1996 Gaja Barbaresco DOCG

"Gaja's 1996 Barbaresco is superb. Smoke, leather, tobacco, menthol and black cherries give the wine its distinctive dark, brooding personality. Bottle age has softened the burly tannins the 1996 had in its youth. With time in the glass, the 1996 starts to brighten a bit, but it remains tannic, austere and intense, which is to say very much in the style of the year. All things considered, the 1996 has aged impeccably. Powerful and also highly expressive, the Barbaresco is a terrific example of the year. (AG)" - 94/100 Vinous