Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo 2015

97 points James Suckling: “The aromas are mesmerizing with sandalwood, cedar, roses and dried strawberries. Full-bodied, tight and chewy with lots of pretty fruit and ultra-fine yet powerful tannins. Goes on for minutes. This needs three to five years of bottle age. Try in 2023. (11/30/18)”

97 points Decanter: “The Sorí San Lorenzo vineyard is situated close to the Tanaro River, which undoubtedly helps moderate the temperature and initiates an earlier flowering period. Its sandy limestone soil provides perfect drainage and produces good tannin structure. This wine has depth, concentration and sweet primary fruit, with a touch of violet, meat, sweet cherry and wild raspberry. Lovely, polished tannins with some grip. It has benefitted from a slightly longer maceration, as well as eight months in barriques – seamlessly suffused into the wine – before spending the rest of the ageing period in large oak barrels. Drinking Window: 2018-2037. (Sep 2018)”

97 points Wine Spectator: “A bright, fruity version, boasting strawberry, cherry, floral, mineral and tobacco flavors, this is dense, solidly structured and vibrant, with a lingering, racy aftertaste. Very complex and well-balanced. Best from 2023 through 2042. 165 cases imported. (3/31/19)”

95 points Monica Larner (Wine Advocate): “This celebrated vineyard site has more magnesium in its soils and that may be why you get such a strong mineral note. The 2015 Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo offers a complex bouquet with dark fruit, crushed mineral and grilled herb. This wine is very robust in terms of structure and therefore needs extra time in the bottle before it finds its proverbial sweet spot. You need patience to reap those excellent benefits. Drink: 2022-2045. (Jun 2018)”