Gaja, `Sito Moresco` Nebbiolo/Barbera/Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Langhe, Piemonte, Italy PRODUCER Only Piero Antinori can claim to have done as much as Angelo Gaja in creating and promoting the concept of ‘quality’ Italian wine. His wines from Barbaresco and, latterly, Barolo have been thrilling wine lovers for over four decades, and inspired what was once a younger generation of producers to lower yields and clean up their cellars. “We are all children of Gaja,” Elio Altare once said. Gaja’s myriad vinous offspring have transformed the rugged Langhe hills from a becalmed backwater to one of the most exciting wine regions in the world in the space of three decades. Today, the Gaja estate has 103 hectares of vineyard in the Langhe and is run by Angelo, his wife Lucia and, increasingly, their children: Gaia, Rossana and Giovanni. The wines have never been better.
VINEYARDS Most of the fruit for this wine come from the Pajoré vineyard in the village of Treiso. The exposure here is eastern and western facing and the soil is predominantly limestone. The rest of the fruit come from vineyards in Serralunga and Barbaresco.
VINTAGE The 2016 season started with a cool and rainy weather during the spring months which delayed the beginning of the vegetative cycle. Warm conditions during the summer months with cold evening temperatures created the ideal environment for ripening of the vines. The grapes reached optimal ripening offering good quality and quantity.
VINIFICATION The three grape varieties are picked in different times to achieve the perfect ripening. Once at the winery, they are vinified separately for three weeks. At the end of the malolactic fermentation, the wines are blended together and aged for 12 months in oak before bottling. Grape Varieties 40% Nebbiolo TASTING NOTES 30% Barbera This wine combines the freshness of Barbera and Merlot with the 30% Merlot longevity and complexity of Nebbiolo. On the nose it has aromas Winemaker Angelo Gaja of red berries. The palate is full bodied with silky tannins and a Closure Natural Cork refreshing acidity. It is balanced and approachable. ABV 14.5%
Bottle Sizes 75cl