1999 Conteisa

1999 Langhe Conteisa—Medium ruby. Gaja’s 1999 Conteisa, from the Cerequio cru in La Morra, is the most approachable of this set of wines. It offers a delicate, perfumed nose, along with notes of ripe red fruit, spices and sweet toasted oak with excellent length as well as balance and fine tannins. Here the softer La Morra fruit seems a bit dominated by the oak. 92/drink after 2007, 03/06 As always, the house style is very much present in the wines. Beginning in 1996 the Langhe wines contain a small amount of Barbera (between 5-8%) which Gaja says is added to give the wines additional acidity. Vinification remains fairly traditional by today’s standards. Fermentation and maceration last about three weeks. For the Barbaresco the fermentation takes place at a temperature of roughly 82?F (28?C). Gaja uses a slightly different approach for his ‘crus’ Sori San Lorenzo, Sori Tildin, Costa Russi, Conteisa, and Sperss, for which the temperature during fermentation is lowered to 64?F (18?C) after the first week. All of the wines undergo malolactic fermentation in barrique. The wines then age one year in barrique and a second year in cask. For his Darmagi Gaja employs a shorter fermentation lasting 10-15 days. The wine sees 6-8 months in barrique followed by one year in large oak casks. Antonio Galloni, In the Cellar # G7.