Sorì Tildìn (2015)

About this wine

The wine is 100 percent Nebbiolo from the Sorì Tildin single vineyard on a south facing hill in Barbaresco, and it was aged roughly 24 months in oak before release. On the nose it offers dried red cherry, wild strawberry and rose petal notes alongside savory and balsamic hints of tar and leather. The palate is medium to full bodied with bright acidity that keeps the fruit focused, and firm, fine grained tannins that give structure and ageability. Flavors shift from red fruit to blood orange peel and licorice with a background of white pepper and clove, and the finish is long and mineral driven. The 2015 vintage shows concentration and depth while maintaining the varietal elegance typical of Barbaresco, and the vineyard sits around 260 to 270 meters above sea level on clay calcareous marl soils which contribute to its mineral profile.

About the grape

Nebbiolo is the sole grape for Gaja Sorì Tildin and here it is sourced from a single vineyard purchased by the Gaja family in 1967 and first bottled as a single site wine in 1970, giving the wine a clear site identity. The vines sit around 260 meters above sea level on a south to southwest facing amphitheater of clayey calcareous marls, where older Nebbiolo vines averaging about 45 years are managed for lower yields and concentrated fruit. In this bottling Gaja uses traditional Nebbiolo training and a long maceration and two years of oak aging to pull out the grape's tannic structure and aromatic complexity, after a decision in recent decades to move Sorì Tildin to 100 percent Nebbiolo rather than a small addition of Barbera.

Quick facts

• 🌞 Sorì means a sunny hillside in Piedmont and Tildìn was the childhood nickname of Clotilde, Angelo Gaja’s grandmother, giving the wine a family story in its name
• 🌄 The Sorì Tildìn plot sits at the top of a hill above Costa Russi, only about 3.1 to 3.4 hectares, so each vintage is essentially a tiny, place specific bottling
• ⏳ Gaja began bottling single vineyard Nebbiolo from Sorì Tildìn as early as the 1960s, making it one of Italy’s pioneering single cru labels
• 🛢️ The wine is traditionally aged first in smaller oak barrels and then moved to large wooden vats for a second year of maturation, a two stage process that shapes its texture
• 🏅 The 2015 Sorì Tildìn attracted top critical praise on release, earning very high scores from major critics which helped cement that vintage as collectible

Palate profile

Producer

Gaja, established in 1859 by Giovanni Gaja in Barbaresco, Italy, has been a pioneering force in winemaking for over 160 years. The Gaja family, originally from Spain, settled in Piedmont in the 17th century and began producing wines that would later gain international acclaim. Angelo Gaja, the founder's great-grandson, revolutionized Italian viticulture by introducing practices such as single-vineyard bottlings, the use of barriques, and the cultivation of international grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Under his leadership, Gaja expanded beyond Piedmont, acquiring estates in Tuscany's Montalcino and Bolgheri regions, further solidifying its reputation for excellence. Today, the winery remains family-owned, with Angelo's children continuing the legacy of innovation and quality.