GAJA, SORI SAN LORENZO, SORI TILDIN & SPERSS

PIEDMONT, ITALY 

Why Buy: Clearly, you can't get enough GAJA – just hours after our most recent allocation alert, several weeks ago, our inventory was entirely cleared out – and can we blame you? At a time when winemaking standards are becoming more internationalized, GAJA remains as uncompromising, as singular, as it always was: these gorgeous, terroir-focused wines speak with force, with soul, and with a character that, perhaps more than anything else, keeps us and many other connoisseurs and collectors coming back year after year – and that has made each release a major event.

The Story: Angelo Gaja has his share of critics – including, famously, his own father – who have chafed at his stances, methods, and audacious pronouncements. But time has proven this fifth-generation winemaker to be less a provocateur, bent on stirring the pot, than a pioneer, determined to achieve greatness. Today he is widely and justly acknowledged not just as the "undisputed king of Barbaresco" for putting that varietal on the world map but also as one of Italy's greatest and most revered winemakers. Techniques and practices that once were considered anathema (including aging the wines in French oak barriques, using temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, and issuing single-vineyard releases), have now been broadly adopted throughout not just the Langhe, but also many regions of Italy.

Our Tasting Notes: The Sperrs Langhe Barolo is a pinnacle expression of Barolo, a wine so gorgeously realized – each sip a rarefied and sinuous experience – as to belong to the realm of art, not commerce. The nose is exquisite and vivid, with characteristic hints of rose petals. On the palate, there is a weight, a depth, and a character that cannot be arrived at through fiddling in the cellar; it has to be built in the vineyard. And no terroir in the world of wine is more revered, or more mythical, than the idyllic soils of GAJA. In the Sori Tildin Langhe-Barbaresco and Sori San Lorenzo Langhe-Barbaresco, we find a pair of textbook expressions of Barbaresco. Both are made in a more classical mode, which is rare in Barbaresco these days; but it's less the style that it was made in that thrills us than the exactitude GAJA has shown: you can taste the care and patience with which they were delineated. These are focused, aromatic, and with a depth and length that reward the lingering drinker. The Sito Moresco is a ground-breaking blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera, and shows itself in the glass in a rich and vivid violet; that coloration is atypical of Nebbiolo, but speaks to the fullness and richness of the 2021 vintage, which is apparent even at a glance.

Fun Fact: In 1989, Gaja had the opportunity to work together with Robert Mondavi, but, according to reports, turned the legend down.

*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Winter 2023 (Dec. 21st - Mar. 20th, 2024). With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in MI, NM, NY, or TN. This offer is for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Sunday, August 20th, 2023.

*Due to limited storage space for pre-ordered product, we can only hold orders for 30 days from the first notification that your order is ready for pickup. If you are unable to pick up your order within 30 days, please contact Concierge Sales at (855) 841-2752 or conciergesales@totalwine.com to make an arrangement. A store associate may reach out periodically to notify you of your order. Unfortunately, if no arrangements have been made, after 30 days, the order will need to be cancelled and we will provide a full refund.  No orders will be cancelled without multiple communication attempts.