Gaja Darmagi 2016 Magnum

A 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 fry and quite fleshy but maintains great elegance. 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. Fermentation and maceration for around three weeks, followed by ageing in oak for 24 months.

The winter of 2016 was mild, with a low level of rainfall during January and February. Starting from the end of February, the temperatures dropped and remained below the average until March. This late winter led to a delayed bud break of about 10 days. The rest of the spring, from April, was rainy and mild. During the summer, the trend of temperature growth was steady without any particular heat peaks. There were a couple of hot weeks in July, with temperatures around 30°C but never exceeding 35°C, a hailstorm hit a good portion of the Cerequio vineyards in the Barolo area, causing some damage to the grapes, luckily only partially. In particular, the climate trend was determined by remarkable and intense variations in temperature between day and night and positive rainfall, especially during spring in the Barbaresco area and significantly in August and September in Barolo. Bright, sunny, fresh days characterizing the harvest period allowed the grapes' perfect ripeness and enhanced Nebbiolo's elegance. The regular harvest started on August 25th and finished on October 12th with Nebbiolo grapes.