The recent releases from Gaja are some of the family’s best ever and should not be missed. I was in Piedmont about a week ago and tasted the range of its super Langhe reds as well as Barbarescos. And I was deeply impressed. The wines show such purity and character and they have great depth of fruit. I have not tasted such greatness from Gaja since 2000 or 1997.
What impresses me, besides the purity of fruit, is the balance. The top wines of my tasting such as the 2007 Sori San Lorenzo, 2008 Conteisa, and 2007 Sori Tilden are so balanced and approachable now, yet they show fabulous structure and polish. It’s drinkability with strength.
Both Angelo Gaja and his daughter Gaia were at the tasting. Gaia did most of the talking on the vintages and said how she thought the 2008 was less dominated by the warm and sunny growing of the 2007. “It’s easier to see the terroir,” she said.
I think this can be said about the 2008 vintage on a whole for Nebbiolo as I have written before. However, 2007 is clearly better overall due to the warmer climate and earlier harvest. Many producers also made less wine in 2007, which added to the quality. 2009 is very good but not at the same level as 2008 or 2007.
Here are the Gaja Langhe wines I have tasted recently, as well as last year, sorted by score. Click to read the notes if you are a premium member of the site.
2007 Gaja Langhe Sori San Lorenzo 99
2008 Gaja Langhe Conteisa 98
2007 Gaja Langhe Sori Tildin 97
2009 Gaja Langhe Sori San Lorenzo 96
2008 Gaja Barbaresco 95
2007 Gaja Langhe Conteisa 95
2007 Gaja Langhe Costa Russi 95
2009 Gaja Langhe Sori Tildin 95
2007 Gaja Langhe Sperss 95
2008 Gaja Langhe Costa Russi 94
2009 Gaja Langhe Costa Russi 94
2008 Gaja Langhe Sori San Lorenzo 94
2008 Gaja Langhe Sperss 94
2009 Gaja Barbaresco 93
2008 Gaja Langhe Sori Tildin 93
