Gaja Barbaresco 2021

Gaja has shaped the modern reputation of Barbaresco from its base in the Langhe hills of Piedmont, and this single-variety Nebbiolo is the estate's calling card. Barbaresco's calcareous marl soils, rich in clay and limestone, give Nebbiolo its perfume and its long, fine-grained structure, while the hillside aspects and cool autumn nights let the grape ripen slowly through a long season. Nebbiolo is high in both tannin and acid, so it needs time in wood to soften and integrate; the wine is aged in oak, which rounds the structure and adds a layer of spice without masking the variety's transparency. The colour is pale garnet, typical of Nebbiolo and lightening at the rim. The nose is layered, with ripe red cherry and raspberry, dried rose and violet, tar, tobacco and a balsamic edge. The palate is medium to full bodied, taut and savoury, the tannins firm but polished and the acidity keeping everything fresh through a long finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanted an hour ahead, in a large glass. It calls for braised beef, game birds and dishes built on mushrooms or truffle.