Barbaresco Sori Tildin, Gaja 2021

The 2021 Barbaresco Sorì Tildin is a real head-turner. What a wine. As is the case in its best years, Sorì Tildin is distinguished by its nuanced personality and detail. Everything speaks to finesse and fineness. Crushed rocks, rose petals, vibrant red fruit, chalk, mint and white pepper lend notable energy and brightness throughout. 2027-2041

Moderately saturated red. Complex, deep aromas of red cherry crushed stones, nutmeg and cinnamon. Enters with ripe, sweet red fruit flavours and hints of red cherry, raspberry, and cinnamon, then fresh and lifted with a more floral personality emerging. A very typical Sorì Tildin, this is both exotic and sultry, boasting a long, dense and minty-spicy finish. Drinking window: 2032-2042.

A spiced profile emerges from the 2021 Barbaresco Sori Tildin, which has a bright red color and offers notes of ripe black cherries, graphite, wet stones, and darker minerals. There’s more power and backbone in this wine, as well as more depth and structure. It’s remarkably focused, with ripe tannins, fantastic purity and balance, and ripe mineral undercurrents. These 2021s are some of the best wines I’ve ever tasted from Gaja, and this one has great potential for the long haul.

The Gaja estate was founded in 1859, although it was Angelo Gaja, the fourth-generation winemaker of this Barbaresco estate, who made the innovations that would help shape the region as it is today. The entire family shares responsibilities across their estates. Great attention is paid to their practice of sustainable and regenerative farming. The latest major development for the estate in Piedmont is a brand new winery exclusively dedicated to their still white wine production in Alta Langa, 16 kilometers away from the original estate. It was designed by the Italian architect Giovanni Bo, who the family have worked with since 1982. The vineyards of Gaia & Rey and Brassica will remain the same, but fermentation and production have moved to this location, which was completed in time for the 2023 harvest. There is greater biodiversity in Alta Langa compared to Barolo and Barbaresco, with 60% of the land being undeveloped land and hazelnut farms, and only 40% vineyards, compared to Barbaresco, which has 80% of the land under vine. For this reason, as well as the higher elevations, this area is seeing an influx of attention across the region. In 2015, the family purchased 30 hectares of land that had been planted to hazelnut trees, at an average elevation of 650 meters, which they have converted to vineyard and indigenous plants of the area. Cascina Langa, the historical name for the property, has soils that are rich in sand and tuff, which they believe will be well-suited for adding structure for the white varietals of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. They also planted several other experimental vines to learn what will work well in the region.

Darker hued and more balsamic than the other Barbarescos, Gaja’s beguiling 2021 Sorì Tilden has enticing aromas recalling menthol, eucalyptus, dark spice, coffee bean, violet and graphite. On the palate, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity accompany raspberry tart, baking spice, rosemary, hazelnut and flinty mineral. Drink 2028–2036. Abv: 14%