The vineyard designate 1990 Barbaresco Costa Russi offers a fascinating glimpse back in time. Angelo Gaja would famously declassify this wine to Langhe Nebbiolo, starting with the 1996 vintage, and he added a small percentage of Barbera to highlight its overall acidic component. It ages in barrique for one year followed by oak casks for a second year. The 1990 Barbaresco Costa Russi is special, thanks to a high degree of elegance and finesse that is expressed in the wine’s fine tannic structure. Its composition is as soft and caressing as the ancient silk threads that make up precious Chinese textiles. Its appearance is beautifully luminous and profound with brilliant ruby and garnet highlights. Again, there’s a sense of tension and crispness that adds a jolt of vitality to the long finish. This is a true masterpiece, and if you have a bottle, you could double decant as much as 12 to 24 hours prior to drinking it. Drink: 2014-2030.

Big and brilliant. Black-ruby color. The wine shows blueberry, floral, mint and spice aromas that follow through to the palate, with racy, silky tannins and a long, long finish. Enjoyable now, but better with age.--Piedmont retrospective. Best after 2005. 830 cases made.??–JS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barbaresco Select to Add