1961 Gaja Barbaresco

This is normally one of the most disappointing old Italian wines out there. Old bottles of Gaja are almost always stored poorly unless they come from the cellars of the Gaja family or a special cellar. That's why I was blown away when I drank this amazing bottle of the 1961 Barbaresco last week for my birthday. It was truly magical. On the nose and palate I picked up rose petals, strawberries and dried fruits plus lemon peel undertones. It was medium body with super silky tannins and a creamy texture. It reminded me of a perfect Burgundy but with that soulful character of Piedmont. It grew on the palate with a powerful and tannic undertone, but ended refined and mellow. Over and over again it changed in my glass and ended with a honey, plum, cream, and Christmas pudding character. 100 points.