WTN: 1998 Gaja Barbaresco; 1982 Cos d'Estournel.

David's birthday dinner at Marcello's, an upscale Italian restaurant in Ridgewood, late April, 2007.

1998 Gaja Barbaresco Piedmont Italy. Gaja is one of David's favorite wine makers -- we've enjoyed a number of Gaja's wines, not only here in the States, but also in Italy. It looked beautiful -- deep red color, deep hue, even a pretty nice aroma of good fruit and spice and a bit of earth. But, oh my gosh, there was almost no fruit, and although the wine was drinkable, it wasn't very pleasurable. Bottom line: harsh and acidic. Call in the reserves. 2*.

1982 Cos d'Estournel Bordeaux France. What a wonderful contrast! Deep purple red color, slight bricking, deep hue, perfect aroma of fruit, cassis and minerals, hints of spice, lovely fruit and spice tastes, mineral and earthen notes, great balance with well evolved tannins and a hint of acidity, long long finish, rich with notes of fruit, spice, earth, chocolate and more. A perfect wine, not only for tonight, but I would guess for a number of years to come. Delicious. 5*.

Regards, Bob

[Jenise]

Bob, did you give the Gaja up for dead or did you drag it back home for another day? Nice aroma, no taste--sounds asleep to me.

I did, Jenise.

Two days, three days, it slept on and on.

We've had this wine so often that I no longer give it up for dead. But even asleep, there's a bit of life -- something like REM eye movement I sometimes think.

Just an off bottle, I think, perhaps ever so slightly corked, well below my perception level.

We bought a case from the same store, and the three previous bottles were brilliant. I'm looking forward to trying the others.