Tasting Notes
Robert Parker 97
Congratulations to the Gaja family and their 2013 Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo. This is a sheer and powerful expression of Nebbiolo that boasts a very firm and precise textural quality. The wine is 100% Nebbiolo, as blended Barbera is no longer part of the Sorì San Lorenzo DNA. The tannins are sharply delineated with a crunchy snap that you feel on the palate. This should definitely serve to keep the wine firmly rooted and committed to a slow aging trajectory. That structural firmness is the defining characteristic of this wine, and that unique identity is even more evident now that this wine is officially classified as Barbaresco.
Anticipated maturity: 2020-2045
JancisRobinson.com 17.5+
Mid ruby with the beginning of orange tinges. Deep cherry nose with an exotic spice edge. Rusty nail and orange-skin hints. Perfectly integrated oak, but really backward on the palate. Near perfect balance between fruit and acidity, but the tannic load needs to integrate further. I’d wait a couple of years for the dust to settle. (WS)
Anticipated maturity: 2020-2034
Vinous 98
Gaja’s Sorì San Lorenzo, arguably the most iconic of all the wines, is superb. The 2013 is dark, virile and imposing, with a more classically leaning expression of power than in the recent past, not to mention tons of raw intensity. A host of graphite, savory herb, menthol, licorice, lavender, smoke and dark-fleshed fruits meld into the huge, tannic finish. There is a touch of French oak, but the personality of this site marries very naturally with the cooperage.
Anticipated maturity: 2025-2043
