When speaking about the wines of Gaja, one must realize they’re speaking about a man, the growth of an entire region, and the actual juice that’s in the bottle. It’s impossible to separate the three. Angelo Gaja (pictured on the right) was an individual that forever changed the perception of Piemonte and Italian wine on the global market. Largely taking over his family estate in 1961, Angelo recognized the international disinterest in fine Italian wine and he began a journey of reinventing the vinous identity of his home village of Barbaresco and the nation as a whole.
Early on, there were a few key innovations that Gaja is largely recognized as pioneering in his region. Firstly, he dramatically lowered vineyard yields across his properties to focus on developing intense concentration at the cost of of overall volume. Neighbors considered him crazy for shaving off substantial quantity in his production until they finally tasted the wines. Secondly, he began bottling wines according to the Burgundian practice of single-vineyard crus, in order to compel the broader wine community with the expressions of place he knew to be lingering beneath the surface of the Gaja label. In the cellar Gaja also begain experimenting with temperature controlled fermentation in stainless steel, shorter maceration times, and judicious use of French barriques to increase the aromatic freshness of the wines, soften Nebbiolo’s aggressive tannins, and provide additional richness and complexity.
Feeling confident in his new approach to both vineyard management and winemaking, Gaja began to launch his wines with pricing that far exceeded the typical norms of his region. The goal here was to match the quality in the bottle with a price normally only justified for some of the top wines in the world. Initial reactions were extreme and polarizing. Some consumers exited their loyalties and others began to trulty appreciate the efforts of a man possessed. Today these wines are internationally recognized as being some of the very finest that Italy can offer on a par with the Grand Crus of Burgundy and the First-Growths of Bordeaux.
The family has expanded their holdings over the years into the broader region of Tuscany and elsewhere. French varietals have been planeted to produce wines that can compete against any style globally and showcase the tour de force that is every Gaja label.
Today the winery is on it’s fifth generation of talent with Angelo’s children Gaia Gaja, Rossana Gaja, and Giovanni Gaja leading the charge as the face of the brand and the continuation of excellence. Drinking a bottle of Gaja is a magical and luxury experience that should be both savored and frequented as often as possible. Fortunately we have a large number of Gaja bottlings available now of both perfectly aged and younger vintages. These are simply not the kind of bottles you want to pass on.
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Wines On Sale Now from Gaja:
Gaja Sori San Lorenzo Langhe-Barbaresco 2017 750ml, Displayed Price: $499, that’s $474.05 at 5% off and $449.10 at 10% off, 1 bottles available now
Wine Spectator 96 points “This tightly wound red is dense with black cherry, black currant, plum, tar and iron flavors as well as tannins. Shows a lot of power and persistence, with all the components in the right proportion, ending with a long, resonant aftertaste. Needs time. Best from 2024 through 2048. 300 cases imported. — BS”
Wine Advocate 95+ points “The 2017 growing season saw a couple of violent hail events in the Barbaresco appellation, and this celebrated vineyard suffered some damage during a storm that hit on July 19th. Yields were reduced, but the wine holds its own thanks to the careful fruit selection process put in place by the Gaja family. Their 2017 Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo is a shade richer in terms of flavor concentration, as is always the case with fruit from this slightly warmer growing site. However, like the other two single-vineyard Barbaresco expressions, this wine reveals a thin, sharp and nervous personality that is driven in large part by tannic firmness and acidity. Sorì San Lorenzo adds lots of dark mineral definition to cassis, wild cherry, rose and Provence herbs. Like the other wines, it needs extra cellar aging time.”
Decanter 95 points “This is generally the most austere of the three Gaja single-vineyard wines, and it has also been described as ‘wilder’. In this vintage the nose does seem to have more weight than Sori Tildin, with rich raspberry and cherry aromas. It’s sumptuous, full-bodied and concentrated, with considerable density and weight. Despite its youthful chewiness, it’s still polished and balanced, with a very long finish. Drinking Window 2021 – 2042.”
Gaja Sito Moresco Rosso Langhe 2021 750ml, Displayed Price: $64.50, that’s $61.27 at 5% off and $58.05 at 10% off, 6 bottles available now
Importer Note “A beautiful violet color atypical of Nebbiolo but reflective of the 2021 vintage where fullness and richness are even present to the eye. The wine has bold notes of blackberry, cherry, blood orange, and bergamot with a touch of flintiness. Medium-structured with lots of juiciness and harmony on the palate all lead to well-balanced acidity and tannin structure with a long finish.”
Gaja Dagromis, Barolo 2019 750ml, Displayed Price: $108, that’s $102.60 at 5% off and $97.20 at 10% off, 5 bottles available now
Winery Note “2019 Dagromis has a garnet color with violet highlights. On the nose, this wine showcases floral and fruity notes of violet, cherry, plum, sweet licorice, ginger, and marzipan. On the palate, delicate showing juicy, cherry-like mouthfeel leads to a savory, yet sweet entry with a subtle tannin structure all characteristics of the vintage. This is a classic Barolo with great aging potential.”
Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta ‘Sugarille’, Brunello 2018 750ml, Displayed Price: $219, that’s $208.05 at 5% off and $197.10 at 10% off, 5 bottles available now
Wine Spectator 95 points “A dark, brooding 2018, with accents of smoke, vanilla, iron and tar surrounding a core of cherry and plum flavors. Reveals balsamic elements of eucalyptus and wild herbs on the lingering finish. On the austere side now, with a core of fruit and mineral. Best from 2025 through 2043.”
Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta, Brunello 2018 750ml, Displayed Price: $89, that’s $84.55 at 5% off and $80.10 at 10% off, 5 bottles available now
Wine & Spirits 92 points “This is the most high-toned of Gaja’s three 2018 Brunellos, a portion of the fruit coming from the Torrenieri vineyard in Montalcino’s cooler northeastern corner. Hints of oregano and citrus peel accent the tangy red cherry flavors, with lingering hints of smoke and spice on the finish.”
Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta ‘Rennina’, Brunello 2018 750ml, Displayed Price: $199, that’s $189.05 at 5% off and $179.10 at 10% off, 5 bottles available now
Wine Spectator 94 points “Harmonious and bordering on creamy in texture, this red features cherry, raspberry, plum, loam, almond and black pepper aromas and flavors. Reveals pleasant bitterness as this winds down on the lingering aftertaste. Best from 2026 through 2045.”
Gaja Darmagi Langhe Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 750ml, Displayed Price: $219, that’s $208.05 at 5% off and $197.10 at 10% off, 1 bottles available now
Wine Advocate 94 points “Darmagi loves a warm vintage. The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Darmagi embraces the summer warmth like a happy sponge. This wine is faithfully true to the variety, with intensely dark fruit followed by dried cassis, exotic spice and green laurel leaf. There is a point of succulent sweetness in the mouth that is uniquely specific to this hot vintage. The wine is seamless and smooth in texture with solid structure on the close. The vines suffered from stripe disease (GLSD). This reduced the capacity of the plant’s foliar system. Gaia Gaja tells me they were able to harvest from the healthy parts of the vines to make this beautiful wine.”
Gaja Darmagi Langhe Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 750ml, Displayed Price: $219, that’s $208.05 at 5% off and $197.10 at 10% off, 2 bottles available now
Vinous 94+ points “The 2017 Darmagi (Cabernet Sauvignon) is gorgeous. Ample, silky and voluptuous to its core, Darmagi offers tons of immediacy and sheer appeal. Today, the 2017 is all about fruit richness and texture. Readers who prefer to see a full range of Cabernet aromatics should plan on cellaring the 2017 for at least a few years. Hints of blackberry jam, mocha, licorice and spice linger, but more than anything else, the 2017 is all about flamboyance. This is an especially strong vintage.”
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “While a base Langhe release, the 2017 Darmagi is stunning stuff, offering a killer bouquet of ripe red and black fruits, hot asphalt, spring flowers, tobacco, and a touch of rocky, earhty minerality. With a rich, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, a more supple, upfront style, and sweet tannins, it already offers loads of pleasure, yet its solid spine of tannins and acidity make me believe it will still be drinking nicely in 15-20 years.”