The Italians have many words for good: eccezionale, grande, magnifico, superbo are all examples that spring to mind. But sometimes superlatives are not necessary. When something is as eloquent as Gaja, you simply let the wine speak for itself. Producing predominantly red Nebbiolos (just 8% of the 1,000,000 bottle production is white) with total dedication to uncompromising quality, Gaja is a benchmark for all Piedmontese wines.

A 160-year history governs the Gaja brand. Founded on just 2-hectares of Barbaresco soil by Giovanni Gaja, the vineyard is now in its fifth generation. Gaia Gaja is at the helm, continuing her father Angelo’s vision of how Gaja wine should taste. Largely credited as making Gaja what it is today, it was Angelo’s idea to create single vineyard Barbarescos such as Sorì San Lorenzo in 1967, Sorì Tildìn in 1970 and Costa Russi in 1978 (which he then pulled from the market in 1999). It was also Angelo who introduced huge changes in the family vineyard, largely imported from his time spent travelling in France. Unfortunately, these were not always well received. Angelo’s father (and Gaia’s grandfather) Giovanni was said to be reticent to change; Gaja's Cabernet Sauvignon-based red, Darmagi, means "what a shame" in the local Piedmont dialect, named apparently after Giovanni’s reaction to the arrival of Bordeaux varieties in Barbaresco (perhaps Giovanni might like to know that the wine is today selling at between €150-200 a bottle). Thankfully relations between father and daughter are better, and together they have brought the Gaja name firmly into the 21st-century.

Gaja is one of the only Italian wines that can rival Bordeaux or Burgundy price-wise and at €450 for a bottle of 2016 Sori St Lorenzo, they are certainly ambitious. Coming in a healthy 10th on Liv-ex list of Italy’s most expensive vineyards, Gaja also has three bottles in the Top 50 list. This puts Gaja well above average for wine from Langhe, which in 2019 had shown next-to-no growth in the previous 12 months. Gaja, however, tipped the scales at 35% growth during 2018 and looks set to continue climbing.