2016 Costa Russi
By Gaja
Expert Review: 2016 Costa Russi from Gaja, Piedmont, Italy
The famed producer Gaja introduces us to an unforgettably powerful yet elegantly composed rendition with its 2016 Costa Russi. Crafted in the heart of Piedmont, this single-vineyard Nebbiolo is one of the gleaming examples of resilience and redemption depicted in the excellent vintage.
Distinguishing the Distinct
This stunning representation of Nebbiolo from Gaja stands out vividly when contrasted with other vintages, both in structure and harmony. The 2016 year brought a perfect combination of favourable climatic conditions, giving birth to wines with incredible finesse and aromatic complexity. Costa Russi skilfully showcases this balance.
The aromatic profile is filled with enthralling fragrances of ripe cherries and raspberries with delicate undernotes of rose petals, tobacco, and fine leather. As it swirls on the palate, its profound flavours echo the nose, underpinned by a spine of vibrant acidity that is beautifully complimented by velvety tannins. It reveals a depth that unfurls with each sip, delivering layer upon layer in graceful harmony.
Fine Wines for Finer Investments
Ever the captivating wine for investors, 2016 Costa Russi from Gaja presents not just an investment in liquid gold, but it carries the legacy of a renowned producer nestled within its bottle. Its potential for longevity is astounding - given proper cellaring this wine could reap handsome dividends in terms of both taste satisfaction and investment payoff.
With a reputation built on consistent quality and unique expression, it comes as little surprise that Gaja's Costa Russi holds pride of place among fine wine collectors. The 2016 vintage, in particular, proves to be a valuable asset for those seeking to bolster their fine wine portfolios with pedigree blue chips. The poise, power and unprecedented depth it presents make it a not-to-be-missed investment gem flowing with Italian vinous grandeur.
This captivating Nebbiolo holds its statement of being one of the benchmark Italian fine wines, proving why Piedmont is an investor's paradise for high-quality Italian vino. 2016 Costa Russi from Gaja - A paragon of elegance, poised to bring bountiful returns for the discerning palate and the astute portfolio.
Market price (GBP)
£3,400.00
12x75cl
Highest score
96
POP score
212.5
Scores and tasting notes
The 2016 Barbaresco Costa Russi is a very botanical wine in terms of its aromas, with lovely perfumes of rose, elderflower, sambuco and anise seed, along with a touch of glycerine. It then follows up with some sweetness that feels very embracing in this wine. This is the more ephemeral, delicate and floral member of the extended Barbaresco family from Gaja, with a crunchy tannic bite, but nothing too severe. There is a really good vitality and energy to this very expressive wine. Costa Russi remains the smallest of Gaja's single-vineyard wines, and Gaia Gaja warns that there will be considerably less of it starting with the 2017 vintage. Production for this wine had always varied greatly to begin with, due in part to the fragile nature of the 80-year-old vines, but about half of those were removed and replanted. It will be a while before the new vines are old enough to go online. So, with some 10,000 bottles made in 2016 and 6,000 bottles in 2015, we can count on those numbers to be split by half over the next three to four years, for sure.
Monica Larner - The Wine Advocate, 8 August 2019