Gaja Costa Russi 2001

Costa (Italian for the side of the hill facing the sun) Russi (the nickname of the former owner) is ruby red in color, with a captivating aroma of blackberries, violets, and roasted coffee beans. The purity of the palate is layered with dark fruit flavors and complex, elegant tannins.

Nebbiolo and Barbera. The Gaja Winery was founded by Giovanni Gaja in 1859 and has been owned and operated by five generations of the Gaja family. Giovanni Gaja was the great-grandfather of Angelo Gaja, the winery's current owner. In 1994, Gaja acquired its first wine estate in Tuscany, Pieve Santa Restituta in Montalcino. This estate produces three Brunello di Montalcino wines—including the single vineyard Sugarille- from vineyard holdings totaling sixty five acres. In 1996 Gaja acquired a second property in Tuscany, Ca'Marcanda, located in Castagneto Carducci in Bolgheri.