With the purchase of the vineyard Sperss (12 ha., approx. 370 m.a.s.l.) in 1988 near the village of Serralunga, an old dream finally came true for GAJA. The family had previously had to buy Barolo grapes from other producers, but now they finally got full control over the entire production. It must be remembered that the GAJA family had in fact been producing Barolo until 1961, when they decided to concentrate work on the family-owned vineyards in Barbaresco. The grapes that were then bought to produce Barolo came precisely from the fields of Marenca e Rivette, which in 1988 were given the opportunity to buy. It couldn’t help but bring out a little “nostalgia”, a word which in the local dialect is called “Sperss”! The vineyard with its approx. 55-year-old vines are located in the subzone (MeGA) Marenca-Rivette of the DOCG Barolo.
With good water reserves in the underground and a warm spring in 2017, the vines were approx. 15 days ahead of normal. In the middle of April, 3 days of hard frost meant that you lost approx. 10% of the production, and from June the hottest and driest (80 days without rain) summer in the past 10 years was experienced in Piedmont. This meant a drop in production (at Gaja -20%), but on the other hand very healthy and concentrated grapes. The fermentation takes place with wild yeast in the steel tanks, followed by a malolactic fermentation. The wine is then matured in two phases: First 12 months in oak barrels (225 l. – 30% new and the rest 1 – 2 years old), then a further 12 months in large oak barrels.
Sperss shows the unique combination that occurs between the field’s unique, deep and compact, clayey soil and the perfect weather conditions experienced in this vintage. The wine is aromatic, sonorous and crisp on the nose, with complex, delicate nuances of herbs (thyme, rosemary), but also spicy notes of citrus fruits, cloves, black pepper and dark berries. The taste is dominated by red tones, where fruits such as plums, dark cherries and wild blackberries characterize the taste experience. A very deep, tannic (2017!) and complex wine.
At GAJA, every detail in production undergoes the strictest control. The vineyards – both those around the house in Barbaresco and in all the other areas where GAJA grows wine today – are cared for in accordance with their importance – namely as the source of everything! A source from which, however, you do not drain the last drop – on the contrary, part of the reason for the exceptionally high quality of the wines from GAJA is that the harvest yield per ha. in many cases is VERY low. Of course, this does not least apply to the best fields such as Sori Tildin, Sori San Lorenzo and Costa Russi.
At the age of 21, Angelo Gaja took over the winery in 1961 as the 4th generation in the family. For more than five decades he was the innovator in Piedmont, and the wines from GAJA are still considered the ultimate top in the area – ‘no one above – and no one next to’. In recent years, the 5th generation has continuously been driven into position, and the daughters Gaia and Rossana and the son Giovanni have had the best teacher, so the future definitely looks bright for this unique wine family. However, Angelo GAJA has not completely let go of the reins yet, so the daughters have continued to have their teacher by their side… The wines from GAJA have never been cheap, but they offer unique wine experiences, and there is quality and taste for every penny!
Gaja is Gaja, and here people continue to go their own way. Therefore, it is almost obvious that all fields have naturally been farmed biodynamically for the past several years, so there is no reason to boast about it – and certainly not in the form of certifications, which simply “disrupt” the designed labels…
