2009 Gaja Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo

Gaja's 2009 Sorì San Lorenzo, on the other hand, is much more typical in its expression. Layers of juicy dark cherries, menthol, spices, tar, licorice and graphite flow across the palate as this powerful, masculine wine opens up in the glass. Balsamic infused aromas and flavors develop in the glass, adding considerable complexity and the signature of this great terroir, indisputably one of Piemonte's very finest.

Gaja’s 2009 Sori San Lorenzo, on the other hand, is much more typical in its expression. Layers of juicy dark cherries, menthol, spices, tar, licorice and graphite flow across the palate as this powerful, masculine wine opens up in the glass. Balsamic infused aromas and flavors develop in the glass, adding considerable complexity and the signature of this great terroir, indisputably one of Piemonte’s very finest. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039. Angelo Gaja doesn’t say too much about his wines these days. He doesn’t need to. The wines more than speak for themselves. What impresses me most about the 2009s is the elegance of their tannin. This is a vintage where managing the crop load was critical in achieving balance. Gaja is one of the very few growers who got it right. His wines stand out for their textural finesse and sense of harmony. Although Gaja is easily the most glamorous winery in Piedmont, it remains a family affair, with Angelo Gaja’s wife Lucia, and their daughters Gaia and Rossana increasingly involved, and their younger brother Giovanni set to follow in their footsteps. Long-time winemaker Guido Rivella keeps a much lower profile, but he is the man who has produced all of Gaja’s most legendary wines going back to 1970. Angelo Gaja describes 2009 as a year with a lot of rain until June. The bunches on average were loose and the berries small, which resulted in high skin-to-juice ratios, which is quite favorable for ageworthy wines. Importer: Terlato Wines International, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604 8900

Good full red. Pungent aromas of maraschino cherry, minerals, smoke and camphor; the most Barolo-like of Gaja's 2009s from the Barbaresco zone. The thickest and most concentrated too, sweet and mouthfilling but very backward. The combination of sheer stuffing and medicinal reserve along with fine-grained, dusty tannins and outstanding persistence suggests that this plump but youthful wine will age slowly and well.