Gaja Barbaresco 2008

The 2007 is an outstanding expression of the vintage. Aromas of plums, forest fruits, cherries and dried herbs are followed by dark red berry fruit flavours and a lovely rich, savoury character. The tannins are firm but ripe and they are balanced by a refreshing acidity. Mineral notes and a hint of wood spice give complexity and depth on the fi nish. The style of the wine is more opulent and forward than the 2006 vintage but it is also very elegant, complex and persistent and one of the finest examples made by Gaja. Drink from 2016 to 2030. 

 All readers need to do is taste the 2007 Barbaresco to get a sense of the promise the vintage holds at Gaja. Soft and seamless on the palate, the Barbaresco shows wonderful integrity in its fruit in an opulent, yet mid-weight style. Fragrant, perfumed aromatics are woven throughout, while an attractive spiciness develops in the glass. There is incredible depth to the fruit and simply phenomenal overall balance. Readers will not want to miss this Barbaresco; arguably Gaja’s finest since 1997. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032. 94/100 erobertparker.com

Gaja

Gaja Piedmont
The wine world has many venerable winemaking family dynasties, steeped in tradition with a passion for making the very best wines from superlative terroirs. When this tradition meets a whirlwind prepared to challenge rules and the norms of history, the results can be very exciting indeed. So it is with Gaja. To view the iconic position in which Gaja wines are seen today separately from the current head of the family, Angelo Gaja, or those who have gone before him, is like trying to picture The Who without drummer Keith Moon or Paris without the Eiffel Tower. Building on the foundations laid in 1859 when Giovanni Gaja first settled in Piedmont in northwest Italy, successive generations of the Gaja family have sought nothing but perfection, stepping beyond the boundaries of local wine making tradition where necessary. It is fortunate indeed for wine lovers that they are Italian, for it is in Italy where breaking the rules is possible, indeed there is a structure specifically to allow it. Today there are three Gaja family estates: in Piedmont, where it all began, the Gajas create breathtaking Barbaresco and Barolo wines from the Nebbiolo grape, and remarkable white wines; from Pieve Santa Restituta in Montalcino comes Gaja Brunello; and from near the town of Bolgheri, close to Sassicaia and Ornellaia, is the newest example of Gaja creativity and vision ? Ca?Marcanda ? making Bordeaux style wine with Italian flair predominantly from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. All exhibit the characteristic hallmark of power with sophisticated elegance that marks Gaja apart. Gaja, Piedmont Four generations of Gajas have presided over winemaking in Piedmont after Giovanni Gaja founded a tavern in Barbaresco in 1856. Today it is Angelo Gaja, an almost overwhelmingly energetic and brilliant man who drives the business forward after joining it in 1961. The changes he has made since then have been fundamental: stopping buying in grapes to focus exclusively on estate fruit; reducing yields; identifying his best Barbaresco vineyards to vinify and bottle separately to create the single vineyard wines Sorì San Lorenzo in 1967, Sorì Tildìn in 1970 and Costa Russi in 1978; introducing small oak barrels for ageing (the wood for which he seasons himself, using a local cooperage); and, much to the horror of Giovanni, his father, planting Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.



Ca'Marcanda in Bolgheri
Angelo had long contemplated a project in Bolgheri in the Upper Maremma, on the Mediterranean coast south of Pisa. With typical attention to detail, he researched the best sites and set out to convince the then owners of the one he preferred, an olive grove and fruit orchard with a small number of vines, of their enthusiasm to sell their estate to him. That the winery?s name is Piedmontese for house of endless negotiations tells the story, but what happened once Angelo succeeded in winning them over is amazing. In conjunction with the architect, Giovanni Bo, Angelo has masterminded one of the finest wineries to be built in recent times - from both an aesthetic and a practical point of view. The visible portions of the winery have been clad in the stone recovered during the excavations of the cellars, and the slopes which cover the bulk of the building have been transformed into olive groves by the transplanting of 150 year old trees. The overall effect is of a building that is rooted in the landscape and yet is dramatically contemporary. The brilliance of the interior makes an even greater impact as a result. The vineyard area is characterised by two distinct soil types - a red soil which contains more loam and clay and a whiter soil, where there is more limestone and deposits of bright white stones. These soil types, when combined with the warm day time maritime climate and cool evenings provide the perfect conditions for growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and even Syrah, planted in 1996. From the extensive research Angelo had undertaken he was able to pinpoint plantings by variety, best suiting the soil type and micro climatic conditions. The first vintage in 2000 was encouraging, but as the vines have become more established and Angelo and the winemaking team more familiar with the site, the results are nothing short of dramatic. In 2004 the estate came of age and progress since is exciting. Today, Ca'Marcanda has rightly established a reputation as one of the leading estates in Bolgheri.



Pieve Santa Restituta - Brunello di Montalcino
Though most of the buildings in this little hamlet date from the 13th century, the tiny church (pieve) of Santa Restituta has its origins as far back as the 4th century. The 16 hectares of vines that surround it, to the south west of Montalcino, occupy some of the finest terroir in the appellation. Angelo Gaja bought a controlling interest in the estate in 1994 and since then all his energy and expertise have been brought to bear to produce some of the finest wines in the area. Located some 350 metres above sea level, with a gentle south west exposure and rocky soils this estate always had the potential to be one of the finest in the region and now, in the right hands, that potential is being fulfilled. In 2005, the family completed the installation of a state of the art winemaking facility and the meticulous restoration of the beautiful medieval church. The cellar lies below the ground and covers 4,000 square meters. It incorporates the existing cellar and was built to have as little impact on the environment as possible. Visitors to the estate are not even aware of its presence until they are led through the small entrance. Angelo has imposed exacting standards with drastically reduced vineyard yields and stricter selection processes. This is exemplified by the fact that the 2002 and 2003 vintages were declassified, in full. In 2004, considered an excellent harvest, the winery produced both of its vineyard designated wines, Brunello di Montalcino Rennina and Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille. With the 2005 vintage, the Gaja family decided to produce its first blended Brunello di Montalcino, made from fruit grown in its top sites, Sugarille and Rennina (Santo Pietro, Castagno, and Pian dei Cerri) and fruit sourced from the 10 hectare parcel located in Torrenieri, in the north eastern subzone of the Brunello di Montalcino appellation.