Gaja, Barbaresco 2015 Barbaresco, 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 Fruit is sourced from several vineyards in the Barbaresco area. Altitudes range from 250-330 metres above sea level across the 21.4 hectares. Vineyard soils also vary between the sites, each bringing a different element to the final, balanced blend. Average vine age is 40 years.

VINTAGE Winter was mild, and was followed by a rainy spring. This replenished soil water reserves. Temperatures in May were more variable and this slowed down flowering, bringing it in line with 2014. Thanks to the techniques put in place for vineyard and canopy management (cover crops, no trimming, shadowing of the bunches) the vines reacted well to the steadily increasing temperatures between July and mid-August. The 2015 harvest will be remembered for the even ripening of the various plots and the consequent compactness of the picking period. The harvest started on 19th September and ended on 1st October.

Grape Varieties 100% Nebbiolo VINIFICATION Winemaker Angelo Gaja Grapes from the different vineyard parcels were vinified separately and then matured in oak for 12 months. After this, they Closure Natural Cork were blended and aged in oak for a further 12 months. ABV 14%

Bottle Sizes 75cl TASTING NOTES The enticing nose reveals notes of red and black berry fruit, violets, Notes Vegetarian, Vegan sweet spice and minerality. Concentrated but elegant, it has a long, lingering finish with refined tannins.