FWG Lunch with Gaia Gaja
@
Ai Fiori Restaurant
in the Langham Place Hotel, NYC, 10/19/2018
Gaia Gaja and her father Angelo Gaja were in town for the Wine Spectator's New York Wine Experience.
She had limited free time but was able to get together for lunch on Friday, October 19, 2018.
Her presence, a great group of friends, and an amazing set of wines turned this into one of the
most special wine meals of my life.
Lunch began at 2pm and ended around 4:30. The food and service at Ai Fiori were fabulous.
Ai Fiori is one of my favorite restaurants. The combination of elegance and great service
that never seems stuffy is remarkable. And the food is consistently superb.
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Some of the wines I was bringing to lunch were at
Chambers Street Wines.
As a full service store, they had double-decanted all my bottles according to my instructions.
All I had to do was swing by the store to pick them up on my way to lunch:
Then I grabbed a cab and headed up the FDR Drive on this beautiful fall day:
The Venue
Ai Fiori is Michelin-starred restaurant on the second floor of the
Langham Place Hotel:
The photos above are from a prior event at Ai Fiori, a
Vietti dinner with Luca Currado.
The food at Ai Fiori was outstanding. The service was impeccable.
In particular, Sommelier Brady Gorsuch took great care of us.
Here he is topping up our glasses:
The group: Ben, Keith, Michael, Mary, Amanda, Daniel, Gaia, Hisham, Tom:
The Menu: We each picked one from each course:
2004 Gaja Chardonnay
I think the Gaia & Rey Chardonnay is one of Gaja's more under-appreciated wines.
Like some of the best white Burgundies, it needs years to really show its full potential.
For example, when
I visited Gaia at the winery in 2016,
she let us taste a 1989 Gaia & Rey Chardonnay that had been open for two days.
It was glorious. Given these expectations, the 2004 did not disappoint.
-
2004 Gaja Langhe Chardonnay Gaia & Rey - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
[Brought by Gaia. Pop and pour.] Stunning nose of slate, lemon creme brulee, and a bit of peach.
Expansive in the mouth. Just starting to show its stuff.
Should continue to improve for another decade. (94–96 points)
Antipasti
I had Insalata di Astice: Nova Scotia Lobster, Fennel, Chanterelles Mushrooms, Citrus:
Others had Crudo e Caviale: Fluke Crudo, American Sturgeon Caviar, Meyer Lemon:
Amanda caught these photos of me proposing a toast to Gaia and her family:
Amanda & Danny discussing some photos with Gaia:
1960s Gaja Dolcetto and Barbera
Weeks before this lunch, I presented Gaia with several options for wines I could bring.
When I mentioned these, she was enthusiastic about trying them.
In its own way, this flight was as special as any of the others.
-
1966 Gaja Dolcetto d'Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba
[Double-decanted at noon.] Is it a great wine at this point? No, but it is fascinating and
it is very much alive. Everyone marveled at its liveliness.
Gaia said they may have let this sit on some of the must from the Barbaresco way back then.
Appealing smoky, dried cherry nose. Soft in the mouth, but still juicy.
Some length on an appealing finish.
Gaia was amazed and took the last of this for her father to taste. (90 points)
-
1967 Gaja Dolcetto d'Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba
[Double-decanted at noon.] Sour cherry nose. Bitter in the mouth. Corked?
Seems more off than dead. (NR)
-
1965 Gaja Barbera d'Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba
[Double-decanted at noon.] Smoky, mature cherry nose. Surprisingly alive and complex.
Long cherry and leaf mulch finish. Fascinating.
Again, Gaia says this may have spent some time on Barbaresco must.
Whatever it is, it is quite an experience.
Gaia took the remains to share with her father. (92 points)
Tasting the 1960s Dolcetto and Barbera.
I think Hisham had just tasted the off bottle of 1967 Dolcetto in the first photo:
Primi
Cappelletti: Milk-Braised Veal Parcels, Butternut Squash, Pumpkin Seeds, Pancetta, Pearl Onions:
1960s Gaja Barolo
The Gaja winery made Barolo from purchased grapes until 1964.
After 1964,they stopped making Barolo to focus on estate-bottled Barbaresco.
One of their suppliers of Barolo grapes was Violante Sobrero of Sobrero Filippo e Figli who,
at that time, owned a parcel in Monprivato and a parcel in Villero, both in Castiglione Falletto.
(Violante Sobrero eventually sold these parcels in 1985 to Mauro Mascarello of
Giuseppe Mascarello e Figlio.)
The largest of their suppliers was Villadoria from whom they later bought the parcels
in the Marenca and Rivette MGAs in Serralung d'Alba used to make their Sperss Barolo since 1988.
The 1961 and 1964 Barolos we tasted were likely made from these vineyards.
Certainly their taste was consistent with these great vineyards.
-
1961 Gaja Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
[Double-decanted at 10am.] Gorgeous nose of caramel cherries. Expansive in the mouth.
Medium length. Wow! Still full of life, but no reason to wait. (95 points)
-
1964 Gaja Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
[Double-decanted at 10am.] Stunning, ethereal nose of dried cherries.
Complex, expansive, appealing sour cherry on long finish. Just wow! What a wine.
(97 points)
1970 Gaja Barbaresco
This was a wonderful flight with three distinct Barbarescos from the same vintage.
The base Barbaresco is a blend from most of their Barbaresco vineyards.
The Barbaresco Infernot is a selection of the best barrels kept in the deepest part of the cellar,
essentially a riserva. The 1970 Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn was the first single-vineyard
Barbaresco made from this vineyard in the Roncagliette MGA.
1970 was only the 2nd vintage in which Gaja made single-vineyard wines.
The 1967 Sorì San Lorenzo was its only predecessor.
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1970 Gaja Barbaresco - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Double-decanted at 10am.] Muted nose of mulch and red fruit.
Complex sour cherries and balsam. Gorgeous. (94 points)
-
1970 Gaja Barbaresco Infernot - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Double-decanted at 10am.] A notable step up from the terrific base Barbaresco.
Heavenly nose of smoke and cherries. Complex, long, amazing.
Complex and ethereal. Wow! (97 points)
-
1970 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Double-decanted at 10am.] Ethereal nose. Exquisite palate of cherries and licorice.
Heaven in a glass. This was the first vintage of Sorì Tildìn. What an experience.
(98 points)
Gaia enjoying the 1970 Sorì Tildìn (Photos by Keith):
Secondi
Tagliata: Dry-Aged Strip Loin, Pommes Purée, Onions, Bordelaise:
1980s Gaja Barbaresco & Barolo
These wines were certainly more familiar to me and it was a joy to drink them again.
The 1988 Sorì San Lorenzo was better than any bottle I had had before.
The two 1989s were sublime, but oh so young.
I hope I will live to taste these 1989s in full maturity.
-
1982 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Double-decanted at 10am.] Stemmy, austere.
Not unappealing, but it doesn't seem right for a 1982. (NR)
-
1988 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Double-decanted at 5am.]
Has the austerity typical of 1988, but with enough fruit to make it quite appealing.
Tannic, but I'm not sure there is a benefit to waiting on this one.
I think it is giving all the pleasure it has. So much structure.
Enough fruit for now, but will it last? (94 points)
-
1989 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Double-decanted at 10am.] A big brute of a Barbaresco. Huge, lush, massive, but with great harmony.
I would wait at least another decade to open this. (95–97 points)
-
1989 Gaja Barolo Sperss - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
[Double-decanted at 5am.] Wow, and I thought the 89 Lorenzo was huge.
What a stunning, massive wine. So much potential here. Best 2040-2060. (96–98 points)
A happy group!
Dolci
Formaggi: Chef's Selection Of Two Cheeses, Seasonal Accompaniments:
By popular demand, I pulled this bottle at the last minute before catching my train to NYC.
It really was a great way to finish this glorious meal.
Conclusion
What can I say? One of the most special wine meals I've ever attended.
Great food, great service, great wine, great friends, and Gaia Gaja here
to share it all and tell us about the wines and history of her family's iconic winery.
Many thanks to all the attendees for their contributions, most of all to Gaia Gaja for
accepting my invitation and making room in her busy schedule for this lunch.
All the wines:
Saying goodbye:
The FWG and then Keith posing with Gaia:
My tasting notes posted from
CellarTracker.
All original content © Ken Vastola