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 reminds of the Italian word promessa, that means promise. A promise, exactly as an up-and-comer that, with its young and bold character, brings along a fresh breeze of liveliness and zest. It recalls, as well, the Gaja’s family commitment meant to start a valuable project in Tuscany.

2022 was a year marked by a particular drought that began at the end of winter and lasted for a good part of the summer. May registered higher than usual temperatures: this heat continued during June and the weather conditions became torrid and very dry during July. In the final phase of the season, a rainy August and September allowed the vines to get some relief and the grapes to reach full ripeness and balance, while still maintaining excellent acidity. The vines have shown that they were able to react in a very positive way, resisting the initial lack of water and metabolizing the rain as best and as quickly as possible. In total we had 600 mm of water throughout the year but the distribution was very uneven and was concentrated at the beginning (October and December 2021) and the end of the season (August and September). Harvest started in mid-August for the whites and finished on October 3rd with the last Cabernet Sauvignon. The quality of the vintage is very good and the wines are surprisingly fresh: as a consequence of drought and heat, the vines slowed down the vegetative cycle and managed to retain high levels of acidity in the grapes.

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

Generous notes of fruits and Mediterranean scrub. Sweet incense notes accompanied by floral tones of rose and rhubarb note, typical of this region. On the palate, it showcases elegance and easy-drinking qualities. The fruit profile displays a delightful mix of ripe fruit and balsamic scrub. The floral notes persist on the palate, mirroring the aromatic nose. The wine is elegant with a long soft finish.