Angelo Gaja : Sori' San Lorenzo 2021

Characteristics and Tasting Notes for Sori' San Lorenzo 2021 Angelo Gaja

Tasting

Colour
The colour reveals a brilliant ruby red hue, adorned with vivid highlights, illustrating a beautiful transparency typical of its grape variety.

Nose
Particularly expressive and complex, the nose reveals aromas of black and red fruits such as raspberry and black cherry, mingled with notes of liquorice and light tar. It then opens onto floral nuances of rose petals and lily of the valley, enriched by touches of spices such as cinnamon and clove, all underpinned by a deep chalky minerality.

Palate
Medium-bodied, the palate offers a perfectly integrated texture with fine, velvety and refined tannins. It unfolds flavours of ripe cherry, raspberry and minerals, carried by a vibrant, fresh acidity, with no austerity whatsoever. The long, complex finish evolves toward savoury notes with a touch more structure.

Serving and cellaring

This Sori' San Lorenzo 2021 requires a few years of patience to reveal its full potential. It can be enjoyed from 2029 and will continue to evolve favourably, drinking well until around 2050.

The mineral and structured expression of a Barbaresco wine

The estate

Founded in 1859 by Giovanni Gaja, the family estate has established itself as an essential reference in Piedmont, Italy. Under the visionary leadership of Angelo Gaja from the 1960s onward, the estate revolutionised the region's approach to winemaking. Today, the vineyard spans around 100 hectares divided between the Barbaresco and Barolo zones. Angelo Gaja, still highly involved, is progressively passing on leadership to the fifth generation, represented by his children Gaia, Rossana and Giovanni. The estate stands out for its commitment to excellence, combining respect for tradition with bold innovation.

The vineyard

Located just a few steps from the historic centre of the village of Barbaresco, the Sorì San Lorenzo vineyard covers around three hectares at an altitude of 260 metres. Facing south and southwest, the vines, among the oldest on the estate, benefit from optimal sunshine and the moderating influence of the Tanaro river. The soils consist of a high concentration of limestone within a matrix of clay and marl, giving the wine its distinctive minerality. Vineyard management incorporates sustainable practices, such as natural grass cover left in place to protect the soils and preserve biodiversity, with no use of synthetic pesticides whatsoever.

The vintage

The year 2021 was divided into two distinct climatic periods. The first five months were marked by above-average rainfall, cool temperatures and episodes of spring frost, delaying budbreak and creating stress for the vine. From June onward, the season became predominantly sunny and mild, avoiding extreme heat peaks. These favourable, balanced conditions continued through to the harvest, which took place from early to late October, allowing the berries to reach optimal phenolic ripeness.

Winemaking and aging

The making of Sori' San Lorenzo 2021 reflects the estate's philosophy of excellence, favouring a plot-by-plot approach to express the unique identity of this terroir. Fermentation takes place under strict temperature control in stainless steel tanks, accompanied by a carefully managed malolactic fermentation. The wine is then aged in 225-litre French oak barrels, a method historically introduced by the estate to soften the tannins and bring a subtle complexity to the wine.

Grape variety

100% Nebbiolo.