Gaja's 1996 Barbaresco is superb. Smoke, leather, tobacco, menthol and black cherries give the wine its distinctive dark, brooding personality. Bottle age has softened the burly tannins the 1996 had in its youth. With time in the glass, the 1996 starts to brighten a bit, but it remains tannic, austere and intense, which is to say very much in the style of the year. All things considered, the 1996 has aged impeccably. Powerful and also highly expressive, the Barbaresco is a terrific example of the year.

Bright ruby-red. Vibrant, deep aromas of plum, violet and spice. Very intensely flavored and penetrating, with vibrant flavors of cassis, violet and sweet oak. The finish is youthfully austere, but there explosive finishing fruit.

Aromas of raspberry jam, with rose petal undertones. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. This is beautiful now. Just right.--1996 Piedmont retrospective. Drink now. 4,900 cases made.

– Wine Spectator (Web Only), 2007

The 1996 Barbaresco exhibits a dense ruby color as well as a forward nose of cherry liqueur, earth, truffle, mineral, and spicy scents. Rich, full-bodied, and seductive, with its moderate tannin largely concealed by the wine's wealth of fruit and extract, this gorgeously pure offering gets my nod as the finest Barbaresco produced by Gaja since 1990. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2016. As I reported in issue #124 (8-27-99), 1996 is a spectacular vintage for Angelo Gaja. There is a lot of speculation as to why he has dropped the name Barbaresco from the labels of his single-vineyard wines, but given his personality and overall commitment to quality, it can only be to improve the quality and give him some flexibility in difficult vintages to produce a wine that may or may not be 100% Nebbiolo. At least that's how I view it. Importer: Vinifera Imports, Ronkonkoma, NY; tel. (516) 467-5907