"All of Gaja’s 2022s have a good richness of color with a jeweled ruby hue, and the 2022 Barbaresco is fresh and ripe on the nose with lovely purity and a layered feel. The nose is spicy with notes of wild strawberries, candied orange, white pepper, and fresh flowers. The palate has a rounded feel but, from the start, has refreshing acidity and an elegant tapering finish. The tannins are ripe and defined without being aggressive." -Jeb Dunnuck

"Opens with sweet wood spice and mocha before revealing green tobacco and mint-inflected red berries. The fully charged palate is rich with glossy strawberry and raspberry. A succulent undertow of citrussy acidity keeps it from being heavy. While this might not have the structural intricacy of some vintages, surprisingly smooth, velvety tannins stretch out gracefully. Dried florals and cinnamon reach their crescendo on the finish. Gaja’s classic Barbaresco includes all 14 estate parcels in 2022, with portions from three crus." -Decanter

From one of the most iconic and revered producers in all of Italy, the 2022 Gaja Barbaresco is a stunning achievement in a famously hot and dry vintage. Blended from 14 of the family’s top estate vineyards, this wine showcases the masterful touch of the Gaja family in navigating a challenging year. The nose is wonderfully aromatic and precise, with notes of red cherry, wild raspberry, and rose petal, accented by hints of licorice and fresh mint. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied and impeccably balanced, with a core of pure, vibrant fruit supported by firm, incredibly fine-grained tannins and a surprising freshness. The finish is long, graceful, and intensely mineral. A benchmark Barbaresco with profound elegance and decades of aging potential.

Barbaresco

A wine that most perfectly conveys the spirit and essence of its place, Barbaresco is true reflection of terroir. Its star grape, like that in the neighboring Barolo region, is Nebbiolo.

Broadly speaking there are more similarities in the soils of Barbaresco and Barolo than there are differences. Barbaresco’s soils are approximately of the same two major soil types as Barolo: blue-grey marl of the Tortonion epoch, producing more fragile and aromatic characteristics, and Helvetian white yellow marl, which produces wines with more structure and tannins.

Nebbiolo ripens earlier in Barbaresco than in Barolo, primarily due to the vineyards’ proximity to the Tanaro River and lower elevations. While the wines here are still powerful, Barbaresco expresses a more feminine side of Nebbiolo, often with softer tannins, delicate fruit and an elegant perfume. Typical in a well-made Barbaresco are expressions of rose petal, cherry, strawberry, violets, smoke and spice. These wines need a few years before they reach their peak, the best of which need over a decade or longer. Bottle aging adds more savory characteristics, such as earth, iron and dried fruit.

Gaja Winery

Located in Piedmont in northwestern Italy, the GAJA winery (pictured above) is widely considered to be one of the greatest estates in the world, producing coveted and collectible labels. GAJA is a pioneer and guardian of tradition, a legacy that continues to reshape the standard for excellence in the world of winemaking today. Angelo Gaja was the first to produce single vineyard wines in Piedmont and revolutionized wine making practices in the region, introducing Bordeaux varietals and the use of barriques. GAJA has led Barbaresco to international acclaim and brought about a resurgence of Italian wines more broadly. Today, the GAJA Winery owns 240 acres of vineyards in the Barbaresco DOCG (Barbaresco and Treiso) and the Barolo DOCG (Serralunga d’Alba and La Morra).