Gaja - Barolo Sperss 2018 (750ml)
The wine opens up with dominant citrus notes followed by hints of cedar and spices. Complex aromas of juniper, cherry, and ripe plum rise from the glass. Marzipan, sweet spices, turmeric, and licorice from the wood add another layer of flavor. However, it’s a light use of wood that’s balanced with delicate sweetness, fresh spice notes, and tannins; present but not intrusive in the mouth. The wine finishes clean, sharp, yet austere.
Wine Advocate: 97 Points
With fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, the Gaja 2018 Barolo Sperss is impossible to confuse with any other Barolo. The bouquet has a firm, etched quality with dark fruit, pencil shavings, iron and red brick. But there is also a fragrant interlude of wild cherry, forest fruit and orange peel. The Barolo Conteisa shows more overall ripeness and silkiness in this vintage, but the Sperss is all about muscle, power and structure. It promises a longer aging potential and bottle evolution.
Vinous: 97 Points
The 2018 Barolo Sperss is a gorgeous, gorgeous wine. The aromatics alone are beguiling. Then again, that's one of the things that makes Barolo such a totally seductive wine. Sweet black cherry, lavender, spice, and leather give this unusually translucent Barolo striking layers of dimension. Potent Serralunga tannins are present, but they are beautifully woven into the wine's fabric. Sadly, production is around 11,000 bottles, down sharply from the 18,000 or so that is more typical.
James Suckling: 95 Points
Lots of rose-petal aromas here, together with some stems and sandalwood, as well plums and berries. Medium-bodied with a tight palate and very fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Linear and focused. Hints of nutmeg and pie crust highlight the palate. Approachable. now, but needs at last three or four years to open.
Wine Spectator: 94 Points
Juicy and fleshy, evoking cherry, raspberry, floral and licorice flavors. Harmonious and open-knit, this is approachable now, yet should improve over the next five years. The firm, lingering finish picks up a mineral element.
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