oksiderte toner. Smak av syrlige overmodne markjordbær, rå sopp, våt kompost, tørket frukt. Lett metallisk.
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Lot flasken stå oppreist 8 timer før åpning. Korken smuldret opp ved åpning og selv ikke Durand klarte jobben. Vinen ble silt gjennom en kompress rett i glasset. Fargen var lett transparent mørk mursteinsrød mot karsk/tynn kaffe. Ikke helt klar men langt bedre enn gjennomsnittet for gammel nebbiolo. Så var det duften... Dette er første gang lukten av en vin har gjort meg blank øynene og nærmest euforisk. Lukt av syrlig moden rødbærsfrukt, fuktig gammel kjeller, nyplukket sopp, bålrøyk fra nykløyvd ved og litt overmodne gjærede markjordbær. Smak av klokkeklar syrlig rødbærsfrukt, med markjordbær som mest dominerende. Ellers tørkede dadler og fiken, sopp, vått høstløv, mose og noe umamiaktig i retning av parmesan. I munnen kjølig leskende syrlig anslag, særdeles klar og elegant frukt og lett støvete men tydelige tanniner. Svært lang smak.
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5 Decades of Aged Barolo with White Truffles (Absinthe, Boat Quay, Singapore): Pretty good, but not one of the great Gaja Barbaresci. This really stood out from the pack though. Served blind, there was no doubt that this was the lone Barbaresco amidst the bottles of Barolo. It just had a sweeter, softer nose, with ripe raspberries and red cherries, spice and liqured chocolate aromas, laced with a scent of ferrous mineral. Really attractive. The palate too was a change in gear. Pure and elegant on the attack, it showed clear flavours of dark cherries and blackberries – a rather darker fruited expression than on the nose I thought – along with some black tea and menthol notes. I really liked the clarity on the wine, but it was clearly not from the strongest vintage, showing a bit thinner, more austere on the midpalate, especially when some grippy but fine tannins started coming to the fore. Still though, this was a very charming wine, and together with the fresh acidity that it had, the tannins made it a great pairing with a lovely cut of Wagyu beef. I liked the finish too with its subtly complex notes of spice and smoke riding amidst a floral undercurrant. Nice, at least until the flowers faded and a grip of teethcoating tannins and menthol notes stepped it. This may well have needed more age to soften-up; however, I am not sure that the fruit would have lasted long enough for the structure to mellow much further. If you have any, I would say not is probably a good time to start drinking these.
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Dinner at Yann's (Flatiron, NYC): Pretty! Pure ruby. Giant, perfumed nose of high-toned cherry, cranberry, rose, mint, and massive mineral stoniness. There is definitely a moderate, appropriate edge of volatility. Just a lovely, lively, fresh nose. The palate is very dry, brilliant with acidity, and perfectly evolved sweet cherry fruit. Tannic. Medium bodied with fine, pure length. Really extremely charming and right in my wheelhouse. Fabulous. Drink. Why oh why doesn't Gaja make wines like this any more...? (My wine)
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Acker BYO 2012 (Tribeca Grill, Tribeca, NY): Cloudy ruby/red. Very secondary on the nose: banyard, plum, sun, citrus peel, tar. Rich on the palate with plum, citrus peel, tar, burnt coffee. Very dark profile with lots of acid. Citrus peel and burnt flavors on finish. Most mature and ready Gaja I have ever had - really excellent. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 16.5/20.
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My only bottle of this vintage Gaja Barbaresco, and the first (and thus perhaps last?) time tasting it. The cork was fully saturated and crumbled, so we decanted the wine, though I might not have normally. We also kept it cool, about 65 degrees. Intense bricking, with dense orange-rust color dominating. The nose was classic old nebbiolo - smoke and tar, iron, soy, cherry and olive smoke. But in the mouth the fruit was foremost. Tanins entirely resolved. Acid was present but modest. Structure had softened, but the fruit in the mouth was clear and sweet. Not a super long finish. This wine would have been better 10 years ago, imo. But it is still a lovely wine with a lot to offer. And I didn't own it 10 years ago!
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Very classic and mature wine. Guessed it to be barbaresco, but I was 20 years of on the vintage - so well has this kept. Smell of red berries, lether, game, the taste has softened in to a comoplete joy of a wine. Served with a dish full of white truffles. With T at Søllerød Kro.
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Well, well, this is still alive. A nose that gradually comes round and becomes quite charming. Roses, soft red fruit, and sone worn leather. On the palate this has medium body, is rounded and delicate with noticable dry tannins. Fascinating. I don't think it has much time left, but a delicious and interesting wine.
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1/25/2024 - happyhyrax Does not like this wine: 93 Points
The nose on this is WILD. Tobacco, dry cherry, cut wood, mushroom, leather, smoke. It doesn’t really smell like wine anymore. The palate is very very smoky, in a good way. Like smoked meat off a pitmaster’s pit. At the same time it is light and elegant but the fruit is mostly gone. I’m not sure I could drink a whole bottle (well I could but look at how expensive it is) but a glass would be nice. 10ml was not really enough. Very interesting wine.
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4/9/2023 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 94 Points
Easter Sunday lunch, brown, pale cloudy red, gamey, tar & coffee, still alive, lovely mellow aged Barbaresco
94
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8/29/2021 - Jnp2 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dad: usually wine does not meet the story… in this case it exceeded all expectations
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12/12/2020 - Buick455 wrote: 94 Points
Bottle vertical for 15 hours. Opened 9am. Poured tasting glass to follow during the day. Slow’ox for 9 hours. Surprised how dark the color was. Medium dark brick red color, edge orange’ish. Beautiful clear color at start, some sediment in the last glass. Stood for 15min to blow off before first sip of tasting glass. Nose of mature red fruit, cigars, leather, very nice. Palate was mature cherries, mature red fruit, leather, cigarbox, very nice balance and integration. Few tanins are still present. Smooth palate and mouth feel. Very nice and pleasent. Drank over 4 hours. Not done at all. Fantastic.
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10/19/2018 - kenv Likes this wine: 94 Points
FWG Lunch with Gaia Gaja (Ai Fiori Restaurant in the Langham Place Hotel, NYC): [Double-decanted at 10am.] Muted nose of mulch and red fruit. Complex sour cherries and balsam. Gorgeous.
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7/17/2018 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 96 Points
It is certainly not very often I drink wines that are close to 50 years old - but what a treat it is. The 1970 Gaja Barbaresco delivers a lovely nose full of bright red ripe fruit which is very shortly followed by leathery and quite Pinot like earthy tones. The palate adds to overall impression with integration and balance as number one keywords. All components are in place. Tannins are subuded and actually rather absent. Acidity and fruit are seamlessly integrated and just sing with one voice. I have no clue about how long this wine will keep together - but it certainly provides a pleasurable drinking experience tonight! (score is 96+)
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11/25/2017 - indiscriminate palate wrote:
Cloudy light ruby. I have to admit that while my expectations for any old bottle are always held low (to avoid disappointment), this one hurt. Acquired from a fantastic source, but nearly D.O.A. There are some nice woody notes and spice with cherry and berries, but mostly the muddy, cloudy old red wine taste. Very low fine tannin, nice acidity, a medium-short finish of cherry and spice. Sadly, not a great bottle.
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10/4/2015 - Paul S wrote: 91 Points
Gaja Charity Dinner & Tasting for HealthServe (Taberna, Bukit Merah): Very bretty, which was unfortunate, because this actually felt somewhat more elegant and complete than the unaffected bottle I had a couple of years back. The nose was very funky, with telltale brett notes of gym socks and bandaid overlaid on some meaty, earthy, slightly oxidative aromas. Very masculine I thought, As the funk swirled off, one could just make out some sweet stewed fruits and a drift of wood spice and mint as well. The palate carried both the bretty funk notes and the oxidative tones from the nose, making it a bit challenging to drink at first. I actually suspected that it was tired or a bit scalped. However, as one got beyond the funkiness, a nice mouthful of cherries and berries with a gentle infusion of spice and herb started coming to the fore, all still beating with a persistent strength. The finish was surprising too, coming through round, full and quite complete. This was certainly a lot more giving in the mouth than the last bottle I tried I thought. Pity that it is a bit spoiled by the brett. I am not the most intolerant when it comes to smelly wines, but this was a bit much even for me.
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5/16/2015 - ttholst wrote: 90 Points
Litt grumsete i glasset, rødlig mørk konjakk farge. Lukt av syrlige røde bær, stall, kompost og lett oksiderte toner. Smak av syrlige overmodne markjordbær, rå sopp, våt kompost, tørket frukt. Lett metallisk.
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10/26/2014 - ttholst wrote: 97 Points
Lot flasken stå oppreist 8 timer før åpning. Korken smuldret opp ved åpning og selv ikke Durand klarte jobben. Vinen ble silt gjennom en kompress rett i glasset.
Fargen var lett transparent mørk mursteinsrød mot karsk/tynn kaffe. Ikke helt klar men langt bedre enn gjennomsnittet for gammel nebbiolo.
Så var det duften... Dette er første gang lukten av en vin har gjort meg blank øynene og nærmest euforisk.
Lukt av syrlig moden rødbærsfrukt, fuktig gammel kjeller, nyplukket sopp, bålrøyk fra nykløyvd ved og litt overmodne gjærede markjordbær.
Smak av klokkeklar syrlig rødbærsfrukt, med markjordbær som mest dominerende. Ellers tørkede dadler og fiken, sopp, vått høstløv, mose og noe umamiaktig i retning av parmesan. I munnen kjølig leskende syrlig anslag, særdeles klar og elegant frukt og lett støvete men tydelige tanniner. Svært lang smak.
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12/4/2013 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
5 Decades of Aged Barolo with White Truffles (Absinthe, Boat Quay, Singapore): Pretty good, but not one of the great Gaja Barbaresci. This really stood out from the pack though. Served blind, there was no doubt that this was the lone Barbaresco amidst the bottles of Barolo. It just had a sweeter, softer nose, with ripe raspberries and red cherries, spice and liqured chocolate aromas, laced with a scent of ferrous mineral. Really attractive. The palate too was a change in gear. Pure and elegant on the attack, it showed clear flavours of dark cherries and blackberries – a rather darker fruited expression than on the nose I thought – along with some black tea and menthol notes. I really liked the clarity on the wine, but it was clearly not from the strongest vintage, showing a bit thinner, more austere on the midpalate, especially when some grippy but fine tannins started coming to the fore. Still though, this was a very charming wine, and together with the fresh acidity that it had, the tannins made it a great pairing with a lovely cut of Wagyu beef. I liked the finish too with its subtly complex notes of spice and smoke riding amidst a floral undercurrant. Nice, at least until the flowers faded and a grip of teethcoating tannins and menthol notes stepped it. This may well have needed more age to soften-up; however, I am not sure that the fruit would have lasted long enough for the structure to mellow much further. If you have any, I would say not is probably a good time to start drinking these.
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11/30/2013 - Hotspur21 wrote:
Vinegar and lovage, nutschnapps, ginger bread, medicinal, caramel. But dying.
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3/20/2013 - Matt Neel Likes this wine:
Dinner at Yann's (Flatiron, NYC): Pretty! Pure ruby. Giant, perfumed nose of high-toned cherry, cranberry, rose, mint, and massive mineral stoniness. There is definitely a moderate, appropriate edge of volatility. Just a lovely, lively, fresh nose. The palate is very dry, brilliant with acidity, and perfectly evolved sweet cherry fruit. Tannic. Medium bodied with fine, pure length. Really extremely charming and right in my wheelhouse. Fabulous. Drink. Why oh why doesn't Gaja make wines like this any more...? (My wine)
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12/3/2012 - Seth Rosenberg Likes this wine: 93 Points
Acker BYO 2012 (Tribeca Grill, Tribeca, NY): Cloudy ruby/red. Very secondary on the nose: banyard, plum, sun, citrus peel, tar. Rich on the palate with plum, citrus peel, tar, burnt coffee. Very dark profile with lots of acid. Citrus peel and burnt flavors on finish. Most mature and ready Gaja I have ever had - really excellent. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 16.5/20.
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1/1/2012 - SteveHyde wrote:
My only bottle of this vintage Gaja Barbaresco, and the first (and thus perhaps last?) time tasting it. The cork was fully saturated and crumbled, so we decanted the wine, though I might not have normally. We also kept it cool, about 65 degrees. Intense bricking, with dense orange-rust color dominating. The nose was classic old nebbiolo - smoke and tar, iron, soy, cherry and olive smoke. But in the mouth the fruit was foremost. Tanins entirely resolved. Acid was present but modest. Structure had softened, but the fruit in the mouth was clear and sweet. Not a super long finish. This wine would have been better 10 years ago, imo. But it is still a lovely wine with a lot to offer. And I didn't own it 10 years ago!
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12/5/2010 - beatles wrote: 92 Points
Very classic and mature wine. Guessed it to be barbaresco, but I was 20 years of on the vintage - so well has this kept. Smell of red berries, lether, game, the taste has softened in to a comoplete joy of a wine. Served with a dish full of white truffles. With T at Søllerød Kro.
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6/30/2010 - Lord Rayas wrote: 91 Points
Notes of cherry and leather. Could be an old burgundy. Fully mature.
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3/11/2010 - Pacherant wrote: 92 Points
Well, well, this is still alive. A nose that gradually comes round and becomes quite charming. Roses, soft red fruit, and sone worn leather. On the palate this has medium body, is rounded and delicate with noticable dry tannins. Fascinating. I don't think it has much time left, but a delicious and interesting wine.
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3/9/2010 - BigRed1000 wrote: 89 Points
OK but nothing to right home about. Typical aged Barolo notes butkinda void of fruit.
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