One Of The Great Italian Wines

Dear Silvio,

Angelo Gaja is one-of-a-kind. He’s the type of winemaker who emerges once in a generation armed with the tenacity and know-how to catapult an entire region to fame. Despite his wines’ low-supply and perpetually rising prices, we feel grateful every time we get to open a Gaja—they’re quite simply some of the world’s best wines. 

The family winery was founded in the 1850s, making Gaja is one of Piedmont's oldest estates, yet its headline-making history didn’t begin until the late 1960s. With the passion of a young zealot, Angelo steadily elevated Barolo and Barbaresco, and is now largely credited as the mastermind of Italy’s modern wine Renaissance. 

At heart, Angelo merely pointed a spotlight on Piedmont’s existing specialty: Its cool Alpine terroir and calcareous marl soils, two crucial components for cultivating delicate yet powerful Nebbiolo. Gaja's laser-like precision in the vineyard and meticulous focus in the cellar leads to wines that defy vintage reports and deliver excellence year after year. 

Luckily for us, Angelo didn’t check his ambitions at Piedmont’s borders. The family—led largely by his extraordinary daughter Gaia—has replicated their quality-first approach across Italy’s boot.

Today, we’re excited to share a handful of wines from Gaja that we believe are undervalued and will provide not only a beautiful drinking experience for years to come but a sound investment too. The 2017 Barbaresco crus, for example, hail from a dry year—making them more concentrated and ideal for earlier drinking, while the 2014 Barolo represents a classic Piedmont vintage with its understated elegance. Heading to Tuscany, the 2019s emerged from one of the best vintages in recent memory. (The Pieve di Santa Restituta Brunello in particular is the definition of a steal, featuring grapes from their single-vineyard releases for less than $100/bottle…)

We recommend snapping up the releases that catch your eye, because there’s no telling when these gems will resurface. If they do, it’ll likely be with an extra digit on the price tag. 

 NOTE: All the following wines are being offered as Pre-Arrival - they will arrive 3-4 months after purchase. All parcels are available only in the quantities listed (no splitting packs), but prices are listed per-bottle for your convenience.

Our Top Recommendations

2016 Barbaresco

6/750ml

V96

"Quite simply, the 2016 is one of the very finest Gaja Barbarescos in recent memory. This is such a gorgeous wine. Don't miss it."

​ $261/btl

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2017 Sori San Lorenzo Barbaresco

3-6/750ml

RP95+ V93

"Macerated dark cherry, plum, espresso, licorice, dried herbs and spice all build in a potent, rich Barbaresco endowed with tremendous depth and brooding power."

from $476/btl