1995 Gaja Barbaresco Costa Russi
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Tasting notes
1995 tends to be a good rather than great vintage in Piedmont, but Gaja's sensational 1995s are among the stars of the vintage. This wine possesses extremely saturated dark ruby/purple colors, almost atypical for Nebbiolo. The 1995 Barbaresco Costa Russi is a full-bodied, fruit-driven, and powerful wine, it possesses copious quantities of black raspberry and cherry fruit, as well as toasty new oak. There is even an element of sur-maturite in this large-scaled, expansively flavored effort. I would not be surprised to see it age for 20-25 years. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2020+. Importer: Vinifera Imports, Ronkonkoma, NY; tel. (516) 467-5907
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
1995 tends to be a good rather than great vintage in Piedmont, but Gaja's sensational 1995s are among the stars of the vintage. This wine possesses extremely saturated dark ruby/purple colors, almost atypical for Nebbiolo. The 1995 Barbaresco Costa Russi is a full-bodied, fruit-driven, and powerful wine, it possesses copious quantities of black raspberry and cherry fruit, as well as toasty new oak. There is even an element of sur-maturite in this large-scaled, expansively flavored effort. I would not be surprised to see it age for 20-25 years. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2020+. Importer: Vinifera Imports, Ronkonkoma, NY; tel. (516) 467-5907 Aug 1999, www.robertparker.com
Expressive aromas of black raspberry, mocha, espresso, game and smoke. Lusher and sweeter than the normale, with more depth of fruit. The tannins are substantial but hit the palate later. Still, this has a serious structure for aging. I underrated this wine somewhat two years ago.
About the producer
Gaja has been at the forefront of the Piedmont wine scene for many years and is Barbaresco’s most decorated producer. The winery has received a record number of Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri awards – the highest accolade from Italy’s leading wine publication.