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Costa Russi, Gaja 1997

RegionItaly
Subregion Italy > Piedmont > Barbaresco
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyNebbiolo

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Label

Tasting Notes

I love the mineral, berry and raspberry aromas, with a light mint undertone. Full-bodied, round and unctuous, with fine tannins and a long, ripe fruit aftertaste. Firm and tight. Forget this in the cellar for a long time. As great as the 1996. Best after 2007. 800 cases made.

James Suckling, Wine Spectator (30 Nov 01), November 2001

The opaque ruby/purple-colored 1997 Costa Russi (10,000 bottles produced) displays a striking bouquet of blackberry and cherry fruit intermixed with espresso and wood scents. Typically the most internationally-styled Gaja offering, the 1997 comes across as a Nebbiolo on steroids. Full-bodied, gorgeously pure and symmetrical, it should be at its best between 2002-2025. A genius for sure, Angelo Gaja can not be faulted for what he puts in the bottle. This work of art is worth every cent it will fetch.

96
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (135), June 2001
97
James Suckling, Wine Spectator (Nov 2001), November 2001

At this stage, the 1997s look to be the finest wines Gaja has ever made. My enthusiasm is obviously due in part to the stylistic preference I have for more opulently textured wines with lower acidity and thus a broader window of drinkability. True to form, the 1997 Barbaresco Costa Russi is a fruit-driven offering, with elements of sur-maturite. This low acid, fat, decadently rich, succulent example is extremely ripe with notes of black raspberries, blackberries, and spice. It will be drinkable upon release and will last for two decades.

94/96
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (124), August 1999
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.