“The Gaja world of wine” master class, with Gaia Gaja

Gaia Gaja, charismatic daughter of the legendary, energetic Angelo Gaja, introduced us to Gaja's range of wines in this two-hour master class. Kudos! And Thank you! to Weinakademie Österreich for the well-organized event.

• 2020 Idda Sicilia 90 Points

  Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC

  Wine 1: "Idda" (Sicilian word for "Lady", referring to Mount Etna) is a new Gaja joint venture in Sicily, partnering with Alberto Graci. The Carricante is grown on the south and south-western sloped of Mount Etna, at 600 - 830m. Whole bunch pressing and maceration on the skins for four to five hours. 50% in large wooden vats, 50% in stainless steel. About 1/3 of the wine completed malolactic conversion.
  
  Pale lemon colour. Fresh nose of green apple and lime, that also speaks of the volcanic soil. Equally fresh on the palate; floral notes, green apple, lime, and salty minerality, with fresh acidity, and with good length of the pleasantly bitter finish. Good balance. Very refreshing. Nice! It will be interesting to follow this project over the coming years.

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• 2019 Gaja Langhe Alteni di Brassica 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Wine 2: 100% From Sauvignon Blanc vines planted in 1983, the first Sauvignon Blanc planted in the region. Partly fermented and aged in large oak vessels, partly in stainless steel. No malolactic conversion.
  
  Pale lemon colour. Citrus, gooseberry, and well-integrated herbaceousness, with good acidity and good length. Good body and concentration. Very balanced and harmonious. A very good Sauvignon Blanc.

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• 2018 Gaja Barbaresco 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Wine 3: From a challenging vintage. 45 days of rain in April, May and June alone, making the clay soil vineyards inaccessible. To make things worse, the region was hit by hail. What little fruit remained resulted in bigger berries, with lower skin-to-juice ratio. Consequently, this wine is a result of strict selection and gentle extraction. Also, the wine was mostly aged in large casks instead of small casks, with less and shorter use of barriques than usual. And yet, the result is impressive:
  
  Medium ruby colour. Red fruit, rose petal, tar, and spices, with supporting acidity, fine, dry tannin, and great persistence. The wine stays on the palate for a full two minutes! Maybe the fruit is very slightly raisiny, and the wine will not be the longest-lived, but for now it is a lighter, very elegant, and truly beautiful expression of Barbaresco. Very approachable and very pleasant. I could drink the whole bottle!

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• 2017 Gaja Barolo Conteisa 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Wine 4: From 60-year-old vines. According to Gaia Gaja, 2017 was the opposite of 2018, warm and dry, and unlike any vintage before. But still, the region was hit by frost and by hail, and only 5,700 bottles of Conteisa were produced in 2017.
  
  Medium ruby colour. Red fruit (very slightly raisiny), roses, tar and spices, with supporting acidity, and fine, dry tannin that shows a slight hint of greenness. Very good length. The alcohol becomes lightly warming on the palate as the wine warmed up, but overall the wine showed good balance. Masculine, but elegant. 91+ for now.

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• 2018 Ca' Marcanda (Gaja) Bolgheri Camarcanda 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri

  Wine 5: A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc. Spontaneous fermentation. Dark ruby colour. Beautiful, intense black fruit, blackberry, black currant, plum, dark cherry, light bell pepper, light herbaceous notes, coffee, chocolate, and vanilla, with a tiny hint of brett, medium-level acidity, ripe tannin, and very good length. Lightly salty. Creamy texture. Great complexity. A very good wine!

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• 2016 Pieve Santa Restituta (Gaja) Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Wine 6: 2016 is considered as the perfect vintage for making great wines. The fruit for this wine is sourced from a single vineyard, on clay and galestro limestone soil.
  
  Medium to dark ruby colour. Red fruit, light coffee, earthy notes, spices, and well-handled oak, with great acidity, high, fine tannin, and superb length. Maybe the wine shows a tiny bit of warmth on the palate, but other than that it is very balanced and very elegant. A great Brunello!

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Time flew by quickly, listening to charismatic Gaia Gaja. And the wines? Outstanding quality across the range, and it would not be fair to single one wine out. I would happily drink all of the wines any time!