Gaja Truffle Dinner at Wine Watch

"A man will be eloquent if you give him good wine." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

There is nothing more decadent than drinking wines like those made by Angelo Gaja, other than drinking the wines from Angelo Gaja while eating a meal that is prepared by a chef like Michael Saperstein that focuses on food made with the essence of white truffles. This dinner will feature single vineyard wines from all three Barbaresco vineyards and his three Barolos vineyards. This dinner/tasting is limited to 16 people and the fee for this event is $525, for reservations call 954-523-9463

Tasting Line-up

1964 Gaja Barbaresco 

Dinner at a local restaurant provided an opportunity to try this beautiful wine from a perfectly stored bottle. The color is very light, pale red. This 1964 shows a very pretty and delicate nose of crushed flowers, anise, and spices, followed by gorgeous sensations of sweet, perfumed, ethereal fruit that blossom on the palate, finishing with much overall harmony and balance. 95 points/drink now-, tasted 05/05

1978 Gaja Sori Tildin Barbaresco

Sori Tildin, Gaja's second cru Barbaresco, was named after Angelo's grandmother, Clotilde Rey. Known to the family as Tildin, she was an incisive woman who ran the Gaja cellar on the fundamental principles of quality and diligence. The fruit for Sori Tildin, which debuted with the 1970 vintage, is harvested from Roncagliette, the vineyard site owned by the Gaja family since 1967 in the commune of Barbaresco.  The 1978 vintage is a classic 5 star vintage according to the Gambero Rosso.

1982 Gaja Costa Russi Barbaresco MAGNUM

The Costa Russi cru is the most accessible of the three Barbaresco cru bottlings; words used to describe it generally include dense, elegant and sometimes even overt.  The 1982 vintage is a classic 5 star vintage according to the Gambero Rosso.

1985 Gaja Barbaresco 3 Liter

Most impressive. Hard to tell it apart from the single-vineyard crus because it's so massive while also offering an incredibly dense texture. Shows mineral, stone like, spicy and black currant character, while some new oak plays subtly in the background. Firm tannins on the finish. Best from 2005 through 2015. 2,000 cases made. -PM (94 Points) Wine Spectator Issue: Oct 31, 1998

1989 Gaja Barbaresco DOCG

Gaja's 1989 Barbaresco offers sweet, rich, tobacco, black-cherry, spicy fruit touched gently by new oak. It is made in a full-bodied, powerful style, with admirable depth. Approachable now, this wine should only improve over the next 10-12 years; it will last for two decades.

Admirers of great wine will no doubt be debating the merits of Gaja's 1989s and 1990s for the next two or three decades. Both are spectacular vintages. When I tasted them side by side in March, the 1990s possessed a slight edge in terms of concentration and power. That does not mean they will ultimately turn out better, but they are fabulously impressive wines of unprecedented complexity, stature, and richness. For all his success, the admirable Angelo Gaja remains fanatically committed to excellence, and because of that he is Piedmont's reference point, as well as an inspiration to many of the young growers just beginning to estate bottle their wines. (91 Points)  Wine Advocate # 92, Apr 1994

1989 Gaja Costa Russi Barbaresco

Gaja's three single vineyard Barbarescos include the 1989 Costa Russi, the most monolithic and "new world-like" wine of the trio. The deep ruby/purple color is followed by scents of new oak. There is less of a Nebbiolo character than I would like to see. One has to admire the wine's terrific concentration and overall sense of balance, but I found it interesting that in several tastings, lovers of Nebbiolo (including me) thought it to be the least impressive of these Barbarescos. Those who tend to like a more international style preferred it. Nevertheless, it is a superb wine for drinking between 1997-2009. (90 Points)  Wine Advocate # 92, Apr 1994

1999 Gaja Sori Tildin
List $365          Sale $310

The 1999 Sori Tildin is a knockout wine. It offers a classic, expressive nose of flowers and spices and somewhat austere profile of sweet red fruit, minerals and menthol on a mid-weight frame. It is the hardest of these wines to read today, but I found myself coming back to it often and discovering new nuances with each taste. It is clearly a wine of much potential and should start to drink well in another few years and last until age 25-30. It will be a fascinating wine to follow. Drink after 2011, 03/06 (95 Points) Italy Report # G7 May 2006

1990 Gaja Darmagi Cabernet Sauvignon

Darmagi, planted in 1978, was Piedmont's first Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in more than a century. "Darmagi," is Piedmontese for "what a pity," a comment Angelo Gaja's father, Giovanni, once uttered when he passed the vineyard as it was planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1978.

Menu

Rabbit Confit Terrine with Huckleberry Jam, & Truffled Mushroom Salad

24 hour Braised Pork Belly with Sottecerne Polenta, Roasted Figs and Sauce Piergordine

White Truffle Risotto with Regiano Parmesan, & Freshly Shaved White Truffle

Truffled Robbiola Fonduta with Black Cherry Pain Perdu, and Caramelized Hazelnuts