WINERY Ca’Marcanda, Gaja’s estate in Bolgher, was born in 1996 propelled by Angelo Gaja’s ambition to challenge himself with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

WINE The name Ca’Marcanda derives from a Piedmontese dialect expression which can be translated as the “house of endless negotiations” and refers to the several meetings between the previous landowners and Angelo Gaja, a very long negotiation finally concluded in 1996 with the land purchase. This is the wine that takes the name from the Estate, representing the pinnacle of the production for the family in Bolgheri.

Vineyards are planted in Castagneto Carducci, mainly on white soil rich in limestone, firm clay and stones.

The 2021 vintage started with a harsh and rainy winter that brought a good water reserve of 550 mm between October 2020 and February 2021. Spring was cold and dry with two frosts, which delayed the vegetative cycle of the vines and fortunately caused little damage. The following summer saw only sporadic drizzle in June – one of the driest of the last decade. The summer remained cool which put the vines under less water stress and allowed the berries to ripen slowly, thanks in part to fresh northwest winds in July and August. The harvest began a week later than usual. The 2021 vintage was a very dry but moderately cool year, yielding wines of great concentration, structure, color, and acidity. The wines of the 2021 vintage have a classic, Bolgheri style; they are generous wines with powerful, round tannins and ripe, intense fruit.

The two varieties ferment and macerate separately for around 15 days. After 12 months of aging in oak, they are blended and then aged for several months in the bottle before release.

On the nose, fruits are dominant with notes of black currants and blueberries. At a second glance, floral elements and salty notes emerge, followed by fresh hints of pine nuts and graphite. The entrance on the palate is sweet, displaying notes of sweet bell pepper and lily of the valley. Wood is well integrated and donates light hints of sweet tobacco leaf.