Buy Angelo Gaja wines of Piedmont and Tuscany

“Wine is capable of such miracles. Is a sign on a painting. Is the glue that sticks together a series of fabulous events, a favourable inclination to live exciting experiences, good company, good food…” - Gaia Gaja

‘…The admirable Angelo Gaja remains fanatically committed to excellence, and because of that he is Piedmont’s reference point, as well as an inspiration to many of the young growers just beginning to estate bottle their wines.’ - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate.

The Piedmontese origins of the Gajas go back to 1856 when the family opened a small tavern in the town of Barbaresco and began serving its own wines to complement the food. The subsequent success of the winery has much to do with the exceptional continuity provided by the four generations of Gajas which have presided over it. Angelo joined the family business in 1961, since when he has made many changes: he stopped buying in grapes; he reduced yields; he identified his best Barbaresco vineyards and began to vinify and bottle them separately (the birth of Sorì San Lorenzo occurred in 1967, Sorì Tildìn in 1970 and Costa Russi in 1978); he introduced small oak barrels for ageing (the wood for which he seasons himself, using a local cooperage); and, much to the horror of his father, he planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Angelo Gaja began to expand his vineyard holdings in the late 1980s, when he purchased the Gromis estate in the commune of La Morra in order to add a Barolo to his collection. This was followed in 1994 by the acquisition of the Pieve Santa Restituta vineyard in Montalcino and, in 1996, by the creation of Ca’ Marcanda, in the Upper Maremma, on the Mediterranean coast, both in Tuscany.

"Barbaresco is a wine of elegance. Elegance in wine is a characteristic that is always difficult to define. Opulence and sumptuousness are easier to recognize because they are more obvious. Elegance whispers rather than shouts. It seems to be a characteristic of the most noble wines of the world: consisting of an innate richness, reserve and discretion. An elegant wine does not reveal itself immediately, but its greatness is apparent well before it reaches the full potential it will achieve over time; perfection is not the goal, but rather originality, integrity, completeness. Vintages never repeat the same identical conditions. In 2005 harvest finished late morning on the first Friday of October. In the afternoon it started to rain, pouring in the night, and didn’t stop for 10 days. We were lucky enough to save all the crop before the rain. We don’t get that lucky every year, in 2002 we had decided to postpone the picking even though all the other producers had already started their harvest. We had in mind to wait 10 days more if possible trusting in a better quality of the crop. Instead, after 10 days of holding on, it finally started to rain, the quality got definitely compromised and we had to declassify the entire vintage. There is not a single bottle of red wine that has been produced in 2002 at the Gaja winery.To produce wine to be involved 100% in agriculture is a particular activity: Nature is the judge of quality and quantity." - Gaia Gaja

In conjunction with the architect, Giovanni Bo, Gaja has masterminded one of the finest wineries to be built in recent times – from both an aesthetic and a practical point of view. The visible portions of the winery have been clad in the stone recovered during the excavations of the cellars, and the slopes which cover the bulk of the building have been transformed into olive groves by the transplanting of 60 year old trees. The overall effect is of a building that has been there for many years. The brilliance of the interior makes an even greater impact as a result.

The vineyard area is characterised by two distinct soil types - a red soil which contains more loam and clay and a whiter soil, where there is more limestone and deposits of bright white stones. These soil types, when combined with the warm day time maritime climate and cool evenings provides the perfect conditions for growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and even Syrah.

Angelo realised his dream in acquiring Ca'Marcanda and the whole estate was planted in 1996. From the extensive research he undertook he was able to pinpoint plantings by variety, which best suited the soil type and micro climatic conditions. By 2000, the Estate had established exactly the right mix and diversity, and the results in the wines from this time are dramatic. Today, Ca'Marcanda has rightly established a reputation of one of the leading estates in the renowned area of Bolgheri.

Why did you become a winemaker?
Because was my father’s decision.
What has been the greatest/happiest/most memorable moment of your life?
To acknowledge that also the British loved my wines
What is your favourite smell or flavour?
White truffle
What is your favourite restaurant in your local area?
“My wife’s cuisine. But don’t deceive yourself, she cooks for me only…
What is your favourite wine other than your own?
The wine that succeeds in making me laugh like crazy… There are some…

Though most of the buildings in this little hamlet date from the 13^th Century, the tiny church (pieve) of Santa Restituta has its origins as far back as the 4th Century. The farm that surrounds it occupies some of the finest terroir of Montalcino, to the south west of the town. Angelo Gaja bought a controlling interest in this 16 hectare estate in 1994, since when all his energy has been brought to bear on what had been hitherto an underperforming winery. Located in the heart of the Tuscan district, Brunello is one of the most famous vineyard areas producing luxurious and concentrated wines from the Sangiovese grape.

Angelo Gaja has long been fascinated by the wines and terroir of Tuscany and was drawn to both Bolgheri and Montalcino in the 1990's. Located some 350 metres above sea level, with a gentle south-west exposure and clay rich, pebbly soil this estate always had the potential to be one of the finest in the region and now in the right hands, that potential is being fulfilled. All 16 hectares are under vine, of which Sugarille is the oldest. Rennina is a blend of the other 3 sites.

Following Angelo's “modernistic” approach, the two wines are each aged in French barriques in their first year, of which up to 30% are new. The second year is spent in larger oak casks, followed by 2 years bottle aging before release. Angelo has imposed exacting standards with drastically reduced vineyard yields and stricter selection processes. This is exemplified by the fact that the 2002 and 2003 vintages were declassified.

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