Red Wines

wines

Woodland berry, blue flower, sunbaked soil and a whiff of dark spice shape the nose. Structured and extremely elegant, the focused, impeccable palate doles out juicy red cherry, strawberry, baking spice and star anise set against taut polished tannins that provide seamless support. It’s well balanced, with fresh acidity. It’s already tempting but hold for even more complexity. Drink 2022–2032. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEA combination of savory and fruit elements, this red reveals cherry, berry, eucalyptus, menthol, tar and mineral flavors. Firms up, with monolithic tannins locking this tight. Patience is required. Best from 2023 through 2042. 900 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 95 WSA rich and layered Barbaresco with cedar and plums, as well as light leather and rose aromas that follow to a full yet balanced palate and a chewy finish. Very polished. Drink in 2020, but already beautiful.James Suckling | 95 JSGaja’s 2015 Barbaresco is gorgeous. Deep, pliant and resonant, the 2015 exudes class from the very first taste. Today, the aromatics are not especially open or expressive, but it is the wine’s depth and overall sense of harmony that really carry the day. Hints of orange peel, spice and rosewater give the 2015 an exotic aromatic top register that is hugely appealing. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this gem. The 2015 is a wonderfully complete and harmonious wine, but it really does need a few years in the cellar to fully unwind.Vinous Media | 94 VMThe 2015 Barbaresco was to be bottled a week after I tasted this sample for review. Gaia Gaja was waiting for the right moon before commencing bottling. This vintage is not unlike the 2005 growing season that saw a good amount of rain in spring and scorching heat in the summer. The risk of downy mildew made vintners extra vigilant. Although the 2015 vintage was not ideal for color fixing Nebbiolo (indeed, this wine is slightly less intense in terms of its color saturation), it did prove an important year for power, structure and dry extract. This is a full and generous expression with a fine, loose texture and rich fruit flavors.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPClassic Nebbiolo perfume of violet and raspberry, followed by red cranberry and cherry fruit. Sweet, slightly creamy oak; this is approachable and – although it lacks the depth of the single vineyard wines – it’s still impressively long with gorgeous charm. (Drink between 2018-2032)Decanter | 92 DEC

Extremely perfumed and pretty with dried berry, orange peel and fruit tea on the nose. Full-bodied, extremely tight and refined with superb tannin quality that shows polish, finesse and beauty. It goes on for minutes on the palate. One for the cellar. Best wine ever from here. Needs three or four years to come together.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Rennina is beautifully balanced and elegant. The wine is successfully streamlined and focused on the nuanced characteristics of the otherwise warm and sunny 2015 vintage. Rennina is often considered to be the more lithe and graceful of Gaja’s two Brunellos (the other being Sugarille that is also reviewed here). The bouquet opens to pretty berry nuances, blue flower, lavender, grilled herb and powdery licorice. Despite the more delicate approach, Rennina delivers ample power in the mouth with fresh acidity and tight tannins. I’d suggest opening this bottle at the 10-year mark. Production is 11,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Rennina is dark and powerful in the glass, slowly opening with a display of crushed stone, cedar, mint, and a dusting of cumin, as its dark red fruits begin to unfurl in a captivating display. On the palate, silky textures offset tart cherry and blackberry fruits, balanced by a core of rounded tannins and lifting acidity, as hints of licorice and sweet herbal tones develope. The finish is medium in length and poised, showing fine-grain tannins beneath a sheen of polished red and black fruits, with hints of lavender lingering on. The 2015 Rennina is a classy wine that’s just begging for a few years in the cellar to fully blossom.Vinous Media | 95 VMAromatic, evoking wild herb and balsamic notes of juniper, thyme and pine, along with flavors of black cherry, plum and iron. Firmly structured and fresh, offering a long, complex aftertaste. Unfolds pleasantly and maintains balance. Best from 2023 through 2043. 550 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSRennina hails from three of the Gaja estate’s original vineyards acquired in 1994. It is aromatically forward with black cherry fruit, sweet chewing tobacco, and sage. On the palate, it is generous and approachable upfront, with kirsch and vanilla, then follows through with amaro, a grippy structure, and a long finish. It is a detailed wine that will mature with grace, though it is pleasurable in its youth as well. Enjoy 2022-2035.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDShowing the heat of the vintage, this has subdued aromas suggesting mature black-skinned berry marinated in spirits along with whiffs of dried herb, scorched earth, coconut and balsamic whiffs of camphor. The full-bodied palate is rather shy on fruit richness, featuring dried black cherry, French oak, vanilla and licorice alongside the warmth of evident alcohol. Close-grained tannins leave a firm, mouthdrying finish. Give the tannins a few years to unwind then drink sooner rather than later to capture the remaining fruit.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE