Single blind 89 Gaja Horizontal. Wow, stop you in your tracks good and a stand out tonight. Full, rich nose has a myriad of aromas ranging from pure red and black cherry, plums, spice, florals, wood and smoke. Palate is so decadent and rich yet precise and long. Sure this has some polish, but it's otherwise classic in every way. WOTN.
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Barbaresco vs. Barolo (Chicago, IL): Served single blind. Absolutely brilliant. Mature, but still on an upwards trajectory. Effusive nose of nebbiolo florals and red fruit. Ample weight on the palate without the feeling of heaviness at all. There's a coolness to the fruit which alongside the acidity provide that necessary lift. None of the high-tonedness I'd expect from Sperss either -- this was clearly one of the single-vineyard Barbaresco bottlings.
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This was drinking great tonight. Beautiful aromatics, fruit was deep, rich and opulent. Could have benefited from more air than we gave it with a pop and pour, as the structure here is still a bit taught, but it was in a great place, lack of air notwithstanding.
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Goodbye Dinner for a Friend Moving to Willamette (Osteria Langhe - Chicago IL): Open just an hour+ before serving. Red and black cherry from start-to-finish with licorice, clove and slowly braised beef. Brilliant aromatics with spice galore, almost as good flavors, still slightly firm near the expanding finish. Very good now, possible further upside.
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White Truffles & Nebbiolo: 89 Sperss/Sori Tildin pair is quintessential Gaja. Big, rich, still-toasty unctuous red fruit. The Siri Tildin pulls off the style better than Sperss. Both delicious.
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Nebbiolos, white truffles, Volume V (Chicago, IL): Served next to the Sperss; I preferred this bottle as it seemed to show a little less oak char. A slight hint of volatility on the nose at first in the form of a Sharpie marker, but it dissipates fairly quickly. Opulent, plush black fruit here, with a pronounced sweetness. While this is an excellent wine, it's not what I picture when I hear Barbaresco -- it's not a modernist style of nebbiolo, but it's not exactly traditionalist either.
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Vinous London dinner, January 2020 (La Trompette): Not going to rate this one as the bottle seemed too advanced. A really deep but odd nose. Some enjoyment at first but then seemed to die after about 30 minutes, becoming flat and cheesy. Gutted!
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Double decanted a couple of hours prior. The nose is excellent and complex. Lots of dark fruits and spice. On the palate it is nicely structured but also a bit softer and rounder than I prefer. Still a very big and impressive wine that has many years to go.
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Dinner with Simon, Blair and Nick at Noble Rot: Thoroughly decanted seven hours before dinner. Nick reported that on opening it had been 'a firm block of red fruit' but, by the evening, it had uncoiled considerably. It threw virtually no sediment. Deep, impenetrable colour. An intoxicating bouquet of tar, dry earth, black and red cherries, roses and some secondary truffle and sottobosco elements. On palate, the sandy tannins were relatively resolved and although it retained nice freshness, the acidity was restrained and in good proportion with the fruit. The Sorì Tildìn had 'Gaja voluptuousness', as Simon noted. Savoury, umami, dark cherry fruit. Only a touch of secondary flavours. Multi-dimensional and powerful, yet still elegant. Still somewhat restrained and tight. It drank best with my lamb shoulder main course. A great young wine just beginning to hit its optimal drinking window, I thought. Drink or hold.
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Christie's BYOB Dinner (Formento's, Chicago, Illinois): This was the most modern and youthful red of the evening. Vanilla and black cherry on the nose. Big tannins but lightish acidity on the palate, with ample depth and potential. I'd like to revisit this in 15 years. Not scored. 13.5% abv
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Casual Wine Dinner with Christie's (Formento's - Chicago IL): Stunning aromas of spice aplenty, black cherry, floral notes. Same black cherry flavors, nicely fresh and robust, just a bit firm. 96 point nose, 92 point flavors. No hurry to drink up.
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Decanted at 1pm and drank at 7pm. Singing. Slightly light red but no real bricking on the edges. So smooth and such power. An amazing wine that isnt showing any signs of a slow down. Drink or hold. 95-97
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Brownish color. The nose shows slightly madeirized aromas of brown spices, leather, earth, violets, and dried cherry. This is medium bodied on the palate with good concentration and good finesse. The medium plus length finish features slightly coarse tannins. A bit tired.
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The ’89 Sori Tildin was gorgeous on this night and another testament to Gaja’s abilities to balance new wood with Nebbiolo. The nose showed deep red fruit, tobacco, espresso bean, a hint of fresh dill and animal musk in a sweet and savory mix of aromas. On the palate, I found silky textures contrasted by brisk acidity and a mix of tart berry, dark spices and cedar. It finished long, still showing youthful tannin with inner floral tones and spice. This is Gaja to be sure, and it is truly enjoyable.
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Extended Anniversary weekend. Dinner at Il Palio. Dark ruby in the glass, this wine was very aromatic and loaded with cassis, bing cherries & black peppercorns. Rich fruit on the palate with a great depth. Has certainly shed some tannins but remains well structured. Long finish. Excellent wine with great acidity. Still seems to be on an upward trajectory. 50+14+13+9+9 = 95
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This was drank alongside Sperss 1997. The vibrancy of the Sperss contrasts with the drying fruits of the Sori Tilden. Marvelous bouquet but disappoints on the palate.
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Bright red fruit, acidity, tannin, spice and structure. With air, the wine attempted to soften, but the levels of tannin and mouth drying acidity did not make this a fun wine to drink. This is another wine where I could sense a level of quality from the fruit and structure, but the lack of pleasure did not appeal to me. Others in the group liked it a lot more than I did.
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Chinese New Year Dinner ("The Dining Room", Aberdeen Marina Club, Hong Kong): Decanted (and mainly consumed by JP) the night before. Deep red completely transparent colour. Nose is .....absolutely gorgeous.... high toned nail varnish and strawberries, all very high toned, almost eye-wateringly so....then tar and rose petals and deeper oil of pot pourri rose petals.....ristretto espresso crema notes at the end. Captivating. Palate is light, ethereal, silky, elegantly balanced but feathery and just short of diaphanous.....but very, very good. Growing resonance that keeps on growing. A great end to a super evening of impressive wines and I might have scored it higher had it been a full bottle to savour.
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Complex nose of confit cherry, dried rose, coffee, hints of leather and incense Tertiary characters, will adding more complexity remain discrete. In the mouth, tannins are well rounded, but the wine remains powerful and aromas fresh and precise. It's a perfect balance of confit fuits (blackberry, cherry), dried rose, with hints of autumn forest and smoke .Finale is long and complex. REady to be drunk, but more aging potential.
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After about an hour of initial tightness, this opened up to reveal the full Nebbiolo arsenal. The nose was rich with dark fruits, tar, leather, dried roses and smoke. The palate was lush with well-delineated perfumed, purple fruit, and tannins that provided structure but practically melted away on the back of the palate. This got better and better for the three hours it was open and around.
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Dinner at David Burke's Primehouse (Chicago IL): Smoky, meaty aromas combine well with floral and leather aromatics. Black cherry flavors combine with emerging earthiness, well supported by lots of fine tannin and acidity. Decanted for an hour but that wasn't nearly enough time. I'd hold any more bottles until 2010 or probably 2015, but I don't have any more. This was the first bottle of wine for which I spent $100+, which I thought was absurdly expensive at the time, so alas just bought the one.
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Some recent Italians; 10/1/2005-2/5/2006: Drank at Chez Bruce with the Princess and the Angel. Initially reserved and unforgiving before blossoming to a huge stinking beast full of tar, leather, earth and dark roasted fruits. Just got better and better with air and by the last glass (typical!) it was hitting its stride ,with a kalaidescope of forest fruits and meaty terroir nuances building with every sip and smell. Grand Cru stuff. Drank with ravishing rabbit ragu, craclking assiette of park and cheese. Hmm Crackling.
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10/13/2023 - Nanda wrote: 96 Points
Single blind 89 Gaja Horizontal. Wow, stop you in your tracks good and a stand out tonight. Full, rich nose has a myriad of aromas ranging from pure red and black cherry, plums, spice, florals, wood and smoke. Palate is so decadent and rich yet precise and long. Sure this has some polish, but it's otherwise classic in every way. WOTN.
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10/13/2023 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
Barbaresco vs. Barolo (Chicago, IL): Served single blind. Absolutely brilliant. Mature, but still on an upwards trajectory. Effusive nose of nebbiolo florals and red fruit. Ample weight on the palate without the feeling of heaviness at all. There's a coolness to the fruit which alongside the acidity provide that necessary lift. None of the high-tonedness I'd expect from Sperss either -- this was clearly one of the single-vineyard Barbaresco bottlings.
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11/2/2022 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 96 Points
This was drinking great tonight. Beautiful aromatics, fruit was deep, rich and opulent. Could have benefited from more air than we gave it with a pop and pour, as the structure here is still a bit taught, but it was in a great place, lack of air notwithstanding.
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3/9/2022 - Herb K wrote:
Wine was sublime. And still so much pure fruit yet balanced.
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5/7/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Goodbye Dinner for a Friend Moving to Willamette (Osteria Langhe - Chicago IL): Open just an hour+ before serving. Red and black cherry from start-to-finish with licorice, clove and slowly braised beef. Brilliant aromatics with spice galore, almost as good flavors, still slightly firm near the expanding finish. Very good now, possible further upside.
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11/14/2020 - Nanda wrote:
White Truffles & Nebbiolo: 89 Sperss/Sori Tildin pair is quintessential Gaja. Big, rich, still-toasty unctuous red fruit. The Siri Tildin pulls off the style better than Sperss. Both delicious.
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11/14/2020 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Nebbiolos, white truffles, Volume V (Chicago, IL): Served next to the Sperss; I preferred this bottle as it seemed to show a little less oak char. A slight hint of volatility on the nose at first in the form of a Sharpie marker, but it dissipates fairly quickly. Opulent, plush black fruit here, with a pronounced sweetness. While this is an excellent wine, it's not what I picture when I hear Barbaresco -- it's not a modernist style of nebbiolo, but it's not exactly traditionalist either.
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1/20/2020 - NickA wrote: flawed
Vinous London dinner, January 2020 (La Trompette): Not going to rate this one as the bottle seemed too advanced. A really deep but odd nose. Some enjoyment at first but then seemed to die after about 30 minutes, becoming flat and cheesy. Gutted!
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4/1/2018 - FYC wrote:
Double decanted a couple of hours prior. The nose is excellent and complex. Lots of dark fruits and spice. On the palate it is nicely structured but also a bit softer and rounder than I prefer. Still a very big and impressive wine that has many years to go.
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11/16/2017 - HowardNZ Likes this wine:
Dinner with Simon, Blair and Nick at Noble Rot: Thoroughly decanted seven hours before dinner. Nick reported that on opening it had been 'a firm block of red fruit' but, by the evening, it had uncoiled considerably. It threw virtually no sediment. Deep, impenetrable colour. An intoxicating bouquet of tar, dry earth, black and red cherries, roses and some secondary truffle and sottobosco elements. On palate, the sandy tannins were relatively resolved and although it retained nice freshness, the acidity was restrained and in good proportion with the fruit. The Sorì Tildìn had 'Gaja voluptuousness', as Simon noted. Savoury, umami, dark cherry fruit. Only a touch of secondary flavours. Multi-dimensional and powerful, yet still elegant. Still somewhat restrained and tight. It drank best with my lamb shoulder main course. A great young wine just beginning to hit its optimal drinking window, I thought. Drink or hold.
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11/9/2017 - The Vines That Bind wrote: flawed
Gaja Sori Tilden White Truffle Dinner (Ai Fiori): Spectacularly Corked.
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5/9/2017 - petitblanc wrote:
Christie's BYOB Dinner (Formento's, Chicago, Illinois): This was the most modern and youthful red of the evening. Vanilla and black cherry on the nose. Big tannins but lightish acidity on the palate, with ample depth and potential. I'd like to revisit this in 15 years. Not scored. 13.5% abv
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5/9/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
Casual Wine Dinner with Christie's (Formento's - Chicago IL): Stunning aromas of spice aplenty, black cherry, floral notes. Same black cherry flavors, nicely fresh and robust, just a bit firm. 96 point nose, 92 point flavors. No hurry to drink up.
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8/13/2016 - Hebrew Hammer wrote: 98 Points
- Garnet color.
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7/9/2016 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted at 1pm and drank at 7pm. Singing. Slightly light red but no real bricking on the edges. So smooth and such power. An amazing wine that isnt showing any signs of a slow down. Drink or hold. 95-97
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10/29/2015 - aajder wrote: 90 Points
Brownish color. The nose shows slightly madeirized aromas of brown spices, leather, earth, violets, and dried cherry. This is medium bodied on the palate with good concentration and good finesse. The medium plus length finish features slightly coarse tannins. A bit tired.
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4/10/2015 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 94 Points
The ’89 Sori Tildin was gorgeous on this night and another testament to Gaja’s abilities to balance new wood with Nebbiolo. The nose showed deep red fruit, tobacco, espresso bean, a hint of fresh dill and animal musk in a sweet and savory mix of aromas. On the palate, I found silky textures contrasted by brisk acidity and a mix of tart berry, dark spices and cedar. It finished long, still showing youthful tannin with inner floral tones and spice. This is Gaja to be sure, and it is truly enjoyable.
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2/13/2015 - cortoncharlie wrote: 96 Points
absolutely delicious. drinking at prime
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8/19/2013 - JeffGMorris Likes this wine: 95 Points
Extended Anniversary weekend. Dinner at Il Palio. Dark ruby in the glass, this wine was very aromatic and loaded with cassis, bing cherries & black peppercorns. Rich fruit on the palate with a great depth. Has certainly shed some tannins but remains well structured. Long finish. Excellent wine with great acidity. Still seems to be on an upward trajectory. 50+14+13+9+9 = 95
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4/11/2012 - t-slow wrote: 88 Points
This was drank alongside Sperss 1997. The vibrancy of the Sperss contrasts with the drying fruits of the Sori Tilden. Marvelous bouquet but disappoints on the palate.
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11/29/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
Bright red fruit, acidity, tannin, spice and structure. With air, the wine attempted to soften, but the levels of tannin and mouth drying acidity did not make this a fun wine to drink. This is another wine where I could sense a level of quality from the fruit and structure, but the lack of pleasure did not appeal to me. Others in the group liked it a lot more than I did.
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2/4/2011 - Goldstone wrote: 93 Points
Chinese New Year Dinner ("The Dining Room", Aberdeen Marina Club, Hong Kong): Decanted (and mainly consumed by JP) the night before. Deep red completely transparent colour. Nose is .....absolutely gorgeous.... high toned nail varnish and strawberries, all very high toned, almost eye-wateringly so....then tar and rose petals and deeper oil of pot pourri rose petals.....ristretto espresso crema notes at the end. Captivating. Palate is light, ethereal, silky, elegantly balanced but feathery and just short of diaphanous.....but very, very good. Growing resonance that keeps on growing. A great end to a super evening of impressive wines and I might have scored it higher had it been a full bottle to savour.
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2/4/2011 - jpijg wrote: 97 Points
Complex nose of confit cherry, dried rose, coffee, hints of leather and incense Tertiary characters, will adding more complexity remain discrete. In the mouth, tannins are well rounded, but the wine remains powerful and aromas fresh and precise. It's a perfect balance of confit fuits (blackberry, cherry), dried rose, with hints of autumn forest and smoke .Finale is long and complex.
REady to be drunk, but more aging potential.
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2/4/2011 - cortoncharlie wrote: 95 Points
Real powerful and somewhat primary but drinking well already.
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6/4/2006 - burningstarIV wrote:
After about an hour of initial tightness, this opened up to reveal the full Nebbiolo arsenal. The nose was rich with dark fruits, tar, leather, dried roses and smoke. The palate was lush with well-delineated perfumed, purple fruit, and tannins that provided structure but practically melted away on the back of the palate. This got better and better for the three hours it was open and around.
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5/23/2006 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Dinner at David Burke's Primehouse (Chicago IL): Smoky, meaty aromas combine well with floral and leather aromatics. Black cherry flavors combine with emerging earthiness, well supported by lots of fine tannin and acidity. Decanted for an hour but that wasn't nearly enough time. I'd hold any more bottles until 2010 or probably 2015, but I don't have any more. This was the first bottle of wine for which I spent $100+, which I thought was absurdly expensive at the time, so alas just bought the one.
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1/21/2006 - The Wine Bum wrote:
Some recent Italians; 10/1/2005-2/5/2006: Drank at Chez Bruce with the Princess and the Angel. Initially reserved and unforgiving before blossoming to a huge stinking beast full of tar, leather, earth and dark roasted fruits. Just got better and better with air and by the last glass (typical!) it was hitting its stride ,with a kalaidescope of forest fruits and meaty terroir nuances building with every sip and smell. Grand Cru stuff. Drank with ravishing rabbit ragu, craclking assiette of park and cheese. Hmm Crackling.
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