2021 Gaja Barbaresco Sori Tildin

A spiced profile emerges from the 2021 Barbaresco Sori Tildin, which has a bright red color and offers notes of ripe black cherries, graphite, wet stones, and darker minerals. There’s more power and backbone in this wine, as well as more depth and structure. It’s remarkably focused, with ripe tannins, fantastic purity and balance, and ripe mineral undercurrents. These 2021s are some of the best wines I’ve ever tasted from Gaja, and this one has great potential for the long haul. The Gaja estate was founded in 1859, although it was Angelo Gaja, the fourth-generation winemaker of this Barbaresco estate, who made the innovations that would help shape the region as it is today. The entire family shares responsibilities across their estates. Great attention is paid to their practice of sustainable and regenerative farming. The latest major development for the estate in Piedmont is a brand new winery exclusively dedicated to their still white wine production in Alta Langa, 16 kilometers away from the original estate. It was designed by the Italian architect Giovanni Bo, who the family have worked with since 1982. The vineyards of Gaia & Rey and Brassica will remain the same, but fermentation and production have moved to this location, which was completed in time for the 2023 harvest. There is greater biodiversity in Alta Langa compared to Barolo and Barbaresco, with 60% of the land being undeveloped land and hazelnut farms, and only 40% vineyards, compared to Barbaresco, which has 80% of the land under vine. For this reason, as well as the higher elevations, this area is seeing an influx of attention across the region. In 2015, the family purchased 30 hectares of land that had been planted to hazelnut trees, at an average elevation of 650 meters, which they have converted to vineyard and indigenous plants of the area. Cascina Langa, the historical name for the property, has soils that are rich in sand and tuff, which they believe will be well-suited for adding structure for the white varietals of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. They also planted several other experimental vines to learn what will work well in the region.

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.