Fine Wines on Display in Gaja Roadshow

Giovanni Gaja stopped by San Diego while on the road to leading markets in the U.S. to preview Ca’ Marcanda’s wines, leading up to the 30th Anniversary in 2026 of his family planting their vineyards in 1996 in Bolgheri, on the west coast of Italy, to launch a new winemaking venture some 210 miles from the family’s home estate in Barberesco.

Giovanni and his sisters, Gaia and Rossana Gaja, are the fifth generation to lead the family’s famous wine operation, which was founded in 1859 in Piedmont. Their grandfather, Giovanni, made the bold marketing move in 1937 to put the Gaja name at the top of their wine labels in large capital red letters. He and their father, Angelo, were visionaries whose commitment to making fine wines helped raise the worldwide reputation for high-quality Italian wines. Angelo has been widely honored for his commitment to introducing new approaches, which included limiting production, planting Bordeaux varietals, using cold fermentation, and aging wines in barriques to add nuances and soften tannins.

The Gajas saw the potential to go beyond just issuing Barbaresco and Barolo and building the Gaja brand. They made a significant step in differentiating their approach when they acquired classic vineyards and launched single-vineyard Barbaresco wines (Sorì San Lorenzo, Sorì Tildìn, and Costa Russi), which garnered among the highest prices for any fine wine in Europe and ongoing praise from collectors and the wine cognoscenti worldwide.

Bolgheri and Bibbona

To expand beyond Piedmont, Angelo identified Bolgheri and neighboring Bibbona, emerging wine areas on the Italian coast, approximately 60 miles west of Siena, where attempts to grow Sangiovese had not gone well. Other wine families had begun planting Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc there with great success, creating the Super Tuscan category. Angelo believed that the soil, climate, and microclimates made this the next great area for wines that could match the high standards of Gaja. He was right.

The family invested, planted Bordeaux varietals, retained a noted architect (Giovanni Bo), known for integrating new structures with the land, built a landmark facility to match his and Angelo’s vision, hired a respected winemaker, and the wines have soared. The four wines from Ca’Marcanda are Vistamare, Promis, Magari, and Ca’Marcanda.

The Gaja holdings now span 280 hectares, divided among Piedmont (100 ha), Bolgheri (120 ha), Montalcino (35 ha), and Belpasso Idda, Mt. Etna (25 ha). The average annual production is 850,000 bottles, divided among Piedmont (300,000), Bolgheri (400,000), Montalcino (100,000), and Belpasso Idda (50,000).

The Gaja Wine List

The other Gaja wines: Barbaresco, Sorì Tildìn, Sorì San Lorenzo, Costa Russi, Sperss, Conteisa, DaGromis, Sito Moresco, Darmagi, Alteni di Brassica, Rossj Bass, Gaia & Rey, (Piedmont); Sugarille, Renina, and Brunello di Montalcino (Montalcino).

One has to dig for data because the Gaja website is essentially a landing page with no content. A printed winery handout, available in PDF, notes that Gaja representatives only communicate in person when they travel or welcome visitors, and not through social media or a website, hence the 5^th generation hitting the road.

Giovanni, 32, has a degree in economics and management from Milan’s Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. Post-graduation, he spent six months in London and a year in New York, where he gained experience in the importing and distribution aspects of the wine industry and fine-tuned his English. He then returned home and assumed additional responsibilities for promoting the family wines and expanding into new markets. He is particularly enthusiastic about the Ca’Marcanda wines.

“The region is excellent for planting the international varieties, but not for making international wines,” he said. “Bolgheri and Bibbona both have a sense of place and style. The balance of acidity and tannins is key with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The vines like the heat and the longer ripening cycle. As a result, Bolgheri wines tend toward opulence and balance.”

The Winery As Art

Bolgheri has a high content of clay and limestone soils. Bibbona, located further away from the mountains and closer to the sea, is warmer during the summer, and its soils are more limestone, sand, clay, and silt.

The winery is a work of art that fits into the surrounding landscape. It spans 9,000 square meters, featuring two floors above ground and two below ground levels, and is equipped with the latest wine production equipment and a range of barrels for aging. All wine produced by Ca´ Marcanda is grown and completed on the estate. No outside grapes are purchased.

The walls of the winery are covered with stones from the soil. All the rooms within the winery were designed using the same materials. More than 350 olive trees surround the property, and some are over 100 years old, Giovanni said.

Good Local Buzz

Ca’Marcanda literature highlights how the Gaja team scattered bee hives on the property. Bees are sensitive bioindicators and only survive in clean environments. The staff monitors the health of the bees, which are thriving. Gaja vintners pursue their own philosophies on sustainable vineyard management, including a mixture of biodynamic and organic practices.

Giovanni said the Gaja quality philosophy is a relentless pursuit of excellence from vineyard to bottle. A handout noted “In our wines we favor lightness and drinkability; in the vineyards we intervene as little as possible, trying to stimulate the resilience of the vines, instead of them being dependent on us.”

The wine tasting, attended by representatives of noted San Diego restaurants and wine merchants, provided proof, with distinctive wines from the four Gaja properties showcasing varietal characteristics and nuances from their respective regions, with among the highest prices for any wines from anywhere. Gaja is represented in the U.S. by Wilson Daniels. The winery is not open to visitors unless by appointment and through a charitable donation.

Tasting Notes

• 2023 Idda Etna Bianco Sicilia ($36). Pale green gold; green fruit, citrus, persimmon nose; mid-plus acids; tight, short green fruit finish. 15 of 20/88 of 100.
• 2023 Gaja Langhe Rossj Bass ($85). Sharp light green gold; green fruit, stone fruit, light spice nose; mid-acids; tight, crisp green fruit finish (Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc). 16/90.
• 2022 Gaja Langhe Alteni di Brassica ($145). Sharp light green gold; green fruit, citrus, boxwood, herbal Sauvignon Blanc nose; softening acids; long green fruit and mineral finish. 16.5/91.
• 2019 Pieve Santa Restituta (Gaja) Brunello di Montalcino Rennina ($175). Light mid ruby, rim variation; pretty red fruit, berries, light oak, earthy nose; mid plus acids; mid plus tannins; tight red fruit, deep, slightly hot finish. Needs time. 17/92.
• 2022 Ca’ Marcanda (Gaja) Magari ($78). Sharp mid-garnet; red fruit, herbaceous, mint, light oak nose (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot); mid acids; mid tannins; balanced; long red fruit and berry finish, slightly hot. 17/92.
• Fine Super Tuscan 2020 Ca’ Marcanda (Gaja) Bolgheri Camarcanda ($170). Sharp mid-garnet, viscous; herbaceous (80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc), berries, ripe grapes, light oak nose; mid-acids; mid-plus tannins; good depth; long, rich, semi-tight berry finish; some finesse; needs time. 18/94.
• 2021 Gaja Langhe Sito Moresco ($54). Sharp mid-garnet, viscous; bright red fruit, smokey, peppery, light oak nose (Nebbiolo and Barbera blend); mid acids; mid tannins; great balance; long, rich red fruit finish. 16.5/91.
• 2019 Gaja Barolo Conteisa ($360). Light-mid ruby, rim variation, viscous; red fruit, spice, earth, peppery, complex nose; mid acids; mid tannins; rounding out; long, balanced, and deep red fruit finish. 18/94.
• 2020 Gaja Langhe Darmagi ($359). Old vines (1978) Cabernet Sauvignon. Mid-dark garnet, viscous (14.5 alc.); ripe berries, herbaceous, cassis, raspberry nose; mid plus acids; mid plus tannins; mid plus alcohol; long, balanced berry and wood finish; nice structure. 17.5-18/93-94.
• 2016 Ca’ Marcanda (Gaja) Bolgheri Camarcanda (no price).  Mid-dark garnet, rim variation, viscous (14.0 alc.); ripe grape, berries, herbaceous, cassis, oak nose; mid acids; mid+ tannins; long, tight, rich, chewy Cabernet Sauvignon (80% CS, 20% Cab Franc) and wood finish. 17/92.
• 2007 Ca’ Marcanda (Gaja) Bolgheri Camarcanda (50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc; no price). Dark garnet, rim variation, brick edges, viscous (14.5 alc.); red fruit, mint, ripe grape, oak nose; mid acids; mid tannins, rounding out; long, tasty, balanced red fruit finish. 17.5/93.