“Gaia & Rey” Bianco Langhe DOP 2023 · 6 bottles in OWC

Angelo Gaja | Piedmont
Az. Agr. Gaja | Via Torino 36 | IT 12050 Barbaresco

05230423 · 4,5 l · 387,56 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping1 unit available
Limitation of 1 articles per customer

There are wines that mark epochs. Gaia & Rey is undoubtedly one of them. When Angelo Gaja bottled the first bottle of this Chardonnay in 1983, it caused an outcry in Italy – and a revolution. The first Chardonnay in Piedmont, the first Italian white wine to undergo malolactic fermentation and ageing in French barriques. In a region that had exclusively produced red Nebbiolo wines for centuries, Gaja planted Chardonnay in a prime location in 1972 after a formative trip to the USA. What sounded like heresy became a legend. The name carries two generations: Gaia, Angelo's eldest daughter, and Clotilde Rey, his grandmother – the visionary matriarch who once led the winery into new dimensions. The vineyards are located in Treiso at an altitude of 460 metres, planted in 1979, supplemented by grapes from Serralunga d'Alba. Together they cover 3.6 hectares and are among the most exceptional Chardonnay vineyards in Europe. The soils are poor in potassium and nitrogen, the high planting density of 5,500 vines per hectare, drastically reduced yields to 30 hectolitres – everything is geared towards concentration.

The vinification follows the balance between tradition and innovation that made Gaja an icon. Hand-picked at optimum ripeness, fermentation partly in stainless steel and partly in French barriques. Only partial malolactic fermentation to preserve the vibrant acidity. Maturation in wood for six to eight months, with more large barrels being used today than small barriques – a development that gives the wine even more purity.

Light golden yellow in the glass with brilliant luminosity. The nose is restrained at first, needs time to breathe – then a kaleidoscope unfolds: lemon confit, white flowers, ripe peaches and apricots, roasted almonds, a hint of nougat and those chalky minerals that give the wine its unmistakable signature. The palate is concentrated and creamy textured, with a razor-sharp acidity that keeps the wine lively. Layers of stone fruit, tropical notes, beeswax and fine spices alternate, carried by an electric tension. The final is long, savoury, with a precision that leaves you breathless. Undisputed: Gaia & Rey has been setting the standard for Chardonnay in the Langhe since 1983. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2023 Gaia & Rey is superb. In fact, it's one of the finest Gaia & Reys I have tasted. Vibrant and sculpted to the core, the 2023 is all class. Hints of apricot, white flowers, baked apple and chalk open with a bit of coaxing. This really fleshes out on the back end, where super-refined contours pull it all together." Vinous