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The
Italian Alps provide a dramatic backdrop to Piedmont which translates to “the
land at the foot of the mountains”. Situated next to the French border in
Italy’s northwest the Langhe, or “tongues”, are hills noted for magical
landscapes and for grapevines planted on steep hillsides with their heavy soils
of marl and clay. This land is home to the Nebbiolo grape, used for producing
long-lived wines of exceptional character in the Barbaresco and Barolo
districts. It is in the Langhe region that Angelo Gaja and his winemaker Guido
Rivella developed their unique winemaking philosophy that has changed Italian
winemaking forever.
In
1859, Giovanni Gaja founded the Gaja Winery in Barbaresco after originaly
owning a trattorria in the region. In the past all restaurants in the country
produced wines, but Giovanni fell in love with his wines and eventually closed
his kitchen to focus solely on wine production and has been passed down from
father to son now for four generations. But it was Giovanni’s daughter-in-law
Clotilde Rey, Angelo’s grandmother, who established the Gaja philosophy of
uncompromising quality. A philosophy that is evident in all aspects of Gaja wine
production.
Angelo
Gaja, the current owner of the Gaja properties, has been responsible for bold
innovations in Piedmontese winemaking. He was the first to use 225-liter French
barriques for the wine aging process, he pioneered in the production of single-vineyard-designated
wines, and he also was the first to plant international grape varieties such as
Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc in the traditional Piedmont
region. Most importantly he was instrumental in elevating the native Nebbiolo
grape to world-class esteem.
Over the
years, the Gaja family acquired some of the Langhe’s most highly prized
vineyards. Currently, the Gaja Winery is the proprietor of 250 acres of
vineyards in Piedmont. In the Barbaresco district are: Sori San Lorenzo (1964)
named after the patron saint of the city of Alba, the capitol of Langhe, Sori
Tildin (1967) which was the nickname of Angelo’s grandmother Clotilde Rey and
Costa Russi (1967) named after the nickname of the vineyard’s former owner. In
the Barolo district Sperss (1988) means “nostalgia” in Piemontese and Conteisa
(1995) which is the Piemontese word for “quarrel” after the historic dispute of
the land that between the communes of La Morra and Borolo in 1216. With these
amazing growing locations, Angelo and his winemaker Guido, pioneered the
single-vineyard production to highlight the extraordinary quality of these
vineyards.
Not to be
overshadowed by his single-vineyard wines is the winery’s flagship, the
Barbaresco. Made of entirely Nebbiolo from fourteen Gaja estates in Barbaresco
it is the powerhouse of Piemonte. Full bodied wine lush in aromoas of forest
fruits, plums, licorice, and, black truffles, the Barbaresco is an ultra-complex
and filled with silky tannins showing maximum finess in every sip, a benchmark
Barbarasco.
In 1994
Gaja acquired its first wine estate in Tuscany, Pieve Santa Restituta in
Montalcino. The property's forty acres of vineyards produce two Brunello di
Montalcino wines called Sugarille and Rennina. In 1996 Gaja acquired a second
property in Tuscany, Ca'Marcanda, located in Bolgheri. Of the property's 200
acres, 150 have been planted with new vineyards: primarily Cabernet Sauvignon
and Merlot, as well as Cabernet Franc and Syrah.
For quite
some time I wondered why my parents chose to name my sister after a winemaker.
After having the priviledge to experience Angelo Gaja’s wine on numerous
occasions and have read many of his philosophies on life and winemaking, I ask
that question no longer.
I proudly
invite you to experience our passion for Gaja.
Salute!
Philip
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