Gaja Ca' Marcanda Promis 2022

Cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant before serving. In 1970 Famed Italian winemaker Angelo Gaja took over the running of the family winery which was founded back in 1859. Proud of his family’s winemaking past and determined to lead the estate into the future, Angelo brought with him a passionate determination to produce top quality wines that would become benchmark examples of the noble Nebbiolo grape. His pioneering vision was to create Italian wines that could stand up to the finest wines being produced over in Burgundy and Bordeaux. Angelo began his ambitious plans by replanting much of the family’s vineyards and investing in stainless steel tanks with temperature controls that would allow him to carefully control the winemaking process. He also caused controversy locally by mimicking top winemakers in Bordeaux and California in bringing in small oak barrels to age his wines. At the time most local producers were still using huge chestnut wood casks called botti. Promis is a great example of Angelo’s groundbreaking approach since it is made from fruit sourced from Bolgheri near the Tuscan coast in a “Super Tuscan” style using international grape varieties. The blend is primarily composed of Merlot along with a smaller proportion of Syrah and Sangiovese which thrive in the local terre brune or dark soils and hot summer days cooled by sea breezes. The result is a rich, voluptuous red wine which is bursting with dark berry and plum notes and subtle spiced notes from the 12 months of ageing in oak barrels.

Price: £44.10 from 8wines UK