Gaja Barbaresco 2021

About The Wine

The 2021 Gaja Barbaresco is a masterclass in tension, precision, and classical structure, emerging from a vintage widely heralded as one of Piedmont’s finest in recent memory. This translucent ruby-garnet Nebbiolo opens with an aromatic, complex nose of pristine red currant, wild raspberry, crushed rose petals, and white pepper, all underpinned by a distinct, stony minerality. On the palate, it delivers immense energy, driving vibrant red fruit along a laser-like spine of acidity and firm, tightly knit, chalky tannins. It finishes with an exceptionally long, savory echo of orange peel and spice. Far more tightly wound and structured than the sunnier 2020 vintage, this intellectual 2021 is built for the long haul; while it can be enjoyed now with a rigorous decant, it will truly begin to shine around 2028 and easily cellar through 2045.

Score

97 points, Jeb Dunnuck.