2008 Gaja Langhe Sori San Lorenzo
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Tasting notes
The 2008 Sorì San Lorenzo is an especially dark, imposing wine. Here the flavors are inward and brooding, with massive intensity and a sense of structure that was not apparent the last time I tasted it. Today, the oak is a bit obvious, but that may be attributable to the context of this tasting in which so many of the wines are quite a bit older.
Critic scores
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Good medium red. Perfumed nose combines minerals, rose petal, menthol, spices and herbs. The tightest of these 2008s, but already displaying outstanding energy and precision to its intense dark fruit and floral flavors. The firm, late-arriving tannins are perfectly supported by strong dark fruits on the back end. This wonderfully juicy wine boasts a near-perfect balance for extended aging. A knockout in the making.
Gaja's 2008 Sori San Lorenzo is impeccable from start to finish. The 2008 is a round, seamless San Lorenzo with seemingly no hard edges and terrific overall balance. The signature aromas and flavors are there, as is the wine's typical gravitas, yet the 2008 has an extra level of sweetness, its size notwithstanding. The wine possesses striking inner perfume and fabulous overall balance. The sheer excitement of the very finest years isn't quite there, but this is a fine bottle just the same. An explosive, juicy finish rounds things out in style.
Gaja’s 2008 Sori San Lorenzo is impeccable from start to finish. The 2008 is a round, seamless San Lorenzo with seemingly no hard edges and terrific overall balance. The signature aromas and flavors are there, as is the wine’s typical gravitas, yet the 2008 has an extra level of sweetness, its size notwithstanding. The wine possesses striking inner perfume and fabulous overall balance. The sheer excitement of the very finest years isn’t quite there, but this is a fine bottle just the same. An explosive, juicy finish rounds things out in style. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2033. This is a stunning set of wines from Angelo Gaja and his team in Barbaresco. Those who think 2008 is a truly great year for Nebbiolo must have tasted these wines. In a vintage that is inconsistent across the villages of Barbaresco, Gaja has produced not one but four stellar wines. As fabulous as these wines are, they aren’t especially true to type, as I explain in these notes. The 2008s I tasted in the US showed far better than the bottles I tasted in Barbaresco during the summer. Perhaps the onset of the cool fall weather gave these wines a little more spine than they had during the sweltering heat of August. Readers who want to learn more about the 2011 harvest at Gaja may want to take a look at my video interview with Gaia Gaja and vineyard manager Giorgio Culasso. Importer: Terlato Wines International, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604 8900
About the producer
Gaja has been at the forefront of the Piedmont wine scene for many years and is Barbaresco’s most decorated producer. The winery has received a record number of Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri awards – the highest accolade from Italy’s leading wine publication.