2016 Gaja Gaia & Rey Langhe Chardonnay DOP, Piedmont

The Gaja family is about to embark on a new chapter dedicated to white wines. They purchased property in Alta Langa (about 15 kilometers from Barbaresco) in Mango. Vine altitudes boast a huge range, spanning from 280 to 700 meters in altitude, and the area has chalky white soils (à la Côte Blonde) that you don't get in the land of Barolo and Barbaresco. Angelo Gaja and his family purchased four hectares for Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

It's hard not to love the 2016 Langhe Gaia & Rey. The winemaking approach has been tweaked to allow for less malolactic fermentation. Before, up to 60% or 70% of the mass completed malolactic fermentation, but with this vintage, that number has been reduced to about 20%. Indeed, the acidity is bright, forward and elegantly unmasked. This is a sharp and tonic white wine that delivers a firm grasp on the palate. The flavor profile includes citrus, honeydew melon and salty mineral nuances derived from limestone-rich soils.