Just a few weeks ago, the famous Piedmont wine clan of the Gajas announced that their top wines – all made from single vineyards – would return to be labeled their respected appellations – Barolo and Barbaresco – instead of Langhe DOC after almost two decades.
I remember when Angelo Gaja, the patriarch of the family, decided to stop using Barbaresco for his famous single vineyard wines such as Costa Russi and Sori San Lorenzo. The wine world, especially in Italy, was in a state of shock. How could Gaja no longer make Barbaresco single vineyard wines? I openly criticized the move vocally and in an article in The Wine Spectator. It seemed crazy that Gaja no longer supported his appellations. It was like Domaine de la Romanée-Conti no longer made Burgundy and called their famous crus vin de France.
It didn’t make any difference. The top wines of Gaja were bottled as Langhe DOC. The wines were still great – may be even better. And a small percentage of barbera was also used in the wines to give a softer and fruitier mouthfeel as well as a little darker color. People liked them. People drank and collected them.
This period is now over, according to Gaia Gaja who with her sister Rossana and brother Giovanni, are slowly taking over the reins of the company from their father. “We discussed it for a long time, and we decided with the family to go back to the Barbaresco nomination,” said Gaja last week before a tasting of their recent releases. “I based my decision on contemporary ideas. When I travel around the world, I would like to make wines as of today – contemporary. And using the key appellations is contemporary. It is a return to the present.”
Indeed, the wines I tasted after our discussion were “back to the future.” The 2013 single vineyard Barbarescos show a traditional depth of fruit and edge of tannins that really speak of their unique terroirs and unique sense of being. They are some of the best wines from Piedmont that I tasted this year. I scored one a perfect 100 points.
Below are my ratings; click on wine names for scores and notes if you are a subscriber.
Gaja Barbaresco Costa Russi 2013
Gaja Barbaresco Sori Tildin 2013
Gaja Barbersco Sori San Lorenzo 2013
Gaja Langhe Alteni di Brassica 2014
Gaja Ca’Marcanda Toscana Promis 2014
Photos: Gaia Gaja tasting new releases of Gaja wines; bottles of 2013 Gajas; Gaja Barbaresco Sori Tildin 2013; and Gaja bottles
– James Suckling, CEO
This posting was first done in the old site. So simply click the names of the wines which have a hyperlink to the note. You can look at the notes if you are a premium subscriber. Let me know that it works for you. Thanks.