Gaja Darmagi 2017 6x75cl

• 75cl bottle

Wide bouquet that reveals itself little by little. Notes of cassis and quince, followed by tamarind and a fresh vegetal hint of tomato leaf in the finish. Velvety and juicy on the palate, with notes of black currant and fresh plum which lead to a spicy finish, as black pepper and cloves. 2016 Darmagi is very fruity, quite fleshy, but maintaining a great elegance.

Vineyards

Planted in 1978, Darmagi is Angelo Gaja’s tribute to the prestigious Cabernet Sauvignon variety, and a clear sign of the peculiar Langhe expression in wines, even from non-traditional varieties.

Vintage

600 mm of rain fell over from November 2016 to April 2017, thus creating the ideal water supply for the entire growing season, which combined with the warm second half of March (average temperatures of 30- 35°C), led to an early bud break of 15 days. On April 17th a hailstorm unusually hit the Barbaresco region, but luckily none of our vineyard got damaged. The drop of temperatures favoured three days of frost, that combined with strong cold winds (temperatures around -3°C) severely damaged many of the Nebbiolo grapes in the Barbaresco area, causing the loss of 10% of the overall production and slowing-down the vegetative cycle. From June, one of the warmest and driest summers of the last 10 years set off. The average daily temperature was 33-34°C, with peaks up to 41°C in July. In Barbaresco there was no rain for 73 days, these warm temperatures and drought slowed down the vegetative growth. During spring our vineyards in Barolo suffered a bit from frost as well, but luckily no hailstorm occurred. The hot summer was more humid than in Barbaresco, with 40 mm of rain fallen on September 2nd, which decreased temperatures and it has been providential to reach a full ripeness of grapes even if slightly irregular. Overall, 2017 was a year of thermal stress, firstly due to the spring frosts and secondly due to the very warm temperatures during summer. Despite these thermal and water stress, the vines optimally reacted adapting to these extreme conditions by decreasing the size of their canopy, bunches and berries. The vines have naturally produced a lower quantity, the drop of the production has been estimated around 30%. The grapes increased their concentration, developed thicker skins, higher acidity and tannins, intense aromas and flavours and colours, without reaching excessive levels of potential alcohol. Generally speaking, the 2017 vintage has created both red and white wines with surprising freshness.

Winemaking

Fermentation and maceration for around three weeks followed by ageing in oak for 24 months.

Enjoy with:

• Grilled and Roasted Red Meats
• Pizza/Pasta
• Casseroles/Stews
• Mature Strong Cheeses

Fantastic paired with roast meats, wild game and hard cheeses