There are some producers where the stellar reputation really is justified. Gaja is one of them. The 2023 Barbaresco is wonderfully fragrant and fine, with all the structure to age, but already very difficult to resist! It’s available in bottle and magnum, but we only have a small reserve, so this will likely only be available in this First Release.
The 2023 growing season was not an easy one, with a wet spring followed by intense summer heat, and quality is certainly not uniform across Barbaresco. But the wines I liked most have surprised me with their freshness and perfume. There is plenty of bright red fruit, floral character and fine tannins, and generally a little less power, which makes the best wines unusually approachable at this early stage.
Gaja’s Barbaresco comes from 14 vineyards across the commune, each vinified separately before blending. This gives them plenty of options when putting together the final wine and, perhaps unsurprisingly for Gaja, the attention to detail is extraordinary.
The wine is perfumed with red cherry, wild strawberry and rose, then blood orange, spice and a slightly ferrous, mineral note underneath. The palate is fresh and energetic, with fine-grained tannins that build gently rather than dominate. There is plenty tucked away here, but nothing feels hard or overworked.
