1988 Gaja Barbaresco Sori Tildin

Medium/dark ruby. Very pretty on the nose, showing aromas of alcohol and macerated cherries with non-varietal notes of bell pepper and earthiness that clearly set this wine apart from the others in the flight. On the palate this shows great length, with plenty of dark cherry fruit and excellent freshness on the finish. Some tasters liked this less, but I find it hard to argue with this wine's objective level of quality, though I too would like to have seen more typicity. Well-stored bottles should last another decade or more.

My favorite of Gaja's 1988 Barbarescos is the 1988 Barbaresco-Sori Tilden. This compelling wine exhibits sweet scents of tobacco, black fruits, coffee, and herbs. There is more body, richness, and weight than in the other Barbarescos, as well as a rich, long, tannic finish. Its size and tannic ferocity suggest that 7-8 years of cellaring is warranted. The wine will last for up to three decades. All of Gaja's 1988 Barbarescos are backward, reserved wines. Even after sitting four days with the corks pulled they exhibited no signs of oxidation. While they should be uncommonly long-lived, I did not see quite the flesh and richness possessed by such vintages as 1985 and 1982. Importer: Vinifera Imports, Ronkonkoma, NY.

Very pretty on the nose, showing aromas of alcohol and macerated cherries with non-varietal notes of bell pepper and earthiness that clearly set this wine apart from the others in the flight. On the palate this shows great length, with plenty of dark cherry fruit and excellent freshness on the finish. Some tasters liked this less, but I find it hard to argue with this wine’s objective level of quality, though I too would like to have seen more typicity. Well-stored bottles should last another decade or more. Antonio Galloni, In the Cellar # GX.