Mission Codename Rebel with a cause
“Driven by an unrelenting quest for perfection, Gaja took his family’s estate to the top… Getting to the top in any field is hard. Staying at the top is even harder. For all of the praise Angelo Gaja and his family have received over the years, they have earned and deserve every bit of it.” – Antonio Galloni
“Angelo Gaja’s works of art are worth every cent they will fetch.” – Robert Parker
GAJA stands the test of time, as a rebel. A visionary. A beacon. A reformer. And more…
Maybe Wine Spectator puts it best: “Angelo Gaja is a tireless innovator. When he joined his father in the family winery in 1961, they had 52 acres of vines, all in Barbaresco. Today, the family firm controls 567 acres in Barbaresco and Barolo in Piedmont and the Brunello di Montalcino and Bolgheri regions of Tuscany… Quality is a keynote. The Gaja wines consistently score outstanding, and often classic… No matter the region, Angelo Gaja has been willing to try new techniques, in both vineyard and winery. The resulting wines have sometimes shocked traditionalists, yet over time, they have proven to remain true to their local identities. Over his half-century of work, Gaja has been able to honor tradition while at the same time make wines that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the top wines from France and the world in general.”
To feature the wines of GAJA, at unbeatable prices, here on Wine Spies is not only a first today, but an honor and a privilege that ushers a new era.
Darmagi, while under the shadow of his Nebbiolo-driven giants, is a wine that epitomizes GAJA. It’s proof that, as Heraclitus once said, the only constant in life is change. Even his own father denounced Angelo Gaja’s forward-thinking vision when he planted Bordeaux varieties in Piedmont. Darmagi is a testament to this once sacrilege, a daring move rising to lead a region, a nation, and a global community of winemakers to revolt against tradition, outside of comfort zones, and reinvent wine as we know it.
This is the wine you need to blow minds with by sneaking it into a blind Napa or Bordeaux tasting.
Bad news, we were allocated just a few bottles, sorry.
94 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
“Darmagi loves a warm vintage. The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Darmagi embraces the summer warmth like a happy sponge. This wine is faithfully true to the variety, with intensely dark fruit followed by dried cassis, exotic spice and green laurel leaf. There is a point of succulent sweetness in the mouth that is uniquely specific to this hot vintage. The wine is seamless and smooth in texture with solid structure on the close… beautiful wine. Drink 2022-2040.”
What the Winery Says
2015 'Darmagi' Langhe Rosso
- Winemaker
- Guido Rivella
- Vintage
- 2015
- Varietals
- 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc
- Alcohol
- 14%
- Appellation
- Langhe DOC
- Maceration
- 10-15 days on skins
- Aging
- 18-20 months
- Barrels
- New French barriques, then in large oak casks