Gaja's 1993 Barbarescos (he declassified all his crus in 1991 and 1992) are good, but anyone expecting a level of quality matching what he obtained in 1988, 1989, and 1990 will be disappointed. The wines are more compact and downsized compared to the three aforementioned vintages. The 1993 Barbaresco Costa Russi is perplexing and difficult to evaluate. The wine possesses a nice inner-core of sweet cherry fruit, but its tannin is so high that it finishes with mouthsearing astringency as well as some bitterness. There is good purity of fruit and medium body, but the wine is tightly knit and may need more time in the bottle. It is a gamble as to whether the fruit will dry out before the tannin subsides. Importer: Vinifera Imports, Ronkonkoma, NY; tel. (516) 467-5907