2015 Gaja, Barbaresco, Sori San Lorenzo

The Sorí San Lorenzo vineyard is situated close to the Tanaro River, which undoubtedly helps moderate the temperature and initiates an earlier flowering period. Its sandy limestone soil provides perfect drainage and produces good tannin structure. This wine has depth, concentration and sweet primary fruit, with a touch of violet, meat, sweet cherry and wild raspberry. Lovely, polished tannins with some grip. It has benefitted from a slightly longer maceration, as well as eight months in barriques – seamlessly suffused into the wine – before spending the rest of the ageing period in large oak barrels.

This celebrated vineyard site has more magnesium in its soils and that may be why you get such a strong mineral note. The 2015 Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo offers a complex bouquet with dark fruit, crushed mineral and grilled herb. This wine is very robust in terms of structure and therefore needs extra time in the bottle before it finds its proverbial sweet spot. You need patience to reap those excellent benefits. Drink after 2022.

Rich, layered, black cherry, tar and engine oil with a petrichor minerality. Tangy acidity, rounded tannins, medium body and long intensity. Incredibly elaborate, translucent like fine china and delicate yet full of beauty. Superb length. (RH)