A beauty drank along a Salvioni 2010 and this was the hands down favorite at the table. Just starting to get that pruney sweetness that comes with bottle age. Perfect time to drink with plenty left in the tank. Decanted in bottle for 8 hours. Seemed to be plenty and very much ready by dinner.
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Impressions. Drank this side by side with the 2018 for comparison. This had a small percentage of Barbera added which seem to give it a lift compared to the 2018. Still primary red fruits and drinking nicely.
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Wonderfully balanced and complex wine. Earthy on the nose with dried herbs/spices and red fruit. Wonderful texture of rolling tannins, and straight square acid profile right down the center. Not bothered by the minerality like with the 2003. An occassionally wow wine, but could still carry on a conversation, unlike the 2006 Dal Forno. Comparable in greatness to that 1997 Sagrantino that I need to try again. Tannins still coating - easily another 20 years to go.
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Enjoyed at enoteca La Vite Turchese in Barolo on my last day of my stay in the village. The grapes for this wine come from the Marenca vineyard in Serralunga d'Alba, a southern-facing amphitheater on rocky/mineral soil. It is one of the most desirable sources of nebbiolo for Barolo in the region (and therefore the world). Also, Gaja greatly reduced yield to boost quality. This wine after 22 years is still strong and vibrant, but the massive tannins associated with the best Serralunga d'Alba grapes have softened and while they are still there they are now like an oscar-nominated supporting actor(ess) that lets the other elements of the wine show their best.
The color of the wine is optimal. Deep red with thin translucent boundary. No orange that would indicate excessive oxidation. This wine is still fully alive and on the way up. At least best I can see.
Nose is nice burst of acidity and subtle fruit. Initial taste is complex mix of leather mushrooms dried leaves. I am not the best at singling out specific but they are there. Is there a small hint of dried pomegranate in there?
The finish is clean without a big tannic residue. Which is remarkable considering where this wine probably started. Smooth.
The cork did come apart on opening, but was otherwise clean and showed no signs of leakage. Decanted for one hour. Served with local charcuterie/proteins and cheeses including raw ground veal, which was delicious. Also, while enjoying I was looking at the south-facing cannubi vineyards north of Barolo. So that is all full disclosure, I am drinking the local kool aid big time.
I'm calling it a 95 on a hard grading scale, as it drinks today. I'm trying to find flaws, can't find anything worth highlighting. Except I wish the bottle were bigger, I want more. Crazy thing is my take is this could easily go another 10 years and still be evolving. This has the chops.
Ciao!
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Black cherry and graphite with some floral notes. Firm earthy black fruit character with good lift. Lively and bright with nice cherry flavors. Traditionally styled. A bit dry for me and a slight diminished finish, but quite good and enjoyed by others more than me.
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Purchased from Binny’s in St. Charles during a visit from the king himself and signed by AG, I probably held on to this sentimentally a couple of years longer than I should. Still a good wine and one of the higher “value” wines I’ve consumed although I paid a little over $100 for it so many years ago. The nose is full of underbrush, cola and ripe boysenberry, the wine shows ash, pepper, bitter herb, cigar box, some purple to black fruit, mild tannins and a bit of heat. I’d say the best days were a couple of years ago. By-in-large this has experienced excellent storage conditions throughout its life. Drink now.
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Im pretty sure my half bottle is more evolved than what others have experienced, but I would say this in case it helps with the crystal ball. This is still completely fresh and hardly secondary. The wine feels classy, balanced and also linear. As with mature great wines in general, I think this needs haute cuisine and the right ambience much more so than rustic trattoria fare, don't waste it. I wonder how this would show with a bit or a lot more secondary characteristics. In any case, this is very enjoyable now. If you have more, perhaps you could try one every so often, you won't regret it! And yes, I don't think I would have guessed this as nebbiolo if I tasted it blind. I'm not so good at this stuff.
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Agree with EDWINE, this has a great classic nose, is still fairly ruby in appearance, and has a delicious but modern palet. Reminded me of an older Napa cab or super-Tuscan rather than Nebbiolo. Three hours in decanter and drank with beef tenderloin. A great modern style wine, but there are plenty of equally good new world wines for $150. This isn’t outstanding at twice the price. To be fair, 21 years of bottle age does come at a cost.
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Very inviting nose of tobacco, black fruit, leather, floral, dark chocolate, vanilla and slightly earthy. Palate is superb balance with pure fruit, laser acidity and lingering finish. Probably just get into the drinking window but definitely needs a long breathing. Not a fans of modernist but this is good!
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tasted at a nebbiolo tasting at a friends house outside. after drinking 5 young nebbiolo's, this wine was noticably softer, oaked, and had a wonderful mouthfeel on the mid-palate. it had aged nicely showing good balance and length. the new oak that gaja employs gives the wine some vanilla but it was not overdone here. i thought the wine took a nice jump up when paired with a wonderufully braised leg of lamb. all nebbiolo's need fat and protein to really enjoy them and this wine was no exception. (i drank several of the younger nebbiolo's as well with the lamb and the taste profile improved with each as it was drunk with the lamb). the flavor profile on this wine included cherry, red berry, and a slight leather/balsamic hint that was mostly overshadowed by the new oak. i liked where this was was drinking now but it still has time to further develop. it really comes down to where you stand on the oak issue.
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Double Blind (Nebbiolo) Tasting (New Jersey): My first bottle from an original wood case acquired on release. Decanted 3+ hours before tasting as the grand finale to my Nebbiolo tasting today. Looks very young translucent garnet. Obviously modern styled wine but also obviously superbly well made and just delicious. The nose carries the oak influence nicely giving a very fragrant account with layers of complexity ranging from roses, to leather, to fresh dug earth, to vanilla and chocolate and even violets. The fruit is mostly red and heavily cherry but shows some plum nuances along with raspberry and strawberry. The acidity remains fairly high but the tannin has receded a good bit giving this a bright yet weighty mouthfeel. Finish is long and luxurious. Perfect companion to my braised leg of lamb dish. This continued to evolve over several hours and was still changing as I finished the last drops after more than 8 hours open.
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Decanted at Dave’s. Lovely earthy nose, on the palate gorgeous raspberries, earthy spices. Nicely oaked. Great complexity and depth. That being said, it was not 8-10 times as good as the much more modestly priced '16 nebbiolos we tried in a blind tasting.
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Gaja White Truffle Dinner (Osteria Langhe - Chicago IL): Served alongside the 1998, both double decanted a few hours in advance. Lots of powerful black and red cherry with background spice and floral notes. Less complex vs the 1998 but clearly more powerful. I preferred the 1998, but most others liked this 2001 more.
Black cherry with intense floral notes. Firm tense dark red fruits with nice zip. Lively and bright with nice cherry flavors. A tad dry and quicker finish, but quite good.
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Slow ox’ed for approx 3 hours. Nose of brown sugar upon uncorking. Decanted for another hour at Osteria Mozza. Both nose and palate were more muted than expected. But the quality was certainly there.
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The nose reveals, candied, ruby, stewed fruits of; blackberries, dark, sweet & sour, dark cherries, slightly roasted strawberries, dark currants & dark raisins. Limestone minerals, dark, rich, turned, black earth, dry crushed rocks, soft, sweet tarriness, some black licorice, leather, soft woodiness, chewy, salted, caramel, mocha, vanilla, dry brush with candied, floral, red, purple and blue florals.
The body is; full, ruby, ripe & juicy. The tension & structure are firm the length & balance are nearing its peak. Candied, ruby, stewed fruits of; blackberries, dark, sweet & sour, dark cherries, slightly roasted strawberries, dar currants, dates & dark raisins. Sucking on limestone minerals, sandstone, anise, dark, rich, turned, black earth, dry crushed rocks, soft, sweet dark, tarriness, some black licorice, leather, soft woodiness, chewy, salted, caramel, mocha, vanilla, dry brush with candied, floral, red, purple and blue florals. The acidity is round and near perfect. The long, ruby, slightly, tarry, ruby, rich, well balanced finish persists endlessly.
The 01 still has another 15-20 years plus of good drinking ahead.
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Uncles Fine Wine Spring BYO (Home): Butter tones in the nose. Tobacco, almost salt. Leather and tar. Licorice. On the palate it is agricultural. I find fine spices, licorice and tar. Classical. Drinks nicely now. Silky soft structure. Elegant.
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Watching the Warriors in the NBA championship. Beautiful wine, in a great place for drinking. Beautiful perfume to this wine, with distinctive note of black licorice, blackberries, and other dark fruits. Tannins are well integrated. This is a very good wine, and in a great place for drinking. Just entering it’s window, it has years of life ahead.
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Truffles with the SLDS (CFs): Pretty nose of licorice, violet, spices and blackberry - perfumed and lifted. Lovely palate - this has great fruit and classy structure, really super drinking now and over the medium term future. Loved it.
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DGs Birthday: Very perfumed, lifted aromatics of licorice, spice, meat, violets and graphite. The palate shows beautifully refined tannins and great fruit balance, with both red and black characters working well together. Great length and character. Right in the slot for drinking.
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Really good. Dark black, scorched earth aromas with large scale fruit flavors. Loaded with spice and so well balanced. In a great place now, but years to go. Thanks KJ!
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Almost six years to the day since we last cracked one of these gems. Still an amazing bottle of wine. Completely different from our last visit. The wine is so elegantly structured this time around. Beautiful complexity from start to finish. Paired with wine braised oxtail (see the NYT recipe). Fantastic experience.
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Kleur: Diep donkerrood met een oranje rand Aroma / bouquet: Delicaat bouquet. Minder uitgesproken dan de flessen die ik dronk in 2012 en 2013. Maar desondanks: heerlijk! Rijp en verleidelijk. Zacht zoete indrukken: verfijnd hout, een pepertje, kruidkoek. Het aroma van een wijn-op-leeftijd. Smaak / Afdronk: Verfijnde fris zure start. Royale vulling. De tannines zijn nog steeds krachtig. In 2013 gaf de wijn een prettig bittere finale. Inmiddels is de wijn te hoekig en zijn de zuren licht geoxideerd. Algemeen / potentieel: Bijzondere wijn, die ik in 2014 had moeten drinken…. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 15 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 90/100
Google Translate:
I] Color: Deep dark red with an orange edge Aroma / bouquet: Delicate bouquet. Less pronounced than the bottles I drank in 2012 and 2013. But nevertheless: delicious! Ripe and seductive. Soft sweet impressions: fine wood, a pepper, gingerbread. The aroma of a wine-at-age Taste / Finish:. Sophisticated tangy start. Generous filling. The tannins are still powerful. In 2013, the wine gave a pleasant bitter finish. Meanwhile, the wine is too angular and the acids are slightly oxidized. General / potential: Special wine that I should drink in 2014 .... 50+ Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Taste / Finish: 15 + General / potential: 8 = 90/100
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Mörkt koncentrerat vin med mogen frukt, rosor, tjära, svampskog, underbar syra och tanniner som fortfarande ha bra grepp. Väldigt koncentrerat med otroligt fin balans. Det här är fortfarande ett vin som har massor av år kvar i källaren
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Return to San Antonio III - barolo/bordeaux (Mike O): Really great concentration, acidity in balance. Slightly more approachable than the Giacosa's but so youthful. Powerful fruit but a hair behind the '04 Giacosa on concentration.
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I was greeted by a dark, intense, yet polished bouquet of black cherry, spice, tobacco and sweet herbs. On the palate, brilliant red fruits, exotic spice, and floral tones were contrasted by hints of pine, earth, and fine-grain tannin. The finish was long, yet inward in its tart black fruit and tannin, begging for more time in the cellar.
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Nice color, a touch of fading. The nose is elegant, displaying aromas of dark red berries, flowers, earth, minerals and spice. This is fairly full bodied on the palate with very good concentration and lovely finesse. The long finish features refined tannins.
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I have to admit this didn't quite deliver the wow factor I had hoped for but it's still an incredibly well crafted wine. Lovely nose of cherry, licorice, anise and tobacco. Already well integrated but very big with a long finish. Probably needs more time to develop more complexity.
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Little disappointed in both fruit and intensity. Great texture and mouthfeel but not much else. Have three more bottles. Will be interested to compare.
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After Gaja decided in 1961 that they wouldn't make wine from purchased grapes, they ceased to make Barolo for almost three decades. This wine is a Barolo made from the grapes of a single vineyard Gaja purchased in 1988. It is a blend of Nebbiolo (92-96%) and Barbera (4-8%), the specific blend depending on the vintage. Aged for 12 months in barriques and further 18 months in oak botti.
Translucent, rather pale cherry color with some mature bricking and almost colorless rims. A bit restrained and moderately developed, smoky nose with complex aromas of wizened dark cherries, dried flowers, some ripe, dark brambly berries, a little tar, hints of dried dark fruits and raisins and a light streak of sweet oak aromatics in the background. Dry, moderate-to-full-bodied palate with good, structured acidity. Initially the wine seems almost flavorless, but then the mature, savory and elegant flavors emerge with ntoes of sour cherries, peppery spice, smoky earth, some stony minerality, light chocolate nuances and a hint of sweet, dark-toned oak. The wine is obviously moderately aged, but there is still a lot of life left in the wine. The tannins start to feel a little resolved, but they are still very firm and moderetaly grippy. Extremely long, layered and quite grippy finish with an elegant aftertaste of sweet, chocolate oak, sour cherry, some stony minerality, a little smoke and a hint of slightly dried plummy fruit. The acidity and bright minerality carry on almost infinitely.
A really impressive, utterly complex example of a modern (but not ultra-modern) Barolo with a bit of bottle age. It still shows some faint hints of new oak character, but overall the mature Nebbiolo fruit is on the fore. The muscular tannins have started to resolve, but the wine is still quite tightly wound. Starts to drink nicely, but I'd wait 5 years or more. Will keep for a decade or two more, minimum.
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Gaja's a modernist? I'd never know from this. Almost transparent ruby. Dense nose that could only be Nebbiolo: lots of tar, bitter herbs, some florals, cherry fruit in the background. Quite lightweight with tons of structure--very drying tannin and strong acidity. Either peaking early or just nice and accessible. Equally pleasant for geeks and crowds. Elegant with stuffing.
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Cork was almost fully soaked. Surprisingly evolved. Medium garnet colour. Expressive nose of funghi porcini, truffles, red cherries, violets and soy sauce. Medium-bodied yet rich with silky tannins, balancing acidity and perfect length. Extremely elegant wine and ready to enjoy.
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Very elegant and pleasurable wine, though it was not expressing nearly as much as I expected for producer, vintage and vineyard reputation. Left half the bottle for day 2, which allowed for some further development and improvement, but not necessarily remarkable for the $200+ cost and 13 years of age. I'm guessing more time in bottle would help, but, at the same time, think expectations are likely too high. In terms of modernist vs traditionalist, this definitely skewed toward modern with clear oak influence, though it was tame enough to not be the overwhelming element.
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Really delicious right after opening with rich black cherry fruits that lead to a classic dry and tannic Barolo finish. It didn't really improve over the course of the evening and maybe even closed up further. Lacks real soul and authenticity but also may need more time. Compared to many other '01 Barolos which are starting to drink and show beautifully, this falls a bit short of expectations.
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Fantastic nose out of the bottle on pour of double decant of 4 hours. Truly remarkable aromatics and deep, dark black-purple mesmerize all. Firm, chewy tannins initially on backend started to give way after 30 minutes of glass time to a smooth length and layers of flavor - vanilla bean, blackberry, dark cassis, with traces of tar, dark chocolate and with a whiff of juniper. Fun to see where this is heading, but far too young to drink - wait 5 years for the next bottle
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In very nice place showing wonderful dark spicy fruits with well integrated acid and tannins. Long finish. Still plenty of life, but in the drinking window. Great pizza wine ;-)
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Beatiful color with lovely flavors of black fruits and floral notes (violets?). Smooth and silky texture with suave tannins and notes of spice and licorice on the long finish. Still young and not showing much secondary flavor development. Interestingly, at a dinner with many other Barolos, this wine stood out for it's lack of terroir and authenticity as it just didn't taste like from where it comes. Perhaps as with many great wines, it will show up with some real aging but not today.
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Kleur: Diep donkerrood met een randje oranje Aroma / bouquet: Verleidelijk, klassiek en chique belegen bouquet. Complex. Gedroogde pruimen, potloodslijpsel, bittere chocola. Smaak / Afdronk: Kracht in balans. Krachtig zuur, krachtige tannines, wat zoete smaakindrukken (alcohol). Prachtig op dronk. Indrukwekkende lengte met een prettig bittertje in de finale. Algemeen / potentieel: Geweldig complete wijn. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 18 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 93/100
Color: Deep dark red with an orange edge Aroma / Bouquet: Seductive, classic and elegant mature bouquet. Complex. Dried plums, pencil shavings, bitter chocolate. Taste / Finish: power balance. Strong acidity, powerfull tannins, sweet taste impressions (alcohol). Beautiful ripeness. Impressive length with a pleasant bitterness in the final. General / potential: Great and complete wine. 50 + Colour: 5 + Aroma / Bouquet: 12 + Taste / Finish: 18 + General / potential: 8 = 93/100
Nose of dark fruit, earth, tobacco, truffle and vanilla. Lovely complex mouth. A really wonderful wine that has legs to carry on for quite a few more years.
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Tasted at CAL-ITAL Summer Wine Fest & Jazz Reception at H2o Pool Bar in the Golden Nugget Atlantic City. A WOW wine w/nice bouquet of roses, red berry fruit, forest floor & truffles. Seamless palate w/juicy delicious red fruits w/bit of anise, integrated velvety tannins, good acidity, full-bodied & lingering finish.
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Superb showing after a 3-hour decant with a lovely nose of black fruit, truffles and tar. On the palate, the texture is very silky with delicious flavors of black fruit and minerals along with forest floor and eucalyptus. Despite needing more time for secondary flavor development, this got so silky and smooth in the glass that it drank beautifully with extended air. Full-bodied and complex at this point with a nice smoky quality late. 94+
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Great wine i had at Bedrock the other night. Dark, powerful and sultry wine which went great with the dry aged ribeye. Huge red fruits on the nose, which opened up nicely after about 40-50 minutes of decanting and hints of spices, cigarettes and oaky. Flavours were lush cherries, red berries, a hint of blackcurrant and even a bit of dark cacao in there.
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This is a dark and brooding Barolo that needed a good hour in a decanter to show itself. Then deep black fruit flavors with notes of tar, truffles and black minerals. The tannins are beastly but fully ripe and the finish is quite full and already complex with notes of bitter chocolate and forest floor. A powerful, more modern-style Barolo in need of further bottle age but this is a pure, balanced and suave wine that pssesses that "wow" factor. 95+
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Tasted double blind. Slightly floral start with big,powerful red fruit aromas. Black cherry and red currant on palate with woodsy spice. Didn't come across as specifically from Piedmont to me or most tasters today, but very exciting at this stage in its evolution.
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monochromatically seamless. while thisis notmy style, it does show well. harmonious and easy. resolving tannins. prolonged finish in good balance. i don't find these wines soulful, thas probably why I buy giacosa.ymmv
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circumstances prevented ability to decant. pulled cork 90 minutes before drinking. characteristically reticent from bottle prep and maybe bottle shock, although i'm not a big proponent of that being truly meaningful. no matter because we opened it specifically on request of our hosts, and they loved it. sweet, juicy tannin, expressive nose. modern oak/wood that just needs some time/aggressive decanting. 92+
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Gaja Tasting (Hakfar Hayarok): Light purple color. An elegant nose of flowers and ripe fruits. Nice sweetness in the palate, light to medium bodied, excellent acidity, soft tannins. Excellent (310$).
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Tasted in a 1/2 bottle which proved an interesting contrast to the last full bottle tasted. Not surprisingly more mature but still young and will continue to develop; full bottles for many years to come. Beautiful nose, rich dark fruit but, in the half bottle, the tannins had softened. Opened up as time went on. Really lovely Barolo in the modern style.
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So perfectly balanced and young. I have killed a baby. Fresh powdery tannins, rose pedals, red currant and a very long velvet sweet finish that last over a minute. This was more of an Opera than a rock concert. 94-96
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14% alcohol. decanted 2 hours, and then followed in the glass for 3 hours longer. i thought it opened up at about the four hour mark when a richer structure and deeper midpalate developed. tannin was slightly gritty initially, but that smoothed out, too. subtle violet and minerals in the finish. should elevate and turn silky with more age, and more oak absorption. certainly "modern," but that's ok by me.
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Soft ruby in color with an orange tint on the edges. On the nose, red currant, cherry, all spice, white pepper and an oaky earthiness. This wine smelled almost too good to drink. We did anyway. The red currant, cherry and pepper was revealed on the palate. Lots of changes as the wine opened over the next hour or so. The first glass was so different from the last. The finish was polished and lingering.
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This was the first Sperss 2001 I had since the démasqué at La Padella some months ago. When I taste this wine again now, I can only consider the previous bottle an off-bottle. This wine is very good, powerful yet elegant. Beautiful "cool fruit" in the nose. It matched the magnum Scavino Riserva Rocche dell'Annunziata 1997 we had before the Sperss.
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Tomamos no Due Cuochi. Eu, Mauro, Marcelo e Giancarlo. Vinho fantástico. Tanino com caráter típico de um piemontese, marcante, mas elegante. Frutas vermelhas, baunilha. Muito bom.
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Tasted blind at a Barolo 2001 tasting at "La Padella" (Nijmegen, The Netherlands). This was the disappointment of the night. In fact I could not believe this was Gaja at all. In the vertical it lacked fruit and depth and had too much wood. That's why you always have to taste blind...
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Tasting with TheDumbPhase: I got nothing from the nose. In the mouth, savory, bold, with med-med+ acid, great concentration, a little sangio-like bloodiness, simple. Smelled faintly oxidized.
ag95, st95
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Nebbiolo & Co from Gaja, with Gaia Gaja.: Sweet, floral aroma. More developed and focused palate than the 2003. Flowers and cool fruits. Noticeable oak. Round with good tannins. Long and rich finish. Nice wine!
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Tasting Group Dinner - Piedmont (Our House): This was just too young and tannic for me to evaluate. Rich, powerful, almost meaty dark fruit, and a lot of new oak. Seems very promising. Judgment reserved.
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Piedmont at Siggy's: Built along the lines of the '97, but seemed like a barrel sample showing primary red fruit with some tar and not much else in the way of secondary aromas. On the palate this delivers concentrated red fruit with tobacco notes. Plenty of structure to balance out the fruit. Pure and sweet (like the '01 Conteisa). Great finish. Far too young to be serving now -- hands off for at least ten more years. Rated 94 based on the raw materials but could ultimately prove to be even better.
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a lot of oak, vanilla nose with red fruits, good round mouth with more red fruits. this is a good wine but it showed no sense of place. I might have scored it higher but in a flight with two red label giacosas and the 01 Conterno Fantino Sori Ginestra, after having a good flight of barolos prior to it, I think this did not satisfy my barolo hunger.
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Phoenix eRP Offline - Italian (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Caramel, blackberry, black cherry, mint and nice earth undertones. Nice depth and complexity. Great purity of fruit. Noticeable oak. Long, rich finish. Made in more of a new world style.
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Purchased at Whole Foods and opened that day to match a wild mushroom risotto. Awesome balance and fruit. Opened young, so tannins were less evolved and finish was less complex. Would like to try again in five years.
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For many at my table, this was the wine of the night. The nose was slightly muted and the finish still tannic, but the structure and intensity are a notch above the Conteisa. This was the darkest wine the night and had the deepest and richest fruits. I believe this will be a spectacular wine at maturity. Paired with beef blade roast braised with Barolo, with spinach polenta and vegetables.
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Garagiste 2001 Gaja Tasting (Garagiste Warehouse, Seattle, WA): Deep red with a little purple. Wonderful nose of earth, mushroom, spices. Palate coating with flavors of berry fruit and earth. Very powerful. Finished with elegance and moderate tannins. Second in line after the Contesia.
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Gaja tasting at Garagiste: This was one of the few wines to pierce my stuffed nose and sinus. Nice cherry and earthy aromas. Great, well defined cherries and licorice. Buy.
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Gaja Winemaker's Dinner (Four Seasons, NYC): Earthy nose coffee, blackberry. On the palate coffee, brown sugar, black fruit, occasional gamey quality, long finsh. Far better than the 1995 on every measure; drinking well now and will improve with time. Great stuff; my second favorite of the night
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4/22/2024 - VINNICK wrote: 95 Points
A beauty drank along a Salvioni 2010 and this was the hands down favorite at the table. Just starting to get that pruney sweetness that comes with bottle age. Perfect time to drink with plenty left in the tank. Decanted in bottle for 8 hours. Seemed to be plenty and very much ready by dinner.
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1/12/2024 - Luckey Likes this wine: 96 Points
Beautiful nose: decanted 20 minutes; tannins fully resolved. Paired with pizza for perfection
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5/24/2023 - astroman Likes this wine:
Impressions. Drank this side by side with the 2018 for comparison. This had a small percentage of Barbera added which seem to give it a lift compared to the 2018. Still primary red fruits and drinking nicely.
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5/23/2023 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine:
At Vinexpo, great wine, red fruits, umami, rich & full bodied
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5/5/2023 - Edeon Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wonderfully balanced and complex wine. Earthy on the nose with dried herbs/spices and red fruit. Wonderful texture of rolling tannins, and straight square acid profile right down the center. Not bothered by the minerality like with the 2003. An occassionally wow wine, but could still carry on a conversation, unlike the 2006 Dal Forno. Comparable in greatness to that 1997 Sagrantino that I need to try again. Tannins still coating - easily another 20 years to go.
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4/7/2023 - TooManyBottles19 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Enjoyed at enoteca La Vite Turchese in Barolo on my last day of my stay in the village. The grapes for this wine come from the Marenca vineyard in Serralunga d'Alba, a southern-facing amphitheater on rocky/mineral soil. It is one of the most desirable sources of nebbiolo for Barolo in the region (and therefore the world). Also, Gaja greatly reduced yield to boost quality. This wine after 22 years is still strong and vibrant, but the massive tannins associated with the best Serralunga d'Alba grapes have softened and while they are still there they are now like an oscar-nominated supporting actor(ess) that lets the other elements of the wine show their best.
The color of the wine is optimal. Deep red with thin translucent boundary. No orange that would indicate excessive oxidation. This wine is still fully alive and on the way up. At least best I can see.
Nose is nice burst of acidity and subtle fruit. Initial taste is complex mix of leather mushrooms dried leaves. I am not the best at singling out specific but they are there. Is there a small hint of dried pomegranate in there?
The finish is clean without a big tannic residue. Which is remarkable considering where this wine probably started. Smooth.
The cork did come apart on opening, but was otherwise clean and showed no signs of leakage. Decanted for one hour. Served with local charcuterie/proteins and cheeses including raw ground veal, which was delicious. Also, while enjoying I was looking at the south-facing cannubi vineyards north of Barolo. So that is all full disclosure, I am drinking the local kool aid big time.
I'm calling it a 95 on a hard grading scale, as it drinks today. I'm trying to find flaws, can't find anything worth highlighting. Except I wish the bottle were bigger, I want more. Crazy thing is my take is this could easily go another 10 years and still be evolving. This has the chops.
Ciao!
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12/26/2022 - KenK Likes this wine: 93 Points
Black cherry and graphite with some floral notes. Firm earthy black fruit character with good lift. Lively and bright with nice cherry flavors. Traditionally styled. A bit dry for me and a slight diminished finish, but quite good and enjoyed by others more than me.
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12/26/2022 - guitarguy wrote: 91 Points
Purchased from Binny’s in St. Charles during a visit from the king himself and signed by AG, I probably held on to this sentimentally a couple of years longer than I should. Still a good wine and one of the higher “value” wines I’ve consumed although I paid a little over $100 for it so many years ago. The nose is full of underbrush, cola and ripe boysenberry, the wine shows ash, pepper, bitter herb, cigar box, some purple to black fruit, mild tannins and a bit of heat. I’d say the best days were a couple of years ago. By-in-large this has experienced excellent storage conditions throughout its life. Drink now.
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12/20/2022 - rhit wrote:
Definitely modern in style, but drinking fantastically. Has plenty of time and room to evolve further.
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11/25/2022 - Chitarra Likes this wine: 92 Points
Im pretty sure my half bottle is more evolved than what others have experienced, but I would say this in case it helps with the crystal ball. This is still completely fresh and hardly secondary. The wine feels classy, balanced and also linear. As with mature great wines in general, I think this needs haute cuisine and the right ambience much more so than rustic trattoria fare, don't waste it. I wonder how this would show with a bit or a lot more secondary characteristics. In any case, this is very enjoyable now. If you have more, perhaps you could try one every so often, you won't regret it! And yes, I don't think I would have guessed this as nebbiolo if I tasted it blind. I'm not so good at this stuff.
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10/30/2022 - Glauberlp Likes this wine: 95 Points
Grate wine
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8/5/2022 - vinorsk Likes this wine: 93 Points
Agree with EDWINE, this has a great classic nose, is still fairly ruby in appearance, and has a delicious but modern palet. Reminded me of an older Napa cab or super-Tuscan rather than Nebbiolo. Three hours in decanter and drank with beef tenderloin. A great modern style wine, but there are plenty of equally good new world wines for $150. This isn’t outstanding at twice the price. To be fair, 21 years of bottle age does come at a cost.
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4/18/2022 - fcxj wrote: 90 Points
Doesn't give much aromatically, palate reasonably balanced not overly tannic.
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8/30/2021 - edwine__ Likes this wine: 96 Points
Very inviting nose of tobacco, black fruit, leather, floral, dark chocolate, vanilla and slightly earthy. Palate is superb balance with pure fruit, laser acidity and lingering finish.
Probably just get into the drinking window but definitely needs a long breathing.
Not a fans of modernist but this is good!
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4/9/2021 - Kevnzworld wrote: 95 Points
45 Decant.
Beautiful. A great balance of cherry and earth. The tannin is there but in the background.
Definitely in the zone.
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11/30/2020 - vinus_operandi Likes this wine: 94 Points
tasted at a nebbiolo tasting at a friends house outside. after drinking 5 young nebbiolo's, this wine was noticably softer, oaked, and had a wonderful mouthfeel on the mid-palate. it had aged nicely showing good balance and length. the new oak that gaja employs gives the wine some vanilla but it was not overdone here. i thought the wine took a nice jump up when paired with a wonderufully braised leg of lamb. all nebbiolo's need fat and protein to really enjoy them and this wine was no exception. (i drank several of the younger nebbiolo's as well with the lamb and the taste profile improved with each as it was drunk with the lamb). the flavor profile on this wine included cherry, red berry, and a slight leather/balsamic hint that was mostly overshadowed by the new oak. i liked where this was was drinking now but it still has time to further develop. it really comes down to where you stand on the oak issue.
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11/29/2020 - oldwines Likes this wine: 95 Points
Double Blind (Nebbiolo) Tasting (New Jersey): My first bottle from an original wood case acquired on release. Decanted 3+ hours before tasting as the grand finale to my Nebbiolo tasting today. Looks very young translucent garnet. Obviously modern styled wine but also obviously superbly well made and just delicious. The nose carries the oak influence nicely giving a very fragrant account with layers of complexity ranging from roses, to leather, to fresh dug earth, to vanilla and chocolate and even violets. The fruit is mostly red and heavily cherry but shows some plum nuances along with raspberry and strawberry. The acidity remains fairly high but the tannin has receded a good bit giving this a bright yet weighty mouthfeel. Finish is long and luxurious. Perfect companion to my braised leg of lamb dish. This continued to evolve over several hours and was still changing as I finished the last drops after more than 8 hours open.
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11/29/2020 - skurtz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted at Dave’s. Lovely earthy nose, on the palate gorgeous raspberries, earthy spices. Nicely oaked. Great complexity and depth. That being said, it was not 8-10 times as good as the much more modestly priced '16 nebbiolos we tried in a blind tasting.
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7/12/2020 - VINNICK Likes this wine: 94 Points
Gorgeous wine. Needs 8 hours of decanting to get the full effect.
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12/21/2019 - robertek wrote: 92 Points
Ok but this wine is better...
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12/4/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Gaja White Truffle Dinner (Osteria Langhe - Chicago IL): Served alongside the 1998, both double decanted a few hours in advance. Lots of powerful black and red cherry with background spice and floral notes. Less complex vs the 1998 but clearly more powerful. I preferred the 1998, but most others liked this 2001 more.
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12/4/2019 - KenK Likes this wine: 92 Points
Black cherry with intense floral notes. Firm tense dark red fruits with nice zip. Lively and bright with nice cherry flavors. A tad dry and quicker finish, but quite good.
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10/19/2019 - grafighter Likes this wine: 93 Points
Slow ox’ed for approx 3 hours. Nose of brown sugar upon uncorking. Decanted for another hour at Osteria Mozza. Both nose and palate were more muted than expected. But the quality was certainly there.
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10/11/2019 - Somm David T Likes this wine: 95 Points
The nose reveals, candied, ruby, stewed fruits of; blackberries, dark, sweet & sour, dark cherries, slightly roasted strawberries, dark currants & dark raisins. Limestone minerals, dark, rich, turned, black earth, dry crushed rocks, soft, sweet tarriness, some black licorice, leather, soft woodiness, chewy, salted, caramel, mocha, vanilla, dry brush with candied, floral, red, purple and blue florals.
The body is; full, ruby, ripe & juicy. The tension & structure are firm the length & balance are nearing its peak. Candied, ruby, stewed fruits of; blackberries, dark, sweet & sour, dark cherries, slightly roasted strawberries, dar currants, dates & dark raisins. Sucking on limestone minerals, sandstone, anise, dark, rich, turned, black earth, dry crushed rocks, soft, sweet dark, tarriness, some black licorice, leather, soft woodiness, chewy, salted, caramel, mocha, vanilla, dry brush with candied, floral, red, purple and blue florals. The acidity is round and near perfect. The long, ruby, slightly, tarry, ruby, rich, well balanced finish persists endlessly.
The 01 still has another 15-20 years plus of good drinking ahead.
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9/14/2019 - JohanEGS Likes this wine: 94 Points
Mmm... Even better than the 2000. Will work for more years but go for it, don't wait too long.
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6/22/2019 - Dehrmann Likes this wine: 93 Points
Odv/Irène the grill ‘93 pommard epenaux / 01 spers / ‘93 pommard was perfect deep color / slightly blurry / powerful / long /
Spers very consistent
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3/15/2019 - Torchy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Uncles Fine Wine Spring BYO (Home): Butter tones in the nose. Tobacco, almost salt. Leather and tar. Licorice. On the palate it is agricultural. I find fine spices, licorice and tar. Classical. Drinks nicely now. Silky soft structure. Elegant.
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10/13/2018 - petrus89 wrote: 95 Points
Regal wine, complex, complete and, after two hours of decanter time, perfectly ready to drink.... strong, silky and suave!
Love it.
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6/9/2018 - BillyT wrote: 92 Points
Sorry, dinner at Tosca, DC. Fantastic. Still a lot of life left. I will say it was balance, complex, balanced in every aspect.
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6/6/2018 - jclary wrote: 97 Points
Watching the Warriors in the NBA championship. Beautiful wine, in a great place for drinking. Beautiful perfume to this wine, with distinctive note of black licorice, blackberries, and other dark fruits. Tannins are well integrated. This is a very good wine, and in a great place for drinking. Just entering it’s window, it has years of life ahead.
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3/9/2018 - DCHawkeye wrote: 96 Points
Drinking beautifully.
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7/31/2017 - Biglama Likes this wine: 93 Points
zuivere wijn, mooie diepgang, karakter, typisch voor de streek
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7/29/2017 - CamWheeler wrote: 95 Points
Truffles with the SLDS (CFs): Pretty nose of licorice, violet, spices and blackberry - perfumed and lifted. Lovely palate - this has great fruit and classy structure, really super drinking now and over the medium term future. Loved it.
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2/25/2017 - CamWheeler wrote: 94 Points
DGs Birthday: Very perfumed, lifted aromatics of licorice, spice, meat, violets and graphite. The palate shows beautifully refined tannins and great fruit balance, with both red and black characters working well together. Great length and character. Right in the slot for drinking.
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7/5/2016 - KenK Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really good. Dark black, scorched earth aromas with large scale fruit flavors. Loaded with spice and so well balanced. In a great place now, but years to go. Thanks KJ!
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6/11/2016 - jrglm Likes this wine: 95 Points
Almost six years to the day since we last cracked one of these gems.
Still an amazing bottle of wine. Completely different from our last visit. The wine is so elegantly structured this time around. Beautiful complexity from start to finish.
Paired with wine braised oxtail (see the NYT recipe). Fantastic experience.
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6/3/2016 - WildeMeeuw Likes this wine: 90 Points
Kleur: Diep donkerrood met een oranje rand Aroma / bouquet: Delicaat bouquet. Minder uitgesproken dan de flessen die ik dronk in 2012 en 2013. Maar desondanks: heerlijk! Rijp en verleidelijk. Zacht zoete indrukken: verfijnd hout, een pepertje, kruidkoek. Het aroma van een wijn-op-leeftijd. Smaak / Afdronk: Verfijnde fris zure start. Royale vulling. De tannines zijn nog steeds krachtig. In 2013 gaf de wijn een prettig bittere finale. Inmiddels is de wijn te hoekig en zijn de zuren licht geoxideerd. Algemeen / potentieel: Bijzondere wijn, die ik in 2014 had moeten drinken…. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 15 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 90/100
Google Translate:
I] Color: Deep dark red with an orange edge Aroma / bouquet: Delicate bouquet. Less pronounced than the bottles I drank in 2012 and 2013. But nevertheless: delicious! Ripe and seductive. Soft sweet impressions: fine wood, a pepper, gingerbread. The aroma of a wine-at-age Taste / Finish:. Sophisticated tangy start. Generous filling. The tannins are still powerful. In 2013, the wine gave a pleasant bitter finish. Meanwhile, the wine is too angular and the acids are slightly oxidized. General / potential: Special wine that I should drink in 2014 .... 50+ Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Taste / Finish: 15 + General / potential: 8 = 90/100
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5/31/2016 - FamilyLarsson wrote: 94 Points
Mörkt koncentrerat vin med mogen frukt, rosor, tjära, svampskog, underbar syra och tanniner som fortfarande ha bra grepp. Väldigt koncentrerat med otroligt fin balans. Det här är fortfarande ett vin som har massor av år kvar i källaren
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4/13/2016 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Return to San Antonio III - barolo/bordeaux (Mike O): Really great concentration, acidity in balance. Slightly more approachable than the Giacosa's but so youthful. Powerful fruit but a hair behind the '04 Giacosa on concentration.
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3/24/2016 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 93 Points
I was greeted by a dark, intense, yet polished bouquet of black cherry, spice, tobacco and sweet herbs. On the palate, brilliant red fruits, exotic spice, and floral tones were contrasted by hints of pine, earth, and fine-grain tannin. The finish was long, yet inward in its tart black fruit and tannin, begging for more time in the cellar.
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12/23/2015 - soyhead wrote:
nose - lovely spiced nose, cinnamon
mouth - complex, dark fruit, good acidity, still tannic yet juicy and powerful. good balance
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11/14/2015 - aajder wrote: 93 Points
Nice color, a touch of fading. The nose is elegant, displaying aromas of dark red berries, flowers, earth, minerals and spice. This is fairly full bodied on the palate with very good concentration and lovely finesse. The long finish features refined tannins.
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10/24/2015 - mclanew wrote: 93 Points
I have to admit this didn't quite deliver the wow factor I had hoped for but it's still an incredibly well crafted wine. Lovely nose of cherry, licorice, anise and tobacco. Already well integrated but very big with a long finish. Probably needs more time to develop more complexity.
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5/21/2015 - RAD2626 wrote: 88 Points
Little disappointed in both fruit and intensity. Great texture and mouthfeel but not much else. Have three more bottles. Will be interested to compare.
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4/20/2015 - forceberry wrote: 92 Points
After Gaja decided in 1961 that they wouldn't make wine from purchased grapes, they ceased to make Barolo for almost three decades. This wine is a Barolo made from the grapes of a single vineyard Gaja purchased in 1988. It is a blend of Nebbiolo (92-96%) and Barbera (4-8%), the specific blend depending on the vintage. Aged for 12 months in barriques and further 18 months in oak botti.
Translucent, rather pale cherry color with some mature bricking and almost colorless rims. A bit restrained and moderately developed, smoky nose with complex aromas of wizened dark cherries, dried flowers, some ripe, dark brambly berries, a little tar, hints of dried dark fruits and raisins and a light streak of sweet oak aromatics in the background. Dry, moderate-to-full-bodied palate with good, structured acidity. Initially the wine seems almost flavorless, but then the mature, savory and elegant flavors emerge with ntoes of sour cherries, peppery spice, smoky earth, some stony minerality, light chocolate nuances and a hint of sweet, dark-toned oak. The wine is obviously moderately aged, but there is still a lot of life left in the wine. The tannins start to feel a little resolved, but they are still very firm and moderetaly grippy. Extremely long, layered and quite grippy finish with an elegant aftertaste of sweet, chocolate oak, sour cherry, some stony minerality, a little smoke and a hint of slightly dried plummy fruit. The acidity and bright minerality carry on almost infinitely.
A really impressive, utterly complex example of a modern (but not ultra-modern) Barolo with a bit of bottle age. It still shows some faint hints of new oak character, but overall the mature Nebbiolo fruit is on the fore. The muscular tannins have started to resolve, but the wine is still quite tightly wound. Starts to drink nicely, but I'd wait 5 years or more. Will keep for a decade or two more, minimum.
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1/21/2015 - cooberp Likes this wine: 92 Points
Gaja's a modernist? I'd never know from this. Almost transparent ruby. Dense nose that could only be Nebbiolo: lots of tar, bitter herbs, some florals, cherry fruit in the background. Quite lightweight with tons of structure--very drying tannin and strong acidity. Either peaking early or just nice and accessible. Equally pleasant for geeks and crowds. Elegant with stuffing.
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12/30/2014 - Yiannis Likes this wine: 95 Points
Cork was almost fully soaked. Surprisingly evolved. Medium garnet colour. Expressive nose of funghi porcini, truffles, red cherries, violets and soy sauce. Medium-bodied yet rich with silky tannins, balancing acidity and perfect length. Extremely elegant wine and ready to enjoy.
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12/1/2014 - jrkennedy37 wrote:
Very elegant and pleasurable wine, though it was not expressing nearly as much as I expected for producer, vintage and vineyard reputation. Left half the bottle for day 2, which allowed for some further development and improvement, but not necessarily remarkable for the $200+ cost and 13 years of age. I'm guessing more time in bottle would help, but, at the same time, think expectations are likely too high. In terms of modernist vs traditionalist, this definitely skewed toward modern with clear oak influence, though it was tame enough to not be the overwhelming element.
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8/29/2014 - dream wrote: 88 Points
Really delicious right after opening with rich black cherry fruits that lead to a classic dry and tannic Barolo finish. It didn't really improve over the course of the evening and maybe even closed up further. Lacks real soul and authenticity but also may need more time. Compared to many other '01 Barolos which are starting to drink and show beautifully, this falls a bit short of expectations.
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6/4/2014 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
From .375. Nose of cedar, dark fruit, tobacco. On the palate spice, herbs, some underwood. Nice.
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1/23/2014 - punter wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic nose out of the bottle on pour of double decant of 4 hours. Truly remarkable aromatics and deep, dark black-purple mesmerize all. Firm, chewy tannins initially on backend started to give way after 30 minutes of glass time to a smooth length and layers of flavor - vanilla bean, blackberry, dark cassis, with traces of tar, dark chocolate and with a whiff of juniper. Fun to see where this is heading, but far too young to drink - wait 5 years for the next bottle
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11/1/2013 - Samsara Likes this wine:
Montréal Passion Vin
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10/20/2013 - KenK Likes this wine: 94 Points
In very nice place showing wonderful dark spicy fruits with well integrated acid and tannins. Long finish. Still plenty of life, but in the drinking window. Great pizza wine ;-)
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4/20/2013 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beatiful color with lovely flavors of black fruits and floral notes (violets?). Smooth and silky texture with suave tannins and notes of spice and licorice on the long finish. Still young and not showing much secondary flavor development. Interestingly, at a dinner with many other Barolos, this wine stood out for it's lack of terroir and authenticity as it just didn't taste like from where it comes. Perhaps as with many great wines, it will show up with some real aging but not today.
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4/13/2013 - WildeMeeuw Likes this wine: 93 Points
Kleur: Diep donkerrood met een randje oranje Aroma / bouquet: Verleidelijk, klassiek en chique belegen bouquet. Complex. Gedroogde pruimen, potloodslijpsel, bittere chocola. Smaak / Afdronk: Kracht in balans. Krachtig zuur, krachtige tannines, wat zoete smaakindrukken (alcohol). Prachtig op dronk. Indrukwekkende lengte met een prettig bittertje in de finale. Algemeen / potentieel: Geweldig complete wijn. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 18 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 93/100
Color: Deep dark red with an orange edge Aroma / Bouquet: Seductive, classic and elegant mature bouquet. Complex. Dried plums, pencil shavings, bitter chocolate. Taste / Finish: power balance. Strong acidity, powerfull tannins, sweet taste impressions (alcohol). Beautiful ripeness. Impressive length with a pleasant bitterness in the final. General / potential: Great and complete wine. 50 + Colour: 5 + Aroma / Bouquet: 12 + Taste / Finish: 18 + General / potential: 8 = 93/100
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9/23/2012 - RayOB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank in Hong Kong
Nose of dark fruit, earth, tobacco, truffle and vanilla. Lovely complex mouth. A really wonderful wine that has legs to carry on for quite a few more years.
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9/13/2012 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
in short: high quality and very enjoyable Barolo
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8/17/2012 - DRS-Inc wrote: 94 Points
Tasted at CAL-ITAL Summer Wine Fest & Jazz Reception at H2o Pool Bar in the Golden Nugget Atlantic City. A WOW wine w/nice bouquet of roses, red berry fruit, forest floor & truffles. Seamless palate w/juicy delicious red fruits w/bit of anise, integrated velvety tannins, good acidity, full-bodied & lingering finish.
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8/13/2012 - dream wrote: 94 Points
Superb showing after a 3-hour decant with a lovely nose of black fruit, truffles and tar. On the palate, the texture is very silky with delicious flavors of black fruit and minerals along with forest floor and eucalyptus. Despite needing more time for secondary flavor development, this got so silky and smooth in the glass that it drank beautifully with extended air. Full-bodied and complex at this point with a nice smoky quality late. 94+
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8/2/2012 - mwanasheria wrote: 92 Points
From .375. Nice nose of cassis and dark fruit, vanilla. On the palate cassis, cherries, spices, cedar, herbs.
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7/14/2012 - kevincheng Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great wine i had at Bedrock the other night.
Dark, powerful and sultry wine which went great with the dry aged ribeye.
Huge red fruits on the nose, which opened up nicely after about 40-50 minutes of decanting and hints of spices, cigarettes and oaky.
Flavours were lush cherries, red berries, a hint of blackcurrant and even a bit of dark cacao in there.
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7/6/2012 - dream wrote: 95 Points
This is a dark and brooding Barolo that needed a good hour in a decanter to show itself. Then deep black fruit flavors with notes of tar, truffles and black minerals. The tannins are beastly but fully ripe and the finish is quite full and already complex with notes of bitter chocolate and forest floor. A powerful, more modern-style Barolo in need of further bottle age but this is a pure, balanced and suave wine that pssesses that "wow" factor. 95+
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6/20/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Tasted double blind. Slightly floral start with big,powerful red fruit aromas. Black cherry and red currant on palate with woodsy spice. Didn't come across as specifically from Piedmont to me or most tasters today, but very exciting at this stage in its evolution.
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6/2/2012 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 92 Points
() Kleur: Diep donkerrood met een oranje randje Aroma / bouquet: Verleidelijk, verfijnd rijp bouquet. Gedroogd fruit, chique hout, wat potloodslijpsel. Smaak / Afdronk: Krachtig zuur in combinatie met krachtige tannines, vol, bittere chocola, koffieboontjes, laurierdrop, mooie balans, lange en rijke afdronk. Na enige tijd beluchting rijpere tonen: paddestoeltjes en herfstbos. Algemeen / potentieel: Prachtige powerwijn. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 92/100
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4/1/2012 - rklafter wrote: 93 Points
monochromatically seamless. while thisis notmy style, it does show well. harmonious and easy. resolving tannins. prolonged finish in good balance. i don't find these wines soulful, thas probably why I buy giacosa.ymmv
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3/5/2012 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
From .375. Very elegant, silky tannins, dark fruit, smoke and with lots of life even from the small bottle.
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2/28/2012 - Axone wrote: 93 Points
Très bon. Bu beaucoup trop tôt. Sera bien meilleur dans 10 ans.
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7/27/2011 - jeff nowak wrote: 92 Points
circumstances prevented ability to decant. pulled cork 90 minutes before drinking. characteristically reticent from bottle prep and maybe bottle shock, although i'm not a big proponent of that being truly meaningful. no matter because we opened it specifically on request of our hosts, and they loved it. sweet, juicy tannin, expressive nose. modern oak/wood that just needs some time/aggressive decanting. 92+
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5/3/2011 - madia wrote: 93 Points
Gaja Tasting (Hakfar Hayarok): Light purple color. An elegant nose of flowers and ripe fruits. Nice sweetness in the palate, light to medium bodied, excellent acidity, soft tannins. Excellent (310$).
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2/19/2011 - B Quinn wrote: 95 Points
Tasted in a 1/2 bottle which proved an interesting contrast to the last full bottle tasted. Not surprisingly more mature but still young and will continue to develop; full bottles for many years to come. Beautiful nose, rich dark fruit but, in the half bottle, the tannins had softened. Opened up as time went on. Really lovely Barolo in the modern style.
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12/30/2010 - wineguy58 wrote: 94 Points
So perfectly balanced and young. I have killed a baby. Fresh powdery tannins, rose pedals, red currant and a very long velvet sweet finish that last over a minute. This was more of an Opera than a rock concert. 94-96
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11/25/2010 - jeff nowak wrote: 93 Points
14% alcohol. decanted 2 hours, and then followed in the glass for 3 hours longer. i thought it opened up at about the four hour mark when a richer structure and deeper midpalate developed. tannin was slightly gritty initially, but that smoothed out, too. subtle violet and minerals in the finish. should elevate and turn silky with more age, and more oak absorption. certainly "modern," but that's ok by me.
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7/4/2010 - CarTer wrote: 96 Points
Tomamos na degustação especial de GAJA no BOTTAGALLO. Excepcional. Possui muitos anos pela frente ainda. Típico Barolo Clássico.
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6/12/2010 - jrglm Likes this wine: 95 Points
Soft ruby in color with an orange tint on the edges. On the nose, red currant, cherry, all spice, white pepper and an oaky earthiness. This wine smelled almost too good to drink. We did anyway. The red currant, cherry and pepper was revealed on the palate. Lots of changes as the wine opened over the next hour or so. The first glass was so different from the last. The finish was polished and lingering.
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11/29/2009 - MauriceE wrote: 94 Points
This was the first Sperss 2001 I had since the démasqué at La Padella some months ago. When I taste this wine again now, I can only consider the previous bottle an off-bottle. This wine is very good, powerful yet elegant. Beautiful "cool fruit" in the nose. It matched the magnum Scavino Riserva Rocche dell'Annunziata 1997 we had before the Sperss.
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11/8/2009 - CarTer wrote: 96 Points
Tomamos no Due Cuochi. Eu, Mauro, Marcelo e Giancarlo. Vinho fantástico. Tanino com caráter típico de um piemontese, marcante, mas elegante. Frutas vermelhas, baunilha. Muito bom.
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1/12/2009 - MauriceE wrote: 88 Points
Tasted blind at a Barolo 2001 tasting at "La Padella" (Nijmegen, The Netherlands). This was the disappointment of the night. In fact I could not believe this was Gaja at all. In the vertical it lacked fruit and depth and had too much wood. That's why you always have to taste blind...
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10/10/2008 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 85 Points
Tasting with TheDumbPhase: I got nothing from the nose. In the mouth, savory, bold, with med-med+ acid, great concentration, a little sangio-like bloodiness, simple. Smelled faintly oxidized.
ag95, st95
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4/21/2008 - Vinho wrote: 95 Points
Excepcional. 95+
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3/10/2008 - arijus wrote:
Nebbiolo & Co from Gaja, with Gaia Gaja.: Sweet, floral aroma. More developed and focused palate than the 2003. Flowers and cool fruits. Noticeable oak. Round with good tannins. Long and rich finish. Nice wine!
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1/30/2008 - Siggy wrote:
Tasting Group Dinner - Piedmont (Our House): This was just too young and tannic for me to evaluate. Rich, powerful, almost meaty dark fruit, and a lot of new oak. Seems very promising. Judgment reserved.
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1/30/2008 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 94 Points
Piedmont at Siggy's: Built along the lines of the '97, but seemed like a barrel sample showing primary red fruit with some tar and not much else in the way of secondary aromas. On the palate this delivers concentrated red fruit with tobacco notes. Plenty of structure to balance out the fruit. Pure and sweet (like the '01 Conteisa). Great finish. Far too young to be serving now -- hands off for at least ten more years. Rated 94 based on the raw materials but could ultimately prove to be even better.
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7/11/2007 - goofy Yno wrote: 90 Points
a lot of oak, vanilla nose with red fruits, good round mouth with more red fruits. this is a good wine but it showed no sense of place. I might have scored it higher but in a flight with two red label giacosas and the 01 Conterno Fantino Sori Ginestra, after having a good flight of barolos prior to it, I think this did not satisfy my barolo hunger.
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7/11/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 94 Points
Phoenix eRP Offline - Italian (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Caramel, blackberry, black cherry, mint and nice earth undertones. Nice depth and complexity. Great purity of fruit. Noticeable oak. Long, rich finish. Made in more of a new world style.
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3/21/2007 - itsallaboutwine Likes this wine:
The Wines of Gaja with Gaia Gaja @ Handford Wines: £122.50. More to it: Texture and fruit more velvety, big tannins again but probably amazing in 5 years. +++(++)
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12/8/2006 - 97mjr wrote:
pair with lamb
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11/28/2006 - RandyandSusan wrote: 95 Points
Purchased at Whole Foods and opened that day to match a wild mushroom risotto. Awesome balance and fruit. Opened young, so tannins were less evolved and finish was less complex. Would like to try again in five years.
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10/28/2005 - jwgauthier wrote: 96 Points
For many at my table, this was the wine of the night. The nose was slightly muted and the finish still tannic, but the structure and intensity are a notch above the Conteisa. This was the darkest wine the night and had the deepest and richest fruits. I believe this will be a spectacular wine at maturity. Paired with beef blade roast braised with Barolo, with spinach polenta and vegetables.
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5/14/2005 - Wusman wrote: 94 Points
Garagiste 2001 Gaja Tasting (Garagiste Warehouse, Seattle, WA): Deep red with a little purple. Wonderful nose of earth, mushroom, spices. Palate coating with flavors of berry fruit and earth. Very powerful. Finished with elegance and moderate tannins. Second in line after the Contesia.
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5/14/2005 - lorenzo wrote: 96 Points
Gaja tasting at Garagiste: This was one of the few wines to pierce my stuffed nose and sinus. Nice cherry and earthy aromas. Great, well defined cherries and licorice. Buy.
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4/19/2005 - 97mjr wrote: 94 Points
Gaja Winemaker's Dinner (Four Seasons, NYC): Earthy nose coffee, blackberry. On the palate coffee, brown sugar, black fruit, occasional gamey quality, long finsh. Far better than the 1995 on every measure; drinking well now and will improve with time. Great stuff; my second favorite of the night
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