2001 Gaja Langhe Conteisa

The 2001 Conteisa has aged beautifully. The fruit remains fresh, vibrant and beautifully delineated from start to finish. Ripe red berries, flowers, mint and licorice are all woven together in this deeply expressive, sumptuous Conteisa. The 2001 boasts fabulous density to match the layered, polished finish. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023. Angelo Gaja isn’t the talkative type too often these days. Most of the time I am greeted, left alone in a room to taste, and then greeted again before I leave. On this day, though, Gaja started talking about vintages, and in particular the misconception that wines from hot years don’t age. Gaja cited 1961, a warm year in Piedmont, and one of the most legendary at the time. The wines aged just fine, added Gaja. What struck me most, though, was how clear Gaja’s recollection was of events that transpired fifty years ago. I know only one other person in Piedmont who has a similarly sharp memory that goes that far back. What does that have to do with these 2001s? Not much, except that it seemed like an interesting anecdote to share. Importer: Terlato Wines International, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604 8900

The medium-bodied 2001 Conteisa is the more accessible of Gaja's wines from the Barolo zone. It shows plenty of La Morra's famed elegance and finesse, with a delicate nose of flowers and spices followed by rich flavors of sweet red fruit, dried flowers, roasted coffee beans, new oak and a long, caressing finish.

Good deep red-ruby. Rather reticent aromas of plum, violet pastille and minerals, with hints of superripe fruits. Sweet on entry, then less fat and full than the Sperss; sharply delineated but dominated today by its spine. Finishes very bright and vibrant, though. I'd normally expect a Serralunga wine like Sperss to be more backward than this one from La Morra, but today it's the Sperss that's more expressive.