Gaja
— Portfolio —
ROSSJ-BASS CHARDONNAY 2023
Bottle Shot
The wine is titled after the Rossj vineyard named by Lucia and Angelo after their second daughter Rossana (Rossj was her nickname) and a second vineyard positioned in the lower part of a hill (low in Italian is “basso”) which were the basis for the original blend, both planted in 1984. The first vintage was in 1998.
The ‘historical’ vineyards that remain the core (at present) of Rossj-Bass are situated predominantly in the Barbaresco commune – Cru’s of Pozzo, Bricco & Faset alongside a vineyard in neighbouring Treiso commune in the Pajore Cru. There are also three historical vineyards in the South West as the crow flies from Barbaresco in Serralunga d’Alba, named sites of Feja & Vivaldo 1 e 2.
However it’s perhaps Gaja’s new ‘project in Langhe Alta that we should shine a light on to better understand their vision for the future of their whites in the region. With the increasing average temperatures of Barbaresco they began searching for a new potential site to plant white varietals. This came to fruition in the form of some abandoned vineyards with amazing potential sitting at 650 metres above sea level in the Alta Langhe zone, situated SE of the Barbaresco zone, around the communes of Trezzo, Mango and Borgomale. Planting began of predominantly Chardonnay & Sauvignon Blanc retaining the natural unique shape of the existing terracing.
Adding to the site a brand new winery built specifically for them to vinify all their white wines. Full production of all whites began here from the 2023 vintage.
Rossj-Bass is predominantly Chardonnay with a touch of Sauvignon Blanc. The Alta Langhe component at present only represents a small portion of the overall blend due to the youth of the vineyards but this component will expand as the vines mature. Predominantly fermented in tank with 20% in barrel. 20% malolactic.
GAIA & REY CHARDONNAY 2022
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A wine that perhaps needs no formal introduction but most certainly deserves one, especially if you are just starting your vinous journey with Gaja. Arguably Italy’s most iconic Chardonnay and at the time of creation a very controversial one when it was first released in 1983. Planting Chardonnay within in the boundaries of Barbaresco DOCG in Treiso was unthinkable yet now most would acknowledge it was just one of several innovative thoughts/ideas from Angelo Gaja that challenged the traditions of the region and cemented the estate as one of the greatest producers of Italy if not fine wine globally.
Named after Lucia and Angelo Gaja’s daughter, Gaia Gaja and Angelo Gaja’s grandmother Clotilde Rey.
Gaia & Rey Chardonnay is produced from two separated vineyards in the Langhe district: Giacosa planted in 1979 in Treiso and Rivettte in Serralunga d’Alba planted in 1989. Total of approximately 5.5 hectares planted specifically with Chardonnay between these vineyards for Gaia & Rey.
At present the wine continues to be 100% from these two sites but with the recently planting of Chardonnay in the Langhe Alta by Gaja it’s expected as these vines mature a component will be included from these higher altitude vineyards. From the 2023 vintage this wine will be solely made at the new winery in the Langhe Alta which Gaja has built specifically for the pursuit of producing their white wines.
100% fermented in barrel and the wine goes through full malolactic. 6 to 8 months elevage in barrel.
“What a beautiful chardonnay, with sliced cooked apples, pears, light cream and pineapple, but so well knit together with a mouthfeel that is caressing and fine textured. So enticing to drink now, but will improve with age. Drink or hold.” – 96 points – James Suckling
SITO MORESCO 2022
NEBBIOLO, BARBERA, CABERNET SAUVIGNON, MERLOT
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This wine has evolved it’s blend of varieties to just Nebbiolo & Barbera which has happened as a consequence of Gaja’s decision to revert their iconic single vineyard Barbaresco’s of Sori San Lorenzo, Sori Tilden and Costa Russi back to 100% Nebbiolo. This has however ‘free’d up’ some wonderful old vine Barbera that was previously being blended into these wines and is now part of the Sito Moresco bottling.
Most of the fruit comes from Pajore in Treiso and vineyards in Serralunga. 60% Nebbiolo, 40% Barbera.
The Nebbiolo and Barbera components are fermented separately plot by plot. Fermented in a mix of tank and oak then blended in oak in oak for 12 months.
DAGROMIS BAROLO 2020
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Dagromis Barolo is a blend of 7 different vineyards over the communes of La Morra and Serralunga d’Alba. Silio, Serra dei Turchi, Cerequio from La Morra & 4 from Serralunga: Rivette, Broglio, Margheria, Colombaio. There is a beautiful mosaic here of both vine age and terrior, ranging from vines planted in 1965 in Silio in La Morra on deep compact clay silt soils to Broglio in Serralunga where the soils are sandy, light & soft.
Each vineyard is fermented separately followed by maceration then aged in oak for 12 months, predominantly french oak. The differing sites are then blended and further aged in oak for another 18 months in Slovanian oak Botti.
First vintage produced in 1998.
Barbaresco. Rare is it in the modern wine world where just one producer within a region is so intrinsically linked to the name itself. Gaja’s innovation and bravery at a time when no-one really cared for Barbaresco has helped all boats rise with the tide in a region that was over shadowed by it’s bigger brother Barolo for generations.
Gaja’s Barbaresco is sourced from 14 different vineyards over the communes of Barbaresco and Treiso. The Barbaresco vineyards of Loreto, Castello, Masue’, Faset, Rocagliette, Roncaglie Vecchio, Roncaglie Nuovo, Bernino, Bricco, Trifolera, Valdrapp blended with the Treiso vineyards of Pajore’, Sotto, Pajore’ Sopra, Pajore’ Universita’.
The grapes are fermented separately plot by plot & aged separately for 12 months if French oak. The component parts are then blended then aged another 12 months in Slavonian oak botti.
“The aromas of licorice, minerals, light tar and dark berries such as raspberry are so attractive. It’s medium-bodied with a tight and integrated palate of fine tannins that are seamless and unseen. It’s long and lively. It needs two to four years to open up. Try after 2027” – 95 points – James Suckling
GAIA & REY GRAPPA DI CHARDONNAY 50CL
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GAJA SINGLE VINEYARD
The single vineyard Barbaresco’s from Gaja sits amongst the first and the finest of Piedmontese, and indeed Italian, single vineyard wines. Angelo Gaja was the first in the region to bottle Barbaresco’s as single vineyard expressions. They were introduced in 1978, 1970 and 1967 respectively.
During the early days of Barbaresco and Barolo (and still amongst the traditionalists), the practice has always been to blend the vineyards in order to create the best expression of Barbaresco or Barolo. Angelo Gaja was one of the producers who changed that idea.
Perhaps what further shot them to world notoriety was from 1996 to 2011 Angelo felt these single wines expressed themselves better by blending Barbera into each bottling, between 5 and 15%. This meant the wines had to be declassified to Langhe DOC as the Barbaresco DOCG only permitted 100% Nebbiolo.
In 2012 no single vineyard’s were produced and when the 2013’s were launched it heralded a change back to 100% Nebbiolo thus from that point forward were re-classified as Barbaresco DOCG.
COSTA RUSSI BARBARESCO 2021
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“The single-vineyard Barbaresco ‘Costa Russi’ had its first vintage in 1978. This wine takes its name from the word ‘Costa’ meaning slope and ‘Russi’ which was the nickname of the sharecropper of this vineyard. It’s located right below Sori Tildin within the Barbaresco village and comprises 4 hectares. The vineyard is made up of limestone clay and marl soils with vines that are over 65 years old. It faces southwest, so it isn’t getting direct sun all day. As a result, the wines produced from this vineyard are usually the most delicate and fruit driven of the Gaja Barbarescos” – Fine Wine Experience
“This is so aromatic, with nutmeg, white pepper, matchstick, flint, bramble berries, blackberries and iodine. Medium-bodied with sleek and flexed tannins that give form and raciness. Spicy at the end. Shows excellent potential. Give this three to four years to open” – 97 pts – James Suckling
“The 2021 Barbaresco Costa Russi is dark, rich and texturally enveloping in the style of the best wines from this hillside side. Plush contours give the Costa Russi its feeling of total sensuality. Macerated dark cherry, spice, leather, licorice and dried flowers are all beautifully amplified in this gorgeous, resonant Barbaresco. This is a fabulous Costa Russi” – 97 pts – Antonio Galloni
SORÌ TILDIN BARBARESCO 2021
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“The single-vineyard bottling of Barbaresco named ‘Sori Tildin’ debuted with the 1970 vintage. Like ‘Costa Russi’ and ‘Sori San Lorenzo’, this vineyard is considered one of the best sites for growing Nebbiolo. It is made up of just a little over 3 hectares. The vineyard faces predominantly south and is known for producing wines of balance. Soils in this vineyard are dense and keep the moisture locked in. This wine takes its name in honour of Clotilde Rey, Angelo’s grandmother, whose nickname was ‘Tildin’. She recommended that they buy up the best Barbaresco vineyards when they were being abandoned after World War II as farmers wanted to move to the city and were no longer interested in making wine. Angelo also describes how Tildin taught him to choose the best locations for the vineyards; she was a strong woman and very impactful on the wines of Gaja” – Fine Wine Experience
“Subtle and complex aromas of blackberries, pine needles, bark, light spices and violets. It’s really perfumed and attractive. Full-bodied and chewy, but the tannins are very, very fine. It goes on for minutes. This a brooding, muscular wine but it is very refined. One for the cellar. Best after 2028” – 98 pts – James Suckling
SORÌ SAN LORENZO BARBARESCO 2021
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‘”Sori San Lorenzo’ was the first single-vineyard bottling of Barbaresco Gaja made. This vineyard is located just south of the village of Barbaresco within the Secondine cru. Its first vintage was 1967. The vineyard, ‘Sori San Lorenzo’, was the favourite of Angelo’s father, Giovanni, as he believed it offered the best expression of Barbaresco. ‘Sori’ means the top of the hill that faces the sun and is considered the best site. This vineyard is almost 3 hectares and faces directly south. It is located closest to the Tanaro River valley and feels the impact of the warm air currents from the river; it’s the first to ripen and to be harvested. The soils of Sori San Lorenzo are also very special because of the clay and high concentration of limestone. Some of the oldest vines of Gaja are planted in this vineyard. The wines from the Sori San Lorenzo vineyard are austere in their youth, and the biggest in terms of the structure – tannic and concentrated – in comparison to the other three single-vineyard Barbarescos Gaja makes. Sori San Lorenzo wines require a longer period of ageing than the other vineyards to be ready to enjoy. These wines also tend to be the longest lived of the three single-vineyard Barbarescos” – Fine Wine Experience
“A rather exotic and wild Sori San Lorenzo. Even flamboyant. Dried flowers and spices with bark, mushroom and dried dark cherry. Perfumed and primary with earth. Full-bodied and juicy with such fine velvety tannins that are layered and superb. So classic and soft on the palate with great length. Give this four to five years, but a classic in the making. Try after 2029.” – 99 pts – James Suckling
CONTEISA BAROLO 2020
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“This is a really enticing wine with an open and vivid nature that tells you right away it is Barolo, but it’s polished and sweetly tannic. You want to taste and taste. It’s medium- to full-bodied with rounded tannins and a savory finish. Juicy and so approachable now. Better in a couple of years, but hard to resist now. Try after 2026.” – 98 pts – James Suckling
SPERRS BAROLO 2019
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“This vineyard was the first one that Gaja purchased in Barolo. In 1961, the family made the decision to no longer produce Barolo from purchased fruit, so they went many years without making a Barolo until the purchase of the Sperss vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba in 1988. It was a bold idea at the time for Angelo to propose stopping production of Barolo, Piedmont’s most famous wine, until the family could produce it from their own vineyards. When Sperss was still owned by Cappellano, Angelo’s father, Giovanni Gaja worked there during harvest when he was 19 years old, so that’s how the family new about this site. Giovanni felt that the vineyard had great potential as he had never seen such lovely grapes and high- quality production. Angelo was able to buy this vineyard finally in 1988 when his father was 80 years old and that’s why they named it Sperss which means “nostalgia” in Piedmontese dialect. The first vintage of Sperss was in 1989. This vineyard is about 12 hectares and is known for producing a Barolo with a firm, tannic structure” – Fine Wine Experience
“The 2019 Barolo Sperss is rich with dark mineral earth, black cherry, and Earl Grey tea. Long and mouthwatering, it has a powerful structure while retaining finesse. It is fantastically balanced, with gripping tannins, fresh acidity, and notes of forested earth and ripe red berries. A wine for the long haul, this is another great and noble wine to drink over the coming three decades” – 99 pts – Audrey Frick (For Jeb Dunnuck)
SPERRS BAROLO 2020
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“Very spiced with deep, dark earth and forest aromas of black truffles, bark, mushrooms, licorice and iodine. Full-bodied and very reserved, with a linear and racy palate that goes on for minutes. Gunpowder highlights to the dark fruit and forest floor character. Structured. Try after 2028.” – 97 pts – James Suckling