Full red-ruby. Cassis, licorice and nutty oak on the nose. Wonderfully sweet, seamless cabernet with terrific depth of plum and musky underbrush flavor. Silkier and rounder than the 2008, reflecting the very different styles of these two vintages. Finishes very long, pliant and sweet, with suave tannins.

Admittedly, the 2007 Langhe Darmagi (Cabernet Sauvignon) is a wine I don’t get. Gaja has nothing left to prove to anyone, so why he continues to squander this top-flight vineyard in Barbaresco on Cabernet Sauvignon is frankly beyond me. Sure, the 2007 Darmagi impresses for its sheer concentration and balance, but at the end of the day, there is little varietal character or personality here. There is now enough evidence to conclude that this vineyard is capable of occasionally producing a distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon but without much consistency from year to year. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027. (Antonio Galloni)