Barolo

wines

Gaja's 2000 Sperss is wonderfully open and radiant. Layers of dark fruit, grilled herbs, cassis and smoke saturate the palate in this powerful, stunningly beautiful Sperss. Gorgeous inner perfume and a long, intense finish round things out in style.Vinous Media | 96 VMIncredible amount of fruit and character in this wine, with mint, mineral, blackberry and plum aromas turning to tobacco and tar. Full-bodied, with an iron-cast core of fruit and velvety tannins and a long, long finish. Incredibly tight and powerful. Give this a decade. From Gaja's 30-acre vineyard in the Barolo-producing zone of Serralunga. Best after 2013. 2,800 cases made, 580 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSGaja’s 2000 Sperss is wonderfully open and radiant. Layers of dark fruit, grilled herbs, cassis and smoke saturate the palate in this powerful, stunningly beautiful Sperss. Gorgeous inner perfume and a long, intense finish round things out in style. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.Angelo Gaja’s 2000s are a bit of a mystery. The wines were absolutely beautiful upon release and equally impressive when I tasted them a few years later for the 7th edition of Parker’s Wine Buyers Guide. The 2000s were far less convincing when I tasted them in November 2010. All of the wines were initially very reticent and closed. After an hour or two in the glass they opened for about 30 minutes before closing back down again. Gaja thinks the wines are passing through a stage of inaccessibility. If anyone deserves the benefit of the doubt it is Gaja. I can’t remember the last older wine from this cellar that was a disappointment or that hadn’t aged well, and I have been privileged to taste the vast majority of wines that have been made here under Angelo Gaja’s tenure. Time will ultimately tell where these wines are headed, but this was not an especially flattering showing for Gaja’s 2000s. That said, most producers would be thrilled to have wines like these in their cellars. In some ways, Gaja is a victim of his own success. He sets such a high bar with his finest vintages; it is only natural to expect greatness all the time. The 2000s fall a bit short of that mark but are quite strong in the context of the year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

The 2019 Barolo Sperss is rich with dark mineral earth, black cherry, and Earl Grey tea. Long and mouthwatering, it has a powerful structure while retaining finesse. It is fantastically balanced, with gripping tannins, fresh acidity, and notes of forested earth and ripe red berries. A wine for the long haul, this is another great and noble wine to drink over the coming three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2019 Sperss is drop-dead gorgeous. Expressing the captivating combination of firm structure and understated finesse that defines the best Barolos from Serralunga, it opens with aromas of underbrush, forest berry, sun-warmed hay and botanical herb. Linear and focused, the vibrant, savory palate delivers red cherry, blood orange and licorice punctuated with saline mineral notes. It has incredible energy and will age beautifully. Drink 2029–2049. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 99 KOVery well integrated tannins that spread across the palate and give tension and form to the wine. Medium to full body. Chewy and juicy. Needs time to soften. Better after 2028.James Suckling | 96 JS