Gaja 2013
21 September 2016

As the wines bubbled away in their fermenting vats, the drums had already started banging for the quality of the 2013 Piedmont vintage. Growers reported successful harvests and wines full of promise. Our producers allowed us the odd sneak-peak at them, nothing more, whilst tasting the 2011s and 2012s. We were quietly thrilled at what we saw but waited expectantly for them to finish their elevage. Now three years on the noise is deafening as Gaja becomes the first to release their take on this much-anticipated vintage. We will be tasting the 2013s extensively in Piedmont towards the beginning of next year but, for now, our first glimpse of them in bottle was a tasting of Gaja Barbarescos last week and what an uplifting experience it proved to be.

This is a vintage of great potential right across the region however it is a truly landmark one at Gaja, who has decided to come back into the DOCG fold for the first time since the 1996 vintage. The stylistic departure to a more traditional approach has included removing the small amount of Barbera in the blend and ageing the wines in large casks for 24 months. This has yielded some fabulously pure Nebbiolos of distinctive vineyard character.

The wines are currently abroad and will be shipped in November 2016. We are expecting high demand and will have to allocate the wines, priority will be given to those placing balanced orders across the range.