Costa Russi 2009 Gaja

Tasting Notes

In addition to aromas of macerated red cherries and dried roses, there are hints of tar and leather characteristic of aged Nebbiolo. Against this backdrop, rich truffle notes typical of the Langhe region emerge. On the palate, the tannins soften, taking on a silky texture, while the ripeness characteristic of a warm vintage lends fullness to the mid-palate. The acidity is more restrained than in a typical Barbaresco profile. The finish features notes of sweet spices and a light hint of licorice. The wine is ready to drink now.

Grape Varieties

“Costa Russi” is made from 100% Nebbiolo, and starting with the 2013 vintage, Gaja has focused entirely on the purity of this single-vineyard wine (in earlier vintages, a small amount of Barbera was added to the blend). The Nebbiolo from this vineyard brings floral freshness, cherry fruit flavors, and a firm tannic structure to the wine. In warm years, such as 2009, the grapes’ natural acidity supports the wine’s overall balance.

Cellaring Potential

The wine will be ready to drink until 2030. The tannins are already well integrated, and given the characteristics of the warm harvest, this wine should not be aged for another 10 years. It should be stored at a temperature of 12–14 °C. Over the next few years, the truffle and leather nuances are expected to become more pronounced, while the fruity notes will gradually give way to other aromas.

The Producer

It wasn’t Gaja who created Barbaresco, but it was Angelo Gaja who made the wine world take this wine seriously. Having joined the estate in 1961 and taken the helm by 1970, he was the first in Piedmont to begin bottling wine from individual plots, using French barriques (small oak barrels with a capacity of 225 liters), and employing temperature-controlled fermentation. The “Costa Russi” wine was first released in 1978, and its name comes from the name of the vineyard where it is produced. We always keep Gaja’s wines in stock, as he has contributed a lot to shaping the image of modern Barbaresco.

Terroir & Climate

Barbaresco is located northeast of Alba, and its soils have a higher sand content compared to the dense clay-marl soils of Barolo. Thanks to this sandy composition, Barbaresco wines have a light flavor, soft tannins, and reach their peak of maturity more quickly. “Costa Russi” is located on the southern slope. It is warm here during the day, but cool at night due to the influence of the nearby Tanaro River; in the fall, the ripening period lasts until mid-October. For the Nebbiolo variety, all these days are absolutely essential. Without them, the grapes’ tannins will not ripen.

Winemaking

A distinctive feature of “Costa Russi” is its approach, which relies on using grapes from a single vineyard. Gaja was the first in Barbaresco to refrain from blending harvests from his vineyards, instead bottling the wine separately for each plot, and this is precisely why this wine embodies not so much the “winery’s style” as the taste of “the land itself.” After fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the Nebbiolo is aged in barriques for about 12 months, followed by another year in larger Slovenian-made oak barrels (typically holding several thousand liters). The small barrels form the wine’s structure, while the large ones soften the oak aroma. Woody notes are detectable in the wine’s flavor profile, but they never dominate the core of the wine.

Food Pairing

The high tannin and acidity levels in Nebbiolo must be balanced by richness and umami. This is precisely the role played by traditional Piedmontese dishes:

• “Tajalin” pasta with white truffles from Alba: a classic pairing
• Brasato al Barolo (beef braised in red wine): the fat in the meat softens the tannins
• Aged Castelmagno cheese: its saltiness and nutty flavor highlight the wine’s fruity notes
• Roasted partridge with white mushrooms

Serve at 18–20 °C. The young 2021 vintage should be decanted for at least two hours to allow it to breathe.