1995 Costa Russi

1995 tends to be a good rather than great vintage in Piedmont, but Gaja's sensational 1995s are among the stars of the vintage. This wine possesses extremely saturated dark ruby/purple colors, almost atypical for Nebbiolo. The 1995 Barbaresco Costa Russi is a full-bodied, fruit-driven, and powerful wine, it possesses copious quantities of black raspberry and cherry fruit, as well as toasty new oak. There is even an element of sur-maturite in this large-scaled, expansively flavored effort. I would not be surprised to see it age for 20-25 years. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2020+. Importer: Vinifera Imports, Ronkonkoma, NY; tel. (516) 467-5907 Aug 1999, www.robertparker.com

Expressive aromas of black raspberry, mocha, espresso, game and smoke. Lusher and sweeter than the normale, with more depth of fruit. The tannins are substantial but hit the palate later. Still, this has a serious structure for aging. I underrated this wine somewhat two years ago.