Angelo Gaja - Conteisa & Sperss 2004

The 2004 vintage in Piedmont has set pulses racing amongst wine lovers. Rightly hailed as one of the finest vintages in living memory, the initial releases of Angelo Gaja’s Barbaresco and single vineyard wines last autumn, plus more recently the outstanding wines of Bruno Giacosa, have shown that interest in this magical region is sky-high.

Piedmont 2004 full vintage report

Angelo has produced scintillating 2004s and we can now complete the set with a first time offer with the two legendary single vineyard wines, Sperss & Conteisa. For those unfamiliar with the wines, Sperss & Conteisa hail from the communes of Serralunga and La Morra in the Barolo production zone. As with their equivalents in Barbaresco, Angelo has long since dropped the commune name as he prefers to be able to add a little Barbera into the wine, a practice that does not conform to the rules and regulations of the DOCG for Barolo. Such an approach is typical of Angelo’s independent streak, a characteristic that has enabled him throughout his long career to consistently push the boundaries and to challenge the status quo, with the end result of dragging Piedmont back to the top of the quality charts and establishing iconic wines that are now sought after the world over.

Not since 1997 and 2001 have we seen such brilliant examples of Sperss and Conteisa, although if anything we consider these to be more classic and more elegant expressions than in the former vintage and a touch above the extremely high quality of the latter. With production inherently limited, we would suggest a quick response in order to secure your preference.

Orders will be processed on a first come, first served basis. A tiny quantity of magnums are available, at a small premium, by allocation. Please ask for details. All wines offered subject to remaining unsold. E&OE. The wines will be shipped to the UK later in 2008.

Opening Offer

6 bottles of Conteisa 2004 & 6 bottles of Sperss 2004

In Bond price      £1150  - SOLD OUT

 

Sperss 2004

Price per 6 bottles In Bond      £650 - SOLD OUT

A restrained nose with notes of cumin and coconut. On the palate, a dry, richly textured and full bodied announces itself. There is a vein of pure minerality underpinning a palate of black fruits, roasted herbs, coffee and spice. Though reserved and unknit at present, the sheer intensity, length and vitality of this Sperss is exhilarating. Potentially one of the greatest ever Sperss, needing at least 10 years to start to integrate and with the capacity to age and develop for another 20 years or more. Drink 2014-2030+ - armit

Gaja’s 2004 Langhe Sperss is an infant. Still incredibly primary, it exudes the essence of Serralunga black fruits, smoke and tar. The new oak is still very evident here and the wine seems to be at an awkward phase of its development. Still, it offers stunning concentration as well as length, with soft, caressing tannins that frame the fruit all the way to the long finish. This wine is in need of serious bottle age and may very well merit a higher score once it emerges from its temporary period of dormancy. - 96 points, Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate # 174

Further technical details

 

Conteisa 2004

Price per 6 bottles In Bond      £650  order here »

Deeply coloured and intensely aromatic, with notes of mocha, dark fruits, spice and liquorice. An explosive palate with beautifully silky black fruits, liquorice and smoky oak. There is underlying mineral intensity with nuances of rose petals, assam tea and raspberries wrapped around a core of vital acidity. Very concentrated and refined this is a monumental Conteisa. Needs at least 10 years to integrate and will evolve and develop for a further 10 years or more. Drink 2014-2030 - armit

The 2004 Langhe Conteisa, from vineyards in La Morra, is especially dark-toned and rich in this vintage. Made in an uncharacteristically weighty, opulent style for this wine, it reveals plenty of ripe dark fruit, spices, new leather, licorice and tar. With air it gradually turns more feminine and delicate, yet it remains a gorgeous, sumptuous wine of outstanding pedigree. - 94 points, Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate # 174

Further technical details

 

Order form

To order from our offer, please fill in the form below by indicating the quantity required. In return, we will send you a confirmation about your order.

Special release offer - 6 btls of each - SOLD OUT
Conteisa 2004
Sperss 2004 - SOLD OUT
Name
Email address
Phone number
Questions or comments

"In my lifetime, I can recall only two other vintages, which, like the 2004, yielded both high quantity and high quality: 1990 and 1964." Angelo Gaja

 

about Angelo Gaja

red wines of Piedmont

white wines of Piedmont

wines of Ca''Marcanda

wines of Pieve Santa Restituta

Angelo and I first started working together in 1995 and I have been fortunate enough to taste with him regularly ever since. He is a man of tremendous energy and unfailing drive yet in all of my years of tasting with him, which includes the magnificent run of vintages from 1997-2001, I have never been more thrilled than I was when tasting the 2004s in March of this year.
I consider that 2004 will be viewed as one of Angelo’s greatest triumphs, a brilliant vintage mastered by one of the legends of contemporary winemaking. They are a compelling set of wines, each distinctly different yet all imbued with the flash of genius and individuality which only Angelo could provide. John Armit