2016 Gaja Costa Russi Barbaresco 750 ml

In 1961, after earning a degree in enology, a young Angelo Gaja began working in his family’s winery, picking up where his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather left off. But the intrepid Gaja was not content to simply follow in their footsteps. He would revolutionize winemaking in Barbaresco, introducing French concepts including the use of barrique, hybrid bottle formats, longer corks, and even clonal selection in the vineyard. These techniques catapulted the region to Burgundian heights, and when it was all said and done, Gaja had emerged as “the undisputed king of Barbaresco.”

Costa Russi is a south-facing slope near the town of Barabareso named for the Russian landowner that used to live on the property. The wine is often the most subtle and aromatic of the Gaja single-vineyard wines. The 2016 is beautifully textured and complex with layers of florals and truffle built on a core of fresh cranberries. Lovely long finish with juicy acidity and massively smooth tannins.