The 2015 Gaja Barbaresco resembles a young Pinot more than Nebbiolo. Medium ruby in colour, heavy on dark red and purple fruit aromas with some reductive notes as well. This strange reductive fruitiness while completely normal and even pleasant is not what I would expect of a top quality Nebbiolo from Barbaresco. While the wine is really good per se, imvho it can’t be considered among the finest representatives of it’s region.
A perfectly nice wine but definitely not worth the money. Elegant it certainly is - disappointingly light body, no real substance or power, for this one need to go to the amazing single vineyards. People buy to try a piece of Gaja - but this falls short of what he is all about. Mainly red fruits, medium structure, all in balance, just nothing special. short and straightforward. Drink now and over the next 10 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Social Distance Dinner II (Nice food in Vietnamese restaurant): Bottle breathe (with cork) for 20 hours. Very intense jammy fruit, blackberry. Palate with power expression and fruity. Long finishing. Not really fully open. I guess it's still a baby.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Flickinger Customer Appreciation Tasting (Casino Club - Chicago IL): Walk around tasting. Very ripe and powerful black and red cherry with sweet spice and roasted game. Subtle floral hints help make the aromas very appealing, while the palate just hints at its potential. I'd think 92-93+ point potential here, but probably 2035 forward. Much like another bottle from a month+ ago enjoyed more slowly over one dinner course.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Gaja Tasting (Knightsbridge): Retailer tasting. Very floral and perfumed with cherry and white currants underneath. Firm tannins support cherry, cedar and sandalwood. Long finish with rose water, cherry and spice notes. 92-93 pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Gaja White Truffle Dinner (Osteria Langhe - Chicago IL): Open several hours before serving. Lots of ripe black and red cherry with sweeter spice vs the older vintages. Great nose is quite enticing, palate seems much simpler for now. Seems more like the 2000 than the 1999 from the flight just tasted. Very good now (90 points?) but clearly this is a wine that will be better in another decade. I just don't have the confidence to assess where/ how this will evolve when in its drinking window.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Black oily big fruity aromas. Surprisingly accessible with rich black cherry fruits. Forward with good tension & broad fruits. Friendly style for Nebbiolo. Good finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cellar Night at Binnys South Loop (Chicago, IL): Still a bit closed even after 2 hours but you can taste the length on the finish just enough. If blind tasted you would agree it's nothing special but knowing what it is your mind makes excuses for it's blah showing. Just decant the damn wine, please.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Surprisingly open on the nose. Very polished and refined with bright red cherry, fresh strawberry, medicinal herbs and an almost perfumed note of rose petals. Sure there is some baking spice and toasty notes from the oak but not over the top. Tightly knit structure but with great intensity to the flavors. Came around a bit more with the brasato served along. Very long finish.
Seems like this is a rather approachable vintage of this wine but still with a lot of upside. Ok to drink now if you're very curios but I'd rather wait another 5-7 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Crystal clear red can see my hand through the glass. Aromas of bright red cherry, minerals, medicinal and tones of alcohol. Medium minus body with tight tannins and some nice length. Tough to grade but doesn’t feel like it’s built for ageing based on weight and structure, except has some tannins that will soften this up w time.
Drinking fresh right now other than unresolved tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Gambero Rosso Singapore 2019. Masterclass 1. Memorable wines of the tasting only. Appearance is clear, pale intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of milky vanilla oak, slight coconut, ripe red cherries, light perfumed herbs. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol, ultra-polished fine high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of ripe red cherries, concentrated strawberries, red plums, toasty oak spices. Very long finish. Elegant, ultra-fine mouth-feel. Very very good quality. So damm oaky on the nose, but the palate really surprised with its BALANCE and finesse. Try again in 8-10 years at least! From 14 different Barbaresco zone vineyards.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
5/5/2024 - Marc S Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Did not care for this wine at all.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/26/2023 - IvanLi Likes this wine: 94 Points
The 2015 Gaja Barbaresco resembles a young Pinot more than Nebbiolo. Medium ruby in colour, heavy on dark red and purple fruit aromas with some reductive notes as well. This strange reductive fruitiness while completely normal and even pleasant is not what I would expect of a top quality Nebbiolo from Barbaresco.
While the wine is really good per se, imvho it can’t be considered among the finest representatives of it’s region.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (3)
7/19/2021 - LEEJV123 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium body, balanced, loads of finesse, elegant
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/17/2021 - Philip67 wrote: 90 Points
A perfectly nice wine but definitely not worth the money. Elegant it certainly is - disappointingly light body, no real substance or power, for this one need to go to the amazing single vineyards. People buy to try a piece of Gaja - but this falls short of what he is all about. Mainly red fruits, medium structure, all in balance, just nothing special. short and straightforward. Drink now and over the next 10 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2021 - Scar510 Likes this wine: 95 Points
2-16-21. Paid $199 at Island Gourmet. Very smooth, great bottle. Pinot like drinking. Did not blow us away but very good! Canoe House.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2020 - rlove wrote:
Dense, ripe, sweet, and impenetrable tonight with brooding fruit and grippy tannins. Drink starting 2028.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/4/2020 - DrZett wrote: 92 Points
Soft and quite spicy. Way too young in the moment. Wait at least 5-8 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/30/2020 - schan109 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Social Distance Dinner II (Nice food in Vietnamese restaurant): Bottle breathe (with cork) for 20 hours. Very intense jammy fruit, blackberry. Palate with power expression and fruity. Long finishing. Not really fully open. I guess it's still a baby.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/16/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Flickinger Customer Appreciation Tasting (Casino Club - Chicago IL): Walk around tasting. Very ripe and powerful black and red cherry with sweet spice and roasted game. Subtle floral hints help make the aromas very appealing, while the palate just hints at its potential. I'd think 92-93+ point potential here, but probably 2035 forward. Much like another bottle from a month+ ago enjoyed more slowly over one dinner course.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/16/2020 - Nanda wrote:
Flickinger Customer Appreciation Tasting (Casino Club): Attractive red cherry nose is pure with florals throughout. Tasty red fruit meets grippy, firm tannins. Long finish. Should be a great wine in 15+ years. 93+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2019 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Gaja Tasting (Knightsbridge): Retailer tasting. Very floral and perfumed with cherry and white currants underneath. Firm tannins support cherry, cedar and sandalwood. Long finish with rose water, cherry and spice notes. 92-93 pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Gaja White Truffle Dinner (Osteria Langhe - Chicago IL): Open several hours before serving. Lots of ripe black and red cherry with sweeter spice vs the older vintages. Great nose is quite enticing, palate seems much simpler for now. Seems more like the 2000 than the 1999 from the flight just tasted. Very good now (90 points?) but clearly this is a wine that will be better in another decade. I just don't have the confidence to assess where/ how this will evolve when in its drinking window.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2019 - KenK Likes this wine: 93 Points
Black oily big fruity aromas. Surprisingly accessible with rich black cherry fruits. Forward with good tension & broad fruits. Friendly style for Nebbiolo. Good finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2019 - MWiking wrote: 94 Points
more tannins and backbone then 2016, a bit tight and a lot of packed fruit, will probably get even better with time,
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2019 - peeks13 wrote:
Cellar Night at Binnys South Loop (Chicago, IL): Still a bit closed even after 2 hours but you can taste the length on the finish just enough. If blind tasted you would agree it's nothing special but knowing what it is your mind makes excuses for it's blah showing. Just decant the damn wine, please.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/3/2019 - karl.1480 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Surprisingly open on the nose. Very polished and refined with bright red cherry, fresh strawberry, medicinal herbs and an almost perfumed note of rose petals. Sure there is some baking spice and toasty notes from the oak but not over the top. Tightly knit structure but with great intensity to the flavors. Came around a bit more with the brasato served along. Very long finish.
Seems like this is a rather approachable vintage of this wine but still with a lot of upside. Ok to drink now if you're very curios but I'd rather wait another 5-7 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2019 - mchern02 wrote: 92 Points
3 hour decant
Crystal clear red can see my hand through the glass. Aromas of bright red cherry, minerals, medicinal and tones of alcohol. Medium minus body with tight tannins and some nice length. Tough to grade but doesn’t feel like it’s built for ageing based on weight and structure, except has some tannins that will soften this up w time.
Drinking fresh right now other than unresolved tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/6/2019 - Derek Darth Taster Likes this wine:
Gambero Rosso Singapore 2019. Masterclass 1. Memorable wines of the tasting only.
Appearance is clear, pale intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of milky vanilla oak, slight coconut, ripe red cherries, light perfumed herbs. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol, ultra-polished fine high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of ripe red cherries, concentrated strawberries, red plums, toasty oak spices. Very long finish. Elegant, ultra-fine mouth-feel.
Very very good quality. So damm oaky on the nose, but the palate really surprised with its BALANCE and finesse. Try again in 8-10 years at least!
From 14 different Barbaresco zone vineyards.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/13/2019 - tcarter Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still way too early to be drinking this, but it's already showing its promise.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/5/2018 - Yassine23 Likes this wine:
Quite feminine, beautiful cherry fruit. Long finish. Very tannic as expected.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment