Decant Time on Sperss 97?

WINE TALK
1

Any one had this lately? Any advice? Thanks.

2

Not for a couple of years, but it rocked then. I never have a clue on how to recommend decanting a big, young wine. We just decanted at the restaurant about 90 minutes before service and had a fantastic showing:

  • 1997 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sperss - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (10/25/2007)
    Dinner with Manlin at Lampreia (Seattle, WA): Woof, what a wine. If not for the 1990 Sori San Lorenzo this might have been the wine of the night. It’s stunning how precocious and delicious this youngster is, but it will clearly reward time. Just starting to yield some more complex secondary aromatics but with gorgeous baby fat still.

Posted from CellarTracker

3

2 hours max.

4

I have seen really weird [unpredictable] oxidation curves on Gaja wines from that era - they might open up for a few hours, but then shut down hard as nails after that.

And on Day Two, when most reds would be strutting their stuff, the Gajas can be completely closed for business.

5

had the 1997 Gaja Barbaresco for Sopranos finale, took 4-5 hours to get right.

6

I was thinking along the lines of Dan, but some of the notes have me concerned that won’t be enough.
These wines are so tough!

7

I drank a 1998 2 weeks ago and decanted for about 2 hours…

8

I don’t know how much good this does you –

but I bought something like the 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991 Sperss, one bottle each.

I think I opened the 1988 in about 1999, and it was a total waste, hard as a rock.

Last Spring I opened the 1989, age 20, and it was a thing of beauty.

Popped and poured.

If it were me I think instead of decanting I would stick that sucker back in the cellar…

BTW they were at a local wine shop priced at $65 each. I saw what was happening to prices and bought them all.

9

$65 for the 89 and 90 Sperss? Wow! How long ago?

10

Drank a bottle several months ago. Only had time for a short decant at the restaurant. Started to get very good 90 minutes after it was poured into glasses.

11

It had to be mid-90’s Ken. It was at Pino’s which has never been known for low prices. I had had my eye on them and then I started noticing that everyone was repricing up towards the triple digits so I grabbed them.

12

I popped and poured a 1993 from half a few weeks ago, and it was at its best (which was exceptional) in its first 15-20 min or so…