Sorì Tildìn, Costa Russi, Costa Russi MAGS
Single-Cellar Owner, in OWC
To me, the 78, 82 and 85 Gajas represent the golden era for this legendary winery, and I consider the 82s to be amongst my favorite Piemonte wines of all time.
There are few Italian wines that I've found to achieve such unrivaled intensity, such dazzling richness yet simultaneous refinement.
These are also proving to be capable of extraordinary aging when cellared in ideal conditions (see two paragraphs down). The 82s are showing stunningly well right now, just approaching their apogee - incredibly fresh, dense and deep, beautifully integrated with red and purple fruit melding into autumn earth, smoke, tar and dried violets and roses - yet they also show no signs of slowing down any time soon.
I'd conservatively estimate that the 750 mls on offer today have another 10 years (plus), no problem, before they start a long, graceful descent, and the magnums of Costa Russi are downright immortal.
Every bottle today comes from a single cellar, where they were stored perfectly in their original wooden cases. Pictures are available on request.
With older wines like this - provenance is critical. Beware the random straggler, haunting retail shelves with an unknown history.
The Sorì Tildìn and the Costa Russi bottlings represent two of the famous trio of single-plot Barbarescos from the Roncagliette vineyard (the third was Sorì San Lorenzo), which were pioneered by Gaja in the 1960s and 70s.
Sorì Tildìn is named after Angelo Gaja's grandmother, who helped secure some of the Gaja estate's best parcels. She is said to have been a great inspiration to Angelo and his drive towards innovation. The wine itself is considered the roundest, richest and most sumptuously textured of the single-site Barbarescos. Antonio Galloni, having recently tasted the 82 Sorì Tildìn, called it "a memorable wine in every way," commenting especially on its "superb concentration as well as balance."
Costa Russi was the last single-site Barbaresco unveiled from the Gaja portfolio, and it has come to be renowned for its soaring aromatics, its gentle elegance and silkier tannins that belie substantial structure and what Antonio Galloni calls "the glacial aging that is the hallmark of the house style."
As you'd imagine, this stock is quite limited. Please give us your maximum order, and we'll allocate as necessary. To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Robert Schagrin
Managing Partner
Crush Wine & Spirits
1982 Gaja Barbaresco
Sorì Tildìn Special Email Bottle Price: $394.95
Compare at up to $500
Costa Russi Special Email Bottle Price: $379.95
Compare at up to $400
Costa Russi Special Email Magnum (1.5L) Price: $849.95
Compare at $1,000
Wine is pre-arrival
NET | No further discount