Neb Vinous Gaja Dinner
@ Keens Steakhouse, NYC, 3/31/2026
A group of Neb Heads (most of them from the Nebbiolo group formed through the
Vinous forum) met at
Keens Steakhouse
to check out ten wines from the Gaja Winery.
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This was my first time at Keens. It is a classic, old-fashioned steakhouse.
Dark wood everywhere. The food was very good.
Keens began as the Lambs Club, a hangout for theater people, which was run by
Albert Keen.
Mr. Keen set up his namesake restaurant (originally called Keen's English Chop House)
in 1885 in what was then the theater district of NYC (around Herald Square).
Keens is famous for its enormous collection of white clay
churchwarden pipes.
The entire ceiling of this large restaurant is covered in these pipes.
There is also a special collection of the pipes of some famous people like
Teddy Roosevelt, Babe Ruth, Will Rogers, Billy Rose, Grace Moore,
Albert Einstein, George M. Cohan, J.P. Morgan, Stanford White, John Barrymore,
Adlai Stevenson, General Douglas MacArthur, and "Buffalo Bill" Cody.
Here's a gift article from the NY Times about Keens and its history.
Starter
Flight 1: Barbaresco Classico
Iceberg Lettuce Wedge Salad. Yummy!
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1982 Gaja Barbaresco - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Double decanted around 10am.] Cherries and bark mulch nose. Sour cherries.
Long and complex, but something just isn't right. Mildly corked? (NR/flawed)
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2013 Gaja Barbaresco - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Double decanted for one hour around 8am, then slow-o from 11:30 to 3:30.]
Red fruit and spice in the nose. Long and complex with loads of sweet cherry fruit.
A beautiful wine with plenty of years ahead. (94 points)
Flight 2: Sorì San Lorenzo
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1989 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo -
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Double decanted for two hours around 3:30pm.] Gorgeous nose of black cherries,
tar and violets. Wow! So harmonious and balanced. Long finish of cherries and cocoa.
(97 points)
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2001 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sorì San Lorenzo -
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
[Double decanted around 2pm.] Bright red fruit in the nose. Rich cherries.
Long finish of cherries and graphite. Long life ahead. (95 points)
Flight 3: 1982 Single-Vineyard Barbarescos
Prime Porterhouse for Two (shared with Ben).
Shared sides: Sauteed Spinach, Hand-Cut French Fries.
Fabulous! A great steak and great sides!
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1982 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo -
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Double decanted for two hours around 3:30pm.] Black fruit and tar in the nose.
Rich and complex with lots of bright cherries. (96 points)
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1982 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Double decanted around 2:30pm.] Red and black fruit. Rich, silky, long and complex.
Terrific. (97 points)
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1982 Gaja Barbaresco Costa Russi - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Double decanted for two hours around 3:30pm.] Black fruit and sandalwood nose.
Rich, long, but with a tartness that I find less appealing. (93 points)
Flight 4: Sperss
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1989 Gaja Barolo Sperss - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
[Double decanted around 10am.] Big black fruit. Silky up fruit, but tart on the finish.
I thought this would show better. (93 points)
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1997 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sperss -
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
[Double decanted around 1pm.] Big, black, floral nose. Silky.
The most extracted wine of the night. Tart. (93 points)
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2004 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sperss - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
[Double decanted for a half hour around 2pm, then slow-o until 5:30.]
Muted nose of black fruit, cocoa, and tar. Dense black fruit. Great structure.
Should be a stunning wine in 10-15 years. (95–97 points)
Summary
A couple of disappointments, but on the whole these are gorgeous,
well-made elegant wines. A joy to drink.
People Pix
My tasting notes posted from
CellarTracker.
All original content © Ken Vastola
