2017 Gaja Sito Moresco
2017 Gaja Sito Moresco, Red Blend from Piedmont, Italy
Sun-kissed thyme and marjoram notes turn to forest floor earthiness before merging with juicy red berry – strawberry, cherry, plum – and citrus fruits, like blood orange. The wine gets volume in the palate with remarkable fruit concentration sustained by silky, smooth tannins and bright acidity. The wine then turns to a spicy finish, smoky notes and a lovely salinity.
Blend: 35% Nebbiolo, 25% Barbera, 25% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
Pairs well with assorted meat dishes such as roasted beef, steak and pork and also seafood like grilled tuna. Other food pairings include pasta with meat sauce or pesto and eggplant.
Perched atop a steep hill in the Langhe sits the small village of Barbaresco, home of the GAJA winery. The story of the GAJA Winery can be traced to a singular, founding purpose: to produce original wines with a sense of place which reflect the tradition and culture of those who made it. This philosophy has inspired five generations of impeccable winemaking. It started over 150 years ago when Giovanni Gaja opened a small restaurant in Barbaresco, making wine to complement the food he served. In 1859, he founded the Gaja Winery, producing some of the first wine from Piedmont to be bottled and sold outside the region. Since that time, the winery has been shaped by each generation’s hand, notably that of Clotilde Rey, Angelo Gaja’s grandmother. Her passion for uncompromising quality influenced and informed Angelo Gaja. Through Angelo, these values have become the cornerstone of the GAJA philosophy and are engrained in every aspect of wine production
In 1961, Angelo Gaja began his mission of bringing this great winery to an even higher level. He was the first to use barriques, 225-liter French oak barrels. Under his direction, GAJA pioneered the production of single-vineyard designated wines and was the first to plant Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc varietals in Piedmont. He was also instrumental in elevating the native Nebbiolo grape to world-class esteem.