Gaja / Giacosa Dinner

A terrific wine dinner exploring two Piemonte benchmark producers. It was not by design, but the dinner ended up exploring wines of the 90s and in this sample the Giacosas seemed more ready to go. The Gajas (save the Sori Tildin) spanning 1990-1997 were punishingly young, though still delicious in their infancy. Moreover, my conclusion from this sample is that Giacosa is making more feminine and burgundian Nebbiolo vs. the more masculine and powerful Gajas. Similarly the Giacosas are more traditional and not quite as polished. Having said all that, both producers showed exceptionally well and deserve the status atop the Piedmont hierarchy.

• 2008 Gaja Langhe Rossj Bass 89 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Nose is toasty with substantial, ripe white fruit. Palate is big shouldered with lots of rich, meaty fruit. Moderate chewy acids. Tasty and well made, but not exceptional in any way.

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• 2008 Bruno Giacosa Spumante Rosé Extra Brut 88 Points

  Italy, Lombardia, Lombardia Spumante

  Full generous nose is slightly oaky and creamy with nuttiness, red fruit and apple skin. Full bodied palate is rich and dense. Nice countering acids. A bit simple and one-dimensional, flavorwise.

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• 2003 Bruno Giacosa Spumante Extra Brut 86 Points

  Italy, Lombardia, Lombardia Spumante

  Nose here is full and powerful though simple and non-delineated. Palate is a bit flat as the spritz is losing intensity. Ripe and round, with just enough acid to keep it from being flabby. At the tail end of its serviceable drinking window.

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• 1990 Gaja Barolo Sperss 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Wow, a simply gorgeous nose is rich and dense yet lifted. Pure black cherries, florals and cedar with a clear modern sheen/polish. The palate is similarly richly fruited and concentrated with chewy tannin leaving the impression of a young wine, not something 26 years old. Impressive. Slow-oxed for about 7 hours prior to serving.

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• 1993 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba Flawed

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Corked.

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• 1995 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 96 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Gorgeous, ethereal nose is so lifted, bright and layered -- an array of cherry fruit, herbs and spice. The palate is similarly impressive and regal. There is so much of everything -- breadth and depth, power and elegance -- all in an elegant frame. Precise nervy acidity and chalky tannin provide structure to the pure fruit. In an unreal spot. Double decanted 7 hours prior to dinner.

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• 1997 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Conteisa 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  The nose here is full and overt with ripe, dense black cherry and toasty oak. Palate follows suit with rich, dense black cherry and toasty spice. Lower acid and a bit heavy. Clearly young will be interesting to see how this develops. One note today. Only saw about an hour of air ... could've used a lot more.

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• 1996 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 99 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Served blind. Wow, this is simply stunning and has it all. Nose is full and so, so layered with classic red cherry, florals and tar notes. Palate is concentrated and dense but unbelievably light on its fit. Flavors are also classic with cherry, florals, tar, earth and leather. Saw a brief 30 minute decant.

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• 1997 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The nose here is a high toned with lots of fresh cut cherry, but flashes a bit too much VA for my preference. The palate is, however, pure and delicious. The fruit is rich, fresh and just glides across the palate. Lots of cherries and florals. Ethereal finish. Palate better than the nose. Not amongst my favorites in killer lineup tonight. Slow-oxed for 3 hours followed by a double decant 3 hours before dinner.

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• 1998 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Penetrating and persistent nose is full with dense, herby red cherry and tar. Palate is full bodied with dense red cherry, herbs and tar. Preferred this to the 97 and 00 served side-by-side. Slow-oxed for 3 hours followed by a double decant 3 hours before dinner.

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• 2000 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The most youthful and un-evolved of the three Faleletto Barolos in this flight. Nose is dense and rather non-delineated with notions of cherry and florals. Palate is simply delicious with mouth-filling red cherry fruit that is pure. Penetrating, deep finish. Slow-oxed for 3 hours followed by a double decant 3 hours before dinner.

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• 1998 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Rabajà 97 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Full, layered nose with bright red cherries, florals and herbs. The palate is truly unreal with so much depth. Delicious cherry fruit with florals, tar, herbs and earth -- every layer is very precise. Stunning as it keeps unveiling more and more depth and length. Decanted for 4.5 hours and returned to a corked bottle for another 7-8 hours.

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• 1996 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sperss 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Full, primary nose has powerful black cherry, herb and a little toast. The palate is rich and concentrated with loads of spice. Good, sharp countering acids. Well proportioned for a big, brutish wine. Very primary at 20 years of age. Decanted for ~2 hours.

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• 1998 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sperss 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Wow, impressive unending, deep nose has loads of black cherry, florals and loads of exotic spices. Palate is rich and dense with primary black cherry fruit. Good countering acids and grainy tannin. Still young and brutish, with the best yet to come, but quite delicious none-the-less. This saw a 1-2 hour decant.

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• 1998 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Costa Russi 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Similar in aging curve to the '98 Spress tasted side-by-side --- both showing very young. The nose here is bright with red cherry, herbs, spice and smoke notes. Palate is loaded with dense black cherry and some depth of flavor. Delicious today, but needs a lot of time. This saw 2.5 hours of air.

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• 1998 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sorì Tildìn 96 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Of the three '98s in this flight the Sori Tildin showed the most depth, evolution and complexity. The nose is gorgeously layered with red cherries, spice and tar. The palate shows exceptional depth and persistent. Layers of of complex delicious, tarry fruit. The tannins are suave and melded to the fruit. I enjoyed this more than any of the other Gajas tonight, despite being one of the younger wines, it's evolution allowed for the wine's depth and complexity to shine.

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• 2003 Château Rieussec 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Tasted side-by-side with the 2001. The nose here is ripe and rich with loads of sweet apricot and honey. The palate is thick and unctuous with enough acidity to keep it moving across the palate. A fun, rendition of this wine in that ripe, rich 2003 style

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• 2001 Château Rieussec 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Tasted side-by-side with the '03. This had another level of textural complexity with lovely bright, juicy acids that provided lift and energy to the rich, honeyed apricot fruit. Persistent.

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