Tasting Report: Tasting Current Gaja Releases – Better than 2010?

After all the hype with the 2010 vintage in Barolo and Barbaresco, the Gaja family, like others in Italy's Langhe region, seems just as keen about the quality of the 2011 vintage, particularly for their wines from the region of Barbaresco. In fact, their 2011 Barbaresco blend that is their most current release is clearly better quality than the same wine in 2010.

"The 2011 will probably be considered a vintage with more body and richness than the 2010," said Angelo Gaja, during a tasting in Barbaresco this summer with his daughter, Gaia. 

Added Gaia: "The 2011 was a hotter year with richer fruit in a more delicate style than 2010, which has more freshness and beauty."

This summer I tasted about 70 Barbarescos from the 2011 vintage and I found many better than the same wines in 2010. They had denser fruit, better structure and more length. It's no wonder some of the great names of Barbaresco prefer 2011 including Bruno Giacosa and Produttori del Barbaresco. Stay tuned for a tasting report in September.

Regardless, the 2010 vintage for nebbiolo is a winner with consumers and hundreds of exciting wines were produced, as you probably already know. Check out my last report, and see some new-release Gaja 2010s below.

"The market is very interested in 2010," admitted Angelo. "It helps that it was good just about everywhere in the world! So it created interest in the Langhe."