Gaja - Gaia & Rey - Chardonnay

95 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
Gaja - Gaia & Rey - Chardonnay - 2020 - 75cl - Onshore Cellars

Gaja - Gaia & Rey - Chardonnay

95 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
Vintage
Size
Regular price 181.900 Ft
/
  • 2 in stock
  • Inventory on the way
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Gaia & Rey is a beautifully pure Piemontese expression of Chardonnay. It opens to a light gold/straw color with brilliant luminosity. This vintage is delicate but determined, powerful but fragile all at the same time. The bouquet is shy to start off and requires (at this young stage when I tasted the wine) ample time to aerate. Once it unwinds, the wine offers fresh citrus, orchard fruit, toasted almond and spice. Only partial malolactic fermentation is completed, so the wine's energy and inner nerve is very much intact. Flint and mineral play important supporting roles
Gaia & Rey is a beautifully pure Piemontese expression of Chardonnay. It opens to a light gold/straw color with brilliant luminosity. This vintage is delicate but determined, powerful but fragile all at the same time. The bouquet is shy to start off and requires (at this young stage when I tasted the wine) ample time to aerate. Once it unwinds, the wine offers fresh citrus, orchard fruit, toasted almond and spice. Only partial malolactic fermentation is completed, so the wine's energy and inner nerve is very much intact. Flint and mineral play important supporting roles
Gaia & Rey is a beautifully pure Piemontese expression of Chardonnay. It opens to a light gold/straw color with brilliant luminosity. This vintage is delicate but determined, powerful but fragile all at the same time. The bouquet is shy to start off and requires (at this young stage when I tasted the wine) ample time to aerate. Once it unwinds, the wine offers fresh citrus, orchard fruit, toasted almond and spice. Only partial malolactic fermentation is completed, so the wine's energy and inner nerve is very much intact. Flint and mineral play important supporting roles
The Gaja 2018 Langhe Gaia & Rey is a beautifully pure Piemontese expression of Chardonnay. It opens to a light gold/straw color with brilliant luminosity. This vintage is delicate but determined, powerful but fragile all at the same time. The bouquet is shy to start off and requires (at this young stage when I tasted the wine) ample time to aerate. Once it unwinds, the wine offers fresh citrus, orchard fruit, toasted almond and spice. Only partial malolactic fermentation is completed, so the wine's energy and inner nerve is very much intact. Flint and mineral play important supporting roles.
This wine was first made in 1983, and back then, no malolactic fermentation occurred. Jump forward in time to the 2017 Langhe Gaia & Rey, and this is another vintage in which malo did not start. (Partial malolactic returns in 2018). Since those first years of production, the oak usage has also been tweaked, now with less barrique in favor of more botte grande. Thanks to these changes, the aromatic profile of this wine veers toward citrus and rich tropical fruit, especially in a warm vintage such as this. However counterintuitive, this edition also shows a very bright and precise touch of acidity that serves to give the wine balanced and mouth-cleansing salinity.
It's hard not to love the 2016 Langhe Gaia & Rey. The winemaking approach has been tweaked to allow for less malolactic fermentation. Before, up to 60% or 70% of the mass completed malolactic fermentation, but with this vintage, that number has been reduced to about 20%. Indeed, the acidity is bright, forward and elegantly unmasked. This is a sharp and tonic white wine that delivers a firm grasp on the palate. The flavor profile includes citrus, honeydew melon and salty mineral nuances derived from limestone-rich soils.
From a hot vintage, the 2015 Langhe Gaia & Rey shows similar excellence as presented in the 2013 vintage, although its attributes are different. That wine was direct and linear reflecting the cooler summer months. This wine, however, promises to be more tonic, sharp and focused despite the warmer growing season. This pure expression of Chardonnay is made in a more reductive style in order to highlight that nervous and bright vein at the back. The winery is switching over to older barrique (some as old as a decade) and botte grande to allow for less oxygen in winemaking. The wine opens to aromas of Golden Delicious apple, white peach, wild sage, ginger and honey. This white wine shows enormous potential for further aromatic development and intensity.
Fresh, compelling and showing impressive definition, the Langhe Gaia & Rey is a beautiful creation and a wine that occupies a school of its own, especially considering its context that is so focused on great red wine production. There are creeping similarities that are fun to note. Specifically, I am referring to the mouthfeel of this wine that shows sophistication, richness, and a creamy texture. It could drink well with structured foods, pork, or spicy beef tartare. The bouquet is plentiful and rich with passion fruit, melon, apricot, and toasted almond. The wine is exuberant and generous. Given that I tasted a beautifully preserved 1996 vintage of Gaia & Rey at the same time, I feel confident in suggesting a very long drinking window.
Gaia & Rey is a beautifully pure Piemontese expression of Chardonnay. It opens to a light gold/straw color with brilliant luminosity. This vintage is delicate but determined, powerful but fragile all at the same time. The bouquet is shy to start off and requires (at this young stage when I tasted the wine) ample time to aerate. Once it unwinds, the wine offers fresh citrus, orchard fruit, toasted almond and spice. Only partial malolactic fermentation is completed, so the wine's energy and inner nerve is very much intact. Flint and mineral play important supporting roles
Type:
White
Country:
Italy
Region:
Piedmont
Appellation:
Langhe DOC
Producer:
Gaja
Grapes/Blend:
Chardonnay
Serving temp:
10° - 12° C
ABV:
13.5%
Pairing Sugesstions:
Shellfish, Lobster, Goat Cheese, Green Vegetables, Pasta Dishes, Fresh Herbs and Aromatic Dishes

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Behind the bottle

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Gaja

The Gaja family settled in Piedmont in the mid-seventeenth century. Five generations of Gaja’s have been producing wines in the Langhe hills since 1989, the year Giovanni...

The Gaja family settled in Piedmont in the mid-seventeenth century. Five generations of Gaja’s have been producing wines in the Langhe hills since 1989, the year Giovanni Gaja, a local grape grower, founded the Gaja winery in Barbaresco.

Following years of dedication to uncompromising quality, the wines achieved a leadership position in Italy and the family was able to purchase vineyard holdings acquiring Sorì Tildìn, Costa Russi, Sorì San Lorenzo and Darmagi.

Angelo Gaja took over the family business in 1961 and combined his respect for the traditions of the Langhe with bold innovations in the vineyards and cellars which changed the way that wines were produced all over Italy.

Angelo lives in Barbaresco with his wife Lucia and their three children, Gaia, Rossana and Giovanni who represent the fifth generation of the family and are all involved in the business.

Today the winery owns 96 ha of vineyards in Barbaresco and Barolo. In 1994, the Gajas acquired their first estate in Tuscany, Pieve Santa Restituta in Montalcino. In 1996 the family purchased their second Tuscan property, Ca’ Marcanda in Bogheri.

Gaja
Our collection of Piedmont - Find this at Onshore Cellars your yacht wine supplier

Piedmont

Piemonte (Piedmont) occupies most of northwestern Italy, bordering Switzerland in the north and France in the west and almost reaching the Mediterranean coast. Its capital and largest...

Piemonte (Piedmont) occupies most of northwestern Italy, bordering Switzerland in the north and France in the west and almost reaching the Mediterranean coast. Its capital and largest city is Turin (Torino).

In the wine world, Piemonte is best known for the twin titans of Barolo and Barbaresco, along with other popular red wines made from Barbera and Dolcetto, the white Gavi, and sparkling Asti.

It has more DOCGs (17) and DOCs (42) than any other region (see maps: Asti area, Langhe, Monferrato, and northern), but no IGPs. In 2016, Piemonte produced 2.5 million hl (28.3 million cases) of wine, the majority of it (55%) red and 83% at the DOP level. The region’s primary grape varieties are Barbera (31%), Moscato (22%), Dolcetto (13%), and Nebbiolo (10%).

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Langhe DOC

Langhe DOC

Langhe is a wine region located in the Piedmont region of Italy. The area is known for producing some of the finest wines in the world, including Barolo...

Langhe is a wine region located in the Piedmont region of Italy. The area is known for producing some of the finest wines in the world, including Barolo and Barbaresco. The Langhe region is situated in the foothills of the Alps, which provides a unique microclimate that is ideal for growing grapes.

The history of winemaking in Langhe dates back to the Roman era, but it wasn't until the 19th century that the region gained international recognition for its wines. Today, Langhe is home to some of the most prestigious wineries in Italy, and the world.

The style of production in Langhe is traditional, with a focus on quality over quantity. The winemakers in the region use only the finest grapes, and employ traditional techniques to produce wines that are rich, complex, and full of character.

The wines produced in Langhe are primarily red, with Nebbiolo being the most important grape variety. Barolo and Barbaresco are the most famous wines from the region, but Langhe also produces other red wines such as Dolcetto and Barbera. White wines are also produced in Langhe, with Moscato being the most famous.

Langhe is a region that is steeped in tradition, and the winemakers here take great pride in their craft. The wines produced in Langhe are some of the finest in the world, and are highly sought after by wine enthusiasts and collectors alike.

If you are looking for a wine that is rich, complex, and full of character, then look no further than Langhe. The wines produced in this region are sure to impress even the most discerning of palates, and are a true testament to the art of winemaking.

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