Barbaresco DOCG, Azienda Agricola Angelo Gaja, Barbaresco, 2012

The 2012 vintage marked a defining moment in the Gaja Barbaresco story: Angelo reduced the number of vineyard sites contributing to the blend from fourteen to eight, focusing with greater precision on his finest parcels. The result was a wine of clarity and refinement that a larger blend could not have achieved. Perfumed with black cherry, strawberry, and flower, the palate is full-bodied with fine tannins and a fresh, clean finish, showing Barbaresco with the kind of precision and restraint that speaks of genuine understanding between winemaker and site. A compelling argument for the direction taken.