Gaja, ‘Sperss’ Barolo 2015

Critics:

“The 2015 Barolo Sperss is another smoking good 2015 that shows the sunny warmth of the vintage in its massive bouquet of blackcurrants, kirsch liqueur, red plums, Asian spices, violets, and flowery incense. It reminds me of the incredible 1997, and Barolo doesn’t get any more sexy or opulent. This brilliant, full-bodied wine has ripe, velvety tannins, beautiful depth of fruit, and a great finish. It needs a solid hour in a decanter if drinking any time soon and will benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age. It should drink brilliantly over the following 25-30 years.” -100 Points, Jeb Dunnuck

“In the 2015 vintage, Sperss is like a strong and supple thoroughbred, balancing Serralunga’s muscular tannins with taut, fluid red-fruit tones. Notes of thyme, fennel frond and orange peel bring it freshness, while the girding of cool iron and graphite tones promise that this will reward a decade or more of cellaring.” -98 Points, Wine & Spirits

“In the 2015 Barolo Sperss, you can taste the iron rust and minerality that is so specific to the soils of Serralunga d’Alba where this wine is born. It is very bold and represents the more powerful of these two wines from Barolo. Cerequio is always the more floral, while the Sperss has an immediate cherry and some lingering, bold, blackberry aromas that make a strong impact. However, this wine does not have the austerity of a classic Barolo. Instead it shows a richer texture and it casts a wider net of flavors. Serralunga d’Alba fruit is marked by stronger concentration and ripeness, with a very firm and unyielding quality of tannin that should hold the wine steady as it moves through its aging evolution. This is a truly beautiful albeit brawny Nebbiolo.” -97 Points, Robert Palmer, Wind Advocate 

“Very ripe strawberry and cherry aromas with undertones of flowers and cedar. Hints of fresh leather, too. Full body and round, soft tannins with lots of intensity at the finish. Round and fruity, yet always reserved. Needs time to come completely together.” -97 Points, James Suckling

Producer:

Perched atop a steep hill in the Langhe sits the small village of Barbaresco, home of the GAJA winery. The story of the GAJA Winery can be traced to a singular, founding purpose: to produce original wines with a sense of place which reflect the tradition and culture of those who made it. This philosophy has inspired five generations of impeccable winemaking. It started over 150 years ago when Giovanni Gaja opened a small restaurant in Barbaresco, making wine to complement the food he served. In 1859, he founded the Gaja Winery, producing some of the first wine from Piedmont to be bottled and sold outside the region. Since that time, the winery has been shaped by each generation’s hand, notably that of Clotilde Rey, Angelo Gaja’s grandmother. Her passion for uncompromising quality influenced and informed Angelo Gaja. Through Angelo, these values have become the cornerstone of the GAJA philosophy and are engrained in every aspect of wine production

In 1961, Angelo Gaja began his mission of bringing this great winery to an even higher level. He was the first to use barriques, 225-liter French oak barrels. Under his direction, GAJA pioneered the production of single-vineyard designated wines and was the first to plant Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc varietals in Piedmont. He was also instrumental in elevating the native Nebbiolo grape to world-class esteem.

Angelo Gaja is joined by the fifth generation of the GAJA family – his daughters Gaia and Rossana and his son Giovanni. Together they continue to advance the winery’s legacy. To fully realize their vision, all GAJA wines are produced exclusively from grapes grown in estate-owned vineyards, including 250 acres in Piedmont’s Barbaresco and Barolo districts as well as estates in Pieve Santa Restituta (Montalcino) and Ca’Marcanda (Bolgheri). It is from these storied vineyards, and their terroir – the combination of soil, weather and vines that grow upon them, that GAJA wines reveal their true heart and soul.