In the local dialect, Sorì refers to the hillside facing south, while San Lorenzo is the patron saint protecting Alba’s Cathedral, as the vineyard was church property until 1964 when it was purchased by the Gaja family.

The Sorì San Lorenzo vineyard is situated in the municipality of Barbaresco, a few steps from the old town center. The land, facing south, consists of clayey-calcareous marls and covers a surface of 3.38 hectares, with an average altitude of 250 m above sea level. The vines are 50 years old on average.

The 2020 vintage was characterized by frequent rainfalls that can be defined as atypical for various reasons. Instead of the distribution coming in winter
and spring, it was concentrated in the summer months. Despite the frequent summer thunderstorms, none of our vineyards were damaged by hail. During winter, the
temperatures were mild. Particularly, January 2020 will be remembered for being the warmest in the last 50 years. The actual cold, with temperatures below freezing, arrived in mid-March and lasted a month. However, no frost damage occurred. With the sole exceptions of a heat spike in late May, one in August, and one in mid-September, the period from May to early October was characterized by alternating warm days and thunderstorms followed by cooler days. Significant temperature variations during the rest of September and October helped the color, aromas, and overall health of the grapes.

Fermentation and maceration for around three weeks followed by aging in oak for 24 months.

Sweet notes on the nose with a beautiful structure of fruit tannins with a lovely, intense color. It is closed initially but when it opens, it has a striking, multifaceted, dense texture. The cask aging also gives the wine a great edge, a little more verve, and tension with notes of salinity, citrus, cassis, currants, mustard, smokiness, and licorice. A deeply complex wine.