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95 Wine Spectator
Dark ruby red. Lots of blackberry and cherry aromas. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a superfresh palate. It is still mouthpuckering, with layers of ripe and powerful tannins. This needs time.--1997 Italian blind retrospective. Best after 2010. 5,000 cases made. ?JS
94 Robert Parker
Gaja's 1997 Barbaresco is undoubtedly the finest he has yet made. An exquisite effort, it boasts a dense ruby/purple color in addition to an extraordinary nose of black cherry liqueur, smoke, licorice, mineral, and floral aromas. The wine is full-bodied, opulent, and loaded with fruit. Despite its precocious nature, there is abundant tannin, and thus 3-4 years of cellaring is required. It should age effortlessly for 25 years.
Producer
Gaja
Barbaresco would not be the same without Gaja’s iconic reputation. This venerable domaine not only drew worldwide attention to the region, but they have also shown the quality that is attainable not just with Nebbiolo, but with “outside” varieties as well. Their story started over 150 years ago, when Giovanni Gaja founded the winery in 1859 to complement the food in his restaurant. Today, the company is managed by the fourth and fifth generations, Angelo Gaja and his children. Over the years, the Gaja name has grown to represent not only exceptional quality, but unique and intriguing flavors that are unlike any others from the region. The single-vineyards are a blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera, like all the wine produced before the introduction of the DOCG denomination. This denomination was established in 1966, and it is mandatory for the wines to be 100% Nebbiolo. For this reason, he declassified most of his single-vineyard wines and took the denomination of Langhe Nebbiolo DOC instead, in order to reach the specific style he desired. Gaja currently produces a total of twelve different Piemontese wines, as well as, seven Tuscan wines from Montalcino and Bolgheri.