Do You Buy Gaja?

[Jay_Miller]

@Bill Klapp

@Jay Miller

re Gaja the few that I’ve had didn’t impress me very much so I never pursued a closer acquaintance esp. given the prices. But it was only 2-3 examples so I have no idea how representative they were.

You must be Jersey Jay, rather than Dr. Big Jay, right? I am guessing this because there was a discussion of great ham here and you did not weigh in! (Well, that, and the fact that I saw the Jersey City in your avatar. The board lost something the day that people stopped confusing the two of you…)

Yes, that’s correct. You can also verify by checking the post count for this board

For great ham I go to Buon Italia in Manhattan. They import fantastic culatello and bresaola and make delicious porchetta. Also the best parmigiano reggiano in the city.

[Gary_York]

So I guess there were some questions about his wines after all.

[Bill_Klapp_deactivated]

Just none all that important, other than why he adds Barbera to the mix. We waited as long as we could for the “Gary York, Man of Mystery” Gaja questions, and when they did not arrive, we had to move on and make up and answer a few of our own to keep the thread going…

[Gary_York]

Yes, I know. But in the meantime people acted like it was a ridiculous statement when in fact everyone knew exactly what I was talking about. Shit like that makes me want to post less and less.

[Bill_Klapp_deactivated]

Gary, please indulge your desire. This board is not about you and your posts, and if people are paying attention to what you are saying, they will respond to you. When they do not, it is a fair indication that nobody gave a shit about what you posted, nor an invitation to project what you want to believe upon others. Being ignored happens to all of us. It may not seem fair, but that is life here in the world’s only true democracy, cyberspace. Posters have to earn credibility and respect, and it ain’t easy, because even when somebody speaks The Truth, people are free not to believe it. And that is why we have so many spirited pissing contests around here…

[Markus_S]

@Bill Klapp

…I saw the Jersey City in your avatar.

If you can see Jersey City in a picture of The Mikado, I’ve got a bridge to sell you, not very far away…

[Markus_S]

No. Next question please?

[Jay_Miller]

@Markus S

@Bill Klapp

…I saw the Jersey City in your avatar.

If you can see Jersey City in a picture of The Mikado, I’ve got a bridge to sell you, not very far away…

Thank you! I’ve been wondering how many people are recognizing the picture since I switched avatars. Gil - you don’t have to reply if you see this, you’re a given.

[Ken_V]

@Jay Miller

@Markus S

@Bill Klapp

…I saw the Jersey City in your avatar.

If you can see Jersey City in a picture of The Mikado, I’ve got a bridge to sell you, not very far away…

Thank you! I’ve been wondering how many people are recognizing the picture since I switched avatars. Gil - you don’t have to reply if you see this, you’re a given.

I recognized it, but I was in the Mikado . . . in the 4th grade.

[Gary_York]

Wow, and this whole time I thought it was about me and my posts. My world view is shattered. Thanks for the wisdom Bill.

[Ian_Sutton]

@Bill Klapp

In other ham news, a new artisanal prosciutto maker located in Cuneo has developed prosciutto di Cuneo, intended to compete with the world-famous prosciutti di Parma and San Daniele. It does. And even sells for bigger bucks.

Bill
Do you have the name (or address) to hand. We’ve holidayed in Cuneo before and very much like the place. Last time was on a very pleasant agriturismo that we’d be keen to return (Tetto Garrone IIRC). Their reputation as ‘Cone-heads’ is mis-placed as they’ve got themselves a pretty decent city. I think we’re more likely to eat the ham than the local chiocciole, but I’m sure I’ll give them a go one day.
regards
Ian

[Thomas_Keim]

I worked with one of Gaja’s original importers and sold vintages from 1985 through 1998. Worked the market with him many, many times, visited the property two or three times, and without a doubt, he may be the most meticulous winemaker I have ever witnessed in action.

He spends more time chosing his frickin’ corks than most people spend on most of their wines, his sites seem like they’ve been beamed down from heaven, and the end results speak for themselves.

He is a man with NO sense of humor, used to work 26 hour days (I used to have to beg him to let me stop for a quick apple or something during our 12-14 hour days on the road). Used to do wine dinners with him, and he always had one stipulation; no food (“I didn’t fly half way around the world to talk about what everyone is having for dinner.”) -

The old joke used to be - that “Gaja” was Italian for “God”. His wines are really hard to argue with, they are that pristine.

And usually, without fail, his biggest critics are the ones who have never had his wines.

[P_L_owet]

@Gary York

Yes, I know. But in the meantime people acted like it was a ridiculous statement when in fact everyone knew exactly what I was talking about. Shit like that makes me want to post less and less.

Gary,
First off, I greatly appreciate your posts around here, even if I think you might want to develop thicker skin. Your perspective as an ITBer with a love of Piedmont is valuable. What seemed a bit ridiculous about your particular post was your implication of something secret/nefarious, as if Gaja is not completely open about the possibility of barbera included in their wines no longer labeled barolo/barbaresco. Admit it, this thread is more interesting than expected.
Regards,
Peter

[John_Morris]

@Bill Klapp

Bob, I neglected to mention that there is a long-standing Piemontese tradition, in winemaking for home drinking, of blending Barbera with Nebbiolo, as well as bottling each wine separately. The blend is called, not surprisingly, “Barbiolo”. The blend is particularly common in the Roero, where a lot of good non-Barolo and Barbaresco-zone Nebbiolo is made and its acidity has often needed to be tamed in the past. It provided a more drinkable Nebbiolo-based wine while its producers waited for the pure Nebbiolo bottlings to age.

It seems bizarre to modulate nebbiolo’s acidity with barbera, which is naturally high in acidity. I could see adding barbera to dilute nebbiolo’s tannins, since barbera is low on tannins, and to make the wine a bit fruitier young.

[Bill_Klapp_deactivated]

@John Morris

@Bill Klapp

Bob, I neglected to mention that there is a long-standing Piemontese tradition, in winemaking for home drinking, of blending Barbera with Nebbiolo, as well as bottling each wine separately. The blend is called, not surprisingly, “Barbiolo”. The blend is particularly common in the Roero, where a lot of good non-Barolo and Barbaresco-zone Nebbiolo is made and its acidity has often needed to be tamed in the past. It provided a more drinkable Nebbiolo-based wine while its producers waited for the pure Nebbiolo bottlings to age.

It seems bizarre to modulate nebbiolo’s acidity with barbera, which is naturally high in acidity. I could see adding barbera to dilute nebbiolo’s tannins, since barbera is low on tannins, and to make the wine a bit fruitier young.

Barbera d’ Asti is particularly acidic, Barbera d’ Alba much less so, regardless of the grape being the same. I tend to agree with your logic, but Gaja said what he said! In a difficult vintage, Nebbiolo has the capacity to be very high-acid itself, and I think that the fruitiness of Barbera d’ Alba takes that edge off, regardless of whatever acid the Barbera itself possesses. At 6% or less, the Barbera cannot do much of anything respecting the tannic structure, although a larger proportion of Barbera in a blended wine or the “Barbiolo” that I mentioned above can cover any number of Nebbiolo sins…

[Thomas_Keim]

Barbera also has a darker brightness of fruit, so not only is the Barbera adding acidity, it’s also adding color and fatness to the wine. Also, Gaja’s not picking his Barbera at 22% Brix - he’s picking at 24% plus - a big difference in acidity -

[Bill_Klapp_deactivated]

@Ian Sutton

@Bill Klapp

In other ham news, a new artisanal prosciutto maker located in Cuneo has developed prosciutto di Cuneo, intended to compete with the world-famous prosciutti di Parma and San Daniele. It does. And even sells for bigger bucks.

Bill
Do you have the name (or address) to hand. We’ve holidayed in Cuneo before and very much like the place. Last time was on a very pleasant agriturismo that we’d be keen to return (Tetto Garrone IIRC). Their reputation as ‘Cone-heads’ is mis-placed as they’ve got themselves a pretty decent city. I think we’re more likely to eat the ham than the local chiocciole, but I’m sure I’ll give them a go one day.
regards
Ian

I will have to find the name of the specific producer that I buy, but Googling “prosciutto di Cuneo” should get you a wealth of information…

[Bob_Hughes]

And usually, without fail, his biggest critics are the ones who have never had his wines.<<<<<

Wow! Had to read that twice.

Think I’ll just pass on further comment here, as I couldn’t possibly respond to that in a civil manner.

[Gary_York]

I think I will join you and step out of the room.

[Michael_S_Monie]

Although it has been awhile I occasionally had older vintages of Gaja from friends bottles and remember being uniformly underwhelmed. About a year ago, I did a seated tasting with Gaia. Was completely disappointed with the Tuscan wines. And I felt the experience was more of a marketing campaign than it was a wine tasting. A couple of weeks ago we attended an all Gaja wine dinner. I thought the wines were good but certainly not great. And at the prices that they demand, I would never be a buyer.