Gaja - Sori San Lorenzo - Barbaresco

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.

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%).